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Save the turtle Postmortem

What aspects of the readings helped inspire your design process?

One of the readings that helped inspire my design process for Save the turtles was about game balance. I learned that it's important to balance all of the different elements of a game, such as the player and enemies, so that no one thing is too powerful or too weak. I also learned that it's important to test and balance your game regularly throughout development.

What’s one thing you’d change about how you developed the prototype?

One thing I would change about how I developed the prototype is that I would have started with a more detailed design document. This would have helped me to plan out the game more carefully and avoid making mistakes that I had to fix later on.

What’s one thing you’d change about the design of the prototype?

One thing I would change about the design of the prototype is that I would add more variety to the power-ups. The power-ups in the current prototype are all very similar, so I would like to add some new power-ups that have different effects.

Another thing I would change is that I would make the levels more visually interesting. The current levels are a bit bland, so I would like to add more detail and color to them.

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One-Sheet Final Design

I'm excited to share the one-sheet poster for my game, JumpWheels!

This poster is designed to give potential developers, publishers, investors, and other interested parties a quick overview of my game. It includes the title, a brief x-statement, defining details, three unique selling points, game art, and my contact information.

I'm really proud of how this poster turned out, and I think it's a great way to represent my game. Check out the poster below.

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One-Page Final design

This One-Page is a poster-sized document that provides a high-level overview of my game. It includes the game title, date, and version; a gameplay design illustration; and any additional aspects needed to communicate to the developers what the game is. The One-Page is a valuable tool for team members to reference as they build and iterate upon the game. It helps to ensure that everyone is on the same page and that the game is developing in the desired direction.

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Save the turtle elevator pitch

Genre: 2D racer

Primary Mechanics: Move a turtle using the arrow keys to collect lettuce points and avoid plastic straws.

Setting/Style: 2D top-down view, simple graphics.

Audience: Casual gamers, fans of arcade games, people who like to race and dodge things. Save the turtle is a challenging arcade game where you race your turtle through a sea of lettuce and plastic straws. Use the arrow keys to move your turtle and collect lettuce points while avoiding the straws. The more lettuce you collect, the higher your score. But watch out for the staws.

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Interesting Mechanic/Book Chapter/Game Discussion

One of the most interesting things I learned from Fullerton's book is the concept of "emergent gameplay." Emergent gameplay is when the player discovers new and unexpected ways to play the game that were not explicitly designed by the developer. It can be caused by a variety of factors, such as the interaction of different game mechanics, or the player's own creativity and ingenuity.

One example of emergent gameplay can be found in the game Minecraft. Minecraft is a sandbox game where players can build anything they can imagine using blocks. The game has a number of different mechanics, such as mining, crafting, and building. However, the player is free to combine these mechanics in any way they want, which can lead to all sorts of unexpected and creative gameplay experiences.

Emergent gameplay is one of the things that makes video games so special. It allows players to have unique and unexpected experiences that are not possible in other media. It also allows developers to create games that are more open-ended and replayable.

References

Fullerton, T. (2018). Game Design Workshop: A Play-centric Approach to Creating Innovative Games, Fourth edition. Chapter 6. She argues that emergent gameplay is essential for creating engaging and memorable games. She also provides a number of examples of emergent gameplay from different games.

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Logitech Mouse Survivor Postmortem

The concept of creating a "flow" state for the player was the most important aspect of the readings that helped inspire my design process. I tried to create a flow state by making the game challenging but not impossible, and by adding variety to the gameplay.

What's one thing you'd change about how you developed the prototype?

I would have started with a more complete design document and spent more time playtesting the prototype early on in development. This would have helped me to avoid making some of the design changes that I had to make later on, and it would have helped me to identify and fix problems with the game before they became too difficult to fix.

What's one thing you'd change about the design of the prototype?

I would add more variety to the gameplay by adding different types of enemies, power-ups, and levels. I could also add a boss fight at the end of the game.

Improvements made

I changed the background, added a healthbar instead of the lives countdown, and fixed the explosion animation for the enemies. These improvements made the game more visually appealing and polished, and the healthbar made the game more forgiving.

References

Fullerton, T. (2018). Game Design Workshop: A Play-centric Approach to Creating Innovative Games, Fourth edition.

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Logitech Mouse Survivor Update

This week, I've been working on the fundamental game features of Logitech Mouse Survivor in GDevelop. I've got the player character movement, shooting, and life system working, and enemy’s spawn at random locations around the player. Spawning enemies at random locations was a journey learning, but worth it.

The game feels kinda empty at the moment, so I'm looking into changing out the background and adding some exploding animations when you destroy the mouse traps. I'm also thinking about adding some different types of enemies and power-ups to add more variety to the gameplay.

One of the things I've been trying to figure out is how to make my game more engaging. In Fullerton's book, she talks about the importance of creating a "flow" state for the player. This happens when the player is completely immersed in the game and is able to focus on the task at hand without distraction.

I'm trying to create a flow state for my players by making the game challenging but not impossible. I'm also trying to make the game visually appealing and to add some variety to the gameplay.

This is still in the early stages of development, but I'm really excited about how the game is coming along. I think it has a lot of potential, and I'm looking forward to sharing it with the world soon.

References

Fullerton, T. (2018). Game Design Workshop: A Play-centric Approach to Creating Innovative Games, Fourth edition.

