Group Projects
The following projects are the group projects we were assigned during our time at The Game Assembly. We would be given a type of game they wanted us to make and a list of things that had to be included. Each group generally consisted of 2-3 Level Designers, 4-5 Artists and 5-6 Programmers.
Mars One
Level Designer
Description: My first group project at The Game Assembly. A perpetual runner game where the player can't stop or go back and must dodge obstacles in their way. The story goes that you are one of the last people on Mars as humanity makes the desition to blow it up. Outrun the shockwave and escape before you are engulfed in the fires of the dying planet.
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Programs Used: Unity
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Reference Game: Breakneck Game
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Time: 6 Weeks part time (3 hours/day)
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What I learned: As this was my first project and I was unfamiliar with Unity at the time I found myself stumbling rather early. However, when I realized that I can rely on my fellow students they quickly brought me up to speed and I became happy with the end result.
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Download Link:
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My Specific Contribution: In this project I am solely responsible for the level design of level 3, as well as some minor modifications to level 2.
Bellbot
Level Designer
Description: The Second project we were assigned at TGA. It needed to be a low-poly mobile puzzle game for Android. In this game you are a tiny maintenance robot who must repair the great bell at the top of the tower. The way there is not an easy one however, and the tower is full of strange machinery and odd paths.
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Programs Used: Unity
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Reference Game: Mekorama
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Time: 6 weeks part time (3 hours/day)
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What I learned: Working on a mobile game proved an interesting challenge. The fixed camera and limited screen-space forced us to lower our ambitions and the need for important interactible items to be large and visible all the more so. In addition the vital need for communication between disciplines and proper version management was learned the hard way during this project. It was more than once that progress was lost due to people working in the same scene and overwriting each others work.
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Download Link: Google Apps
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My Specific Contribution: I am solely responsible for level 1 and 2, and made significant contributions to level 5. I was also the one to come up with the name.
Home
Level Designer
Description: The third project was a sidescrolling shoot-em-up. This was also the first project where the programmers began learning how to build their own engine. In the game you are a ship captain whose objective is to destroy 3 ancient titans who has isolated your planet. Human Imperial Command calls you a hero for your efforts... but who are the titans, and why did they turn hostile?
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Programs Used: Tiled, TGA2D (In-house engine)
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Reference Game: Graceful Explosion Machine
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Time: 8 weeks part time (4 hours/day)
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What I learned: The biggest take-away from this project is undoubtedly the fact that overscoping. Is. Bad. Espechially with a tight deadline and the fact that our programmers had to spend crucial time to code the engine itself. We had grand ideas for this game but unfortunately we, a bit too late, realized we could accomplish barely any of it. The result is a game I am not espechially proud of, but the purpose was to learn, and learn I did.
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Download Link:
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My Specific Contribution: I am solely responsible for level 3. I also wrote the story and voicelines. Even did some voice-acting.
Darkwood
Level Designer
Description: The 4th group project at TGA, a 2d Platformer. The story goes that you return to the mystical forest you have long called home. But one of your siblings meet you and tells of a terrible corruption that has spread. Worse, your mother, the forest's eternal guardian, has fallen to its rot. You must use your wits and cunning to purify your home and save your family.
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Programs Used: Tiled, TGA2D (In-house engine)
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Reference Game: Ori and the Blind Forest
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Time: 8 Weeks part time (4 hours/day)
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What I learned: This project was the first one affected by the Covid-19 pandemic. About one third into this one we rather suddenly switched to working from home and that change didn't come without a few hick-ups. A lot of time was spent figguring out how to use online tools and how to best facilitate proper communication now that in-person conversations and meetings were no-longer an option. Ultimately it turned out well, though the game did suffer.
I also had a fun time working in depth with character metrics in this game (Size, speed, jump height etcetera).
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Download Link:
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My Specific Contribution: I am solely responsible for level 4 and 5. I was also heavily involved in the narrative discussion and planing.
Ellah
Level Designer
Description: The 5th group project at TGA was a top-down, 2D puzzle/action adventure. We chose to set it in ancient times before recorded history and gave it a bit of a Lovecraftian flare. In the game you must uncover the pieces of a dark ritual, but perhaps not everything is as it seems.
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Programs Used: Tiled, TGA2D (In-house engine)
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Reference Game: Ittle Dew
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Time: 8 weeks part time (4 hours/day)
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What I learned: Working on this project was a joy, and most of my memories are of me simply having fun and being happy with the results. Perhaps that alone is a valuable lesson to take away from it all, enjoy your work and the end result will speak for itself. That said I did expand my knowledge of puzzle design in some ways as well. Thinking more in the way of sequences with interlocking pieces than independent and isolated sections that needs to be solved.
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Download Link:
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My Specific Contribution: I am solely responsible for the making of the overworld and the third temple. I also wrote the story and voicelines.
Morningstar
Level Designer
Description: The 6th project was ment to be a Diablo clone. Or at the very least it had to use Diablo as a reference game. At this point in the program the programmers had to design their own engine completely from scratch without any sort of framework. As such we had far more time available than any other project. As for the story you are a member of a Holy Order sent to investigate rumours of an insidious Alchemical Cult. But when you arrive at the city it is quite clear that the only remedy to this ailment is your trusty Mace