Summary
For this cooperative high score game, we wanted to emulate the feeling of original cabinet style arcade games. The game only runs in windowed mode and utilizes a shared keyboard control system reminiscent of earlier joystick setups as a way of reinforcing the theme and a feeling of competitive cooperation. Most of my time on this project was spent on a whiteboard or in the editor with the technical design team, refining the core gameplay experience, focusing on ease of use and replay value.
Details
Team Size | 15
Duration | 2 Days
Platform | Windows (Itch.io)
Role | Technical Lead
Tools | Unity 2021.2, C#, Jira, Git
Core Gameplay Design
The Problem: Where is the Fun? (Deadline Edition)
As this was the largest team we I had coordinated thus far, I needed to guide the team in crafting a game that both was interesting to play and gave everyone enough to do, while ensuring the scope was feasible.
The Process: Holding Strong Opinions Weakly
I started by leading the team in a design session surrounding the game jam's theme of "attraction". Of the topics we discussed, dating, multiplayer, and magnets stuck out as the most promising prospects, which we combined into the final idea of two black hole rivals working together to protect the target of their love, Earth.
The Solution: Architect the Moment-to-Moment
I then took this idea and architected the systems required to bring it to fruition, which I passed onto the engineers. I then went to the level and UI designers and worked with them to lay out the screen and space the player would be interacting with.
AustinJohnPlayStarcrossed.mov
Diegetic Tutorial Design
The Problem: What Are the Controls?
When most of the game had been made, we realized that we still needed to implement a controls screen to teach the players how to move the black holes, but we also wanted to keep the game as straightforward as possible.
The Process: Researching & Pitching
Taking cues from how arcade machines have the controls for the game on the control panel itself, I pitched the idea of putting the controls on the background at the start of the game, which the team liked.
The Solution: Put it "On the Box"
I then implemented the system in the form of two constellation on the background, that would fade out and follow the scrolling of the background. When shown to players, they picked up the controls quickly and had minimal comments about the control scheme of the game.
TutorialShowcase.mp4