OVER-POWDERED SHELLS
Project Duration: 9 Days
Introduction:
For this game jam I spent 9 days making a physics platformer based around the theme Overpowered
My Role:
Game Designer
Key Contributions:
Physics Movement System
Environmental Hazards
Progression/Leaderboard System
Tools Used:
GDevelop
In Further Detail
Mechanics Breakdown:
Physics Movement:
When the theme for the Jam was revealed I knew I had to take it in an unexpected direction.
The core idea for the game was platforming without movement, only a shotgun so overpowered that it would fling you through the world.
Getting this single mechanic right was the make or break, but thanks to the heavy hitting sound, and hard screen shake players feel the power that they wield as they fly through the air.
Progression:
Each level features a timer and a number of coins that need to be collected.
Upon collecting the coins players will finish the level and be given a score based on how much time is left, and the number of lives they have remaining.
This system served to encourage players to try and master the movement in order to reach the highest possible score
Environmental Hazards:
The hazards were each made to achieve different goals
The spikes keep the player from blindly launching themselves in any direction and encourage smart movement.
The target door allows us to put valves into our levels and create new challenges without outright damaging the player. This makes them think about how they position themselves before they shoot.
The saw blades encourage the player to time their shots carefully and offers a stark challenge increase.
Each of these mechanics get their own tutorial level where they are featured in a safer environment, and then featured in all future levels progressing in difficulty.
My Biggest Challenge:
Level Design
I struggled to create levels that were engaging but not too difficult for the player. The first level I made ended up being the final level of the actual game as it featured every mechanic and was most challenging.
Through playtesting I was able to get a better grasp on what players found most challenging and make adjustments from there.
To pad out levels I made each new trap into its own tutorial esq. level. This worked out greatly in my favor as players found this incredibly helpful in not feeling overwhelmed.