450 Project Timetable

So, here's my preliminary schedule.  I've got it set up so there's a major checkpoint about every other week.  The flash tutorials and everything will be going alongside the project deadlines too, it's looking like the technical stuff won't be too involved to the point I can't figure it out by the time I need to implement it.



Phase 1: Planning - 1/12 - 1/24

Goals:
- Writing: Create plot, setting, background info.  I'd like this to be pretty in-depth, and some of this step will probably continue past the deadine.
- Sketching: Concept art, setting, atmosphere.  Digital and actual sketchbook.
- Research: What actual methods will most effectively present my project with minimal coding complications?

Checkpoint: Monday 1/24.  If it is feasible, I'd like to get feedback on the concept work before putting it together, since any suggestions or additions people might make are easiest to implement at this point. The next checkpoint is a lot more important though, if it isn't practical to do both.



Phase 2: Layout - 1/24 - 1/31

Goals:
- Decide on specific plot and scenes, make a kind of map of all the possible choices and how scenes will connect with each other, incorporate sketches to illustrate.  All on paper, not putting it together yet.

Possible Checkpoint: Monday 1/31?  Tentative.  This is an important step, I would probably like to get feedback at this point, but a map like this will probably get convoluted, and it will probably be easier for other people (who haven't been staring at it for hours) to understand when it is interactive and actually laid out in the final format, at the next step or two.



Phase 3: First Draft - 1/31 - 2/7 

Goals: 
- Put everything together into an interactive draft using color sketches, to test the flow of the game and work out all the functional problems with the programming, graphical stuff will come later.   This is a very rough version.  I need the sketches to be just tight enough that someone else will be able to play through the game without too much confusion caused by the graphics.
- Write all dialogue that will be used, complete, but rough draft.
- Continue concept drawings

Checkpoint: Monday 2/7.  This is the important one.  I'll present additional concept work along with the (very!) rough draft, and ideally get feedback on the flow of the game, and any technical difficulties that are likely to arise, before the artwork is final.  If there are places you would get unreasonably stuck in the game, hopefully this is where that would come up.  Major changes need to be during this step, and not later on.



Phase 4:  Revisions - 2/7 - 2/14

 Goals: 
- Fix all the things that came up last critique
- Start cleaning up sketches, moving towards final art
---- no checkpoint, unless presenting minor changes --- 



Phase 5: Second Draft - 2/14 - 2/21 

Goals:
 - Polish artwork
- Figure out graphical tweaks
- This is the almost-final version.  It should look clean, and be playable.

Possible Checkpoint: Monday 2/21.  Tentative, depending on how many changes I need to make.  If I feel there won't be much change between this and the final version, I'd rather just present the final version.  I think some feedback would probably help though, just to double-check, even if there are only minor changes.  And it would probably be nice to present the progress between this and the first draft.




Phase 6: Final Product! 2/21 - 2/28 

Goals:
- Make last (and hopefully only minor) revisions 
- Add all the bells and whistles and fun shiny things between second draft and the final.

Note: The timeline for this project includes a 1-week buffer in case I need it, the second draft should be polished enough that it could be a final product.

Final Presentation: Monday 2/28!