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Logitech Mouse Survivor elevator pitch

Genre: Asteroid Game

Primary Mechanics: Dodge mouse traps and shoot cheese to stay alive as long as possible.

Setting/Style: 2D top-down view, simple graphics

Audience: Casual gamers, fans of arcade games, people who like to dodge things

Logitech Mouse Survivor is a challenging arcade game where you control a Logitech gaming mouse with your cursor. You must dodge mouse traps and shoot cheese to stay alive as long as possible. The game is easy to learn but difficult to master, and it's sure to keep you entertained for hours on end.

Are you up for a challenge? Ready your trigger finger.

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Results and playtesting Insights

Howdy 🤠. I'm stoked to share an update on my platformer journey, and we're diving into the world of play-testing and a little inspiration from "Game Design Workshop: A Play-centric Approach to Creating Innovative Games, Fourth Edition."

Alright, so picture this – a platform jumper that's all about making daring rooftop leaps between different vehicles. Each jump scores you some sweet points, like racking up gaming gold. And yeah, we've got a twist in the tale – players can unleash a double jump for those next-level, heart-thumping leaps.

Now, let's talk about the real deal – playtesting! I tossed my platformer to the players' arena and boy, did I get some intriguing feedback. But here's where our literary nod comes in – "Game Design Workshop" had some insights that echoed the sentiments.

So, vehicles – yeah, players were digging the rooftop action, but they craved variety in their vehicular adventures. The current lineup felt a bit one-note, so I decided to jazz it up, taking cues from the book's emphasis on keeping things engaging. Think hopping from car roofs to ambulances to, well, maybe a zany ice cream truck just for the fun of it!

But wait, there's more. The rhythm of these vehicle entrances was in the spotlight. Players wanted a dash of unpredictability – kind of like the book's nudge towards keeping players engaged. So, I'm cooking up a concoction of surprise intervals to add a sprinkle of excitement.

Armed with player insights and a touch of design wisdom, I'm on a mission to level up this experience. It's all about bringing in a mix of vehicles and that element of surprise, just like our favorite gaming guidebook suggests.

Keep close for more updates. Stay frosty 🥶

References

Fullerton, T. (2018). Game Design Workshop: A Play-centric Approach to Creating Innovative Games, Fourth edition.

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My experience with Gdevelop

Just wanted to share a bit about my journey diving into the world of game design with GDevelop – buckle up, it's been a ride! 🚀

Starting my course, I had an assignmnent of crafting a platformer game. With some Unity and Unreal Engine under my belt, I had a solid foundation.

Learning GDevelop was a breeze, thanks to my prior experience. The visual coding editor was a game-changer. Despite feeling like learning a new language at first, I conquered the curve faster than a pixel hero collects coins!

Let's chat about those mischievous enemies. Enemy spawning was a head-scratcher. Creating random intervals was like taming rebellious pixel troublemakers! 😅 Yet, this is what game design's all about, right? Embracing challenges, one code line at a time.

Game on, amigos! 🕹️

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🤫 Sneak Peek: "JumpWheels" Early Concept Art 🚗

Sharing an early glimpse of "JumpWheels" with emphasis on "early."  

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Elevator Pitch: JumpWheels 🚗 🚗

Following Fullerton's Play-centric Design approach, the goal for the player experience in "JumpWheels" is to cultivate an engaging yet attainably challenging journey. This project serves as an introductory exploration into game design, focusing on the fusion of mechanics and aesthetics to craft an enjoyable experience.

Prototype Name: JumpWheels

Genre: Vehicle Platform Jumper

Primary Mechanics or Mode of Gameplay: Drawing inspiration from renowned titles like "Lego Indiana Jones", specifically from the chapter "Pursuing the ark", where the player has to jump between vehicles before they fade into oblivion. For each vehicle that spawn the player receives a point.

Setting/Style: The visual narrative of "JumpWheels" is enrobed in a 2D pixel art style reminiscent of the iconic "Crossy Road." However, the gameplay itself channels the suspense of the legendary ark scene, with vehicles serving as the ephemeral platforms.

Audience or Demographics: Catering to enthusiasts of accessible yet stimulating games, "JumpWheels" aims to captivate hardcore platformer devotees while offering an entry point for newcomers intrigued by playful challenges. This endeavor aligns with the principles outlined in "Game Design Workshop: A Playcentric Approach to Creating Innovative Games, Fourth Edition," where the convergence of mechanics and user experience forms the bedrock of design.

In summation, "JumpWheels" emerges as a blend of engaging mechanics and dynamic aesthetics, aspiring to resonate with both seasoned platform enthusiasts and those drawn to accessible yet rewarding challenges. This prototype embarks on a journey to explore game design's foundations while ensuring a captivating, inclusive experience for diverse players.

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👋 Hello there 👋

I'm Tobias, a software enthusiast on a quest for a Bachelor's in IT. Beyond diving into lines of code, I've been chasing my game design dreams through fun projects and playful experiments with various game-making tools. Whether it's cracking coding challenges or diving into new tech, I'm all in!

Come hang out with me on this Tumblr adventure as I mix my tech know-how with my passion for crafting interactive experiences. Expect random thoughts, exciting breakthroughs, and a touch of pixel enchantment as I share my ongoing game design journey.

Stay pixel-perfect, Tobias 🚀🕹️