Desert Shell

Introducing Desert Shell, a recent team project that dives into the construction and functionality of game mechanics. With a focus on game design, the team endeavored to rapidly prototype and enhance an existing game type by introducing new twists to the gameplay. Through weekly assignments, the team explored the process of rebalancing game mechanics to keep the player in a state of "flow."

Platform | PC
Playtime | 2-5 Minutes

Engine | Unreal Engine 5
Duration | May 2024

Team Size | 5
Roles | Game Designer

Week 1 But Better

1/3

Responsibilities - Top-Down Shooter Enhancements:

360-Degree Aiming: Implemented a 360-degree rotation system for player characters, allowing for responsive and precise aiming in all directions, which enhanced control and aiming accuracy.
Visual Clarity: Inserted a shotgun model for the pickup item, making it easily recognizable to players.
Playtesting and Feedback Integration: Conducted playtesting sessions to gauge player responses to the new controls and made adjustments based on feedback

Week 2 But Better(er)

But Better(er)! - frame at 0m6s

But Better(er)! - frame at 0m5s

But Better(er)!-images-2

But Better(er)! - frame at 0m6s

1/7

Responsibilities - Side Platformer Transition:

Horizontal Slide Mechanic: Developed and implemented a horizontal slide move, allowing the player to quickly evade obstacles and enemies, which improved movement flow within the side-scrolling environment.
Mechanic Testing: Tested the new slide mechanic extensively to ensure it was responsive and added to player mobility, while providing another level of strategy.

Week 3 Selling It

SellingItShot

SellingItShotgun

Selling It-images-3

SellingItShot

1/10

Responsibilities - Communication and Visual Clarity in the Top-Down Shooter:

Projectile Visuals: Added glow effects to player and enemy projectiles, creating distinct purple and yellow lightning balls for characters and blue wind balls for enemies, enhancing visual feedback in combat.
Character and Enemy Outlines: Added visual outlines to both player characters and enemies, ensuring clear distinction and easy recognition during gameplay.
UI and Feedback Integration: Refined the HUD and visual indicators to improve player awareness, particularly during intense combat moments.

Wrap Up

Each week’s efforts focused on elevating player experience and responsiveness through targeted mechanic and visual improvements, resulting in a top-down shooter that felt polished, engaging, and visually clear. Desert Shell exemplifies the power of iterative design, where gameplay clarity and player feedback were continually refined to elevate the player experience. By focusing on intuitive visuals, recognizable elements, and responsive mechanics, this project reflects my dedication to creating engaging, polished gameplay that prioritizes clarity and enjoyment in fast-paced action settings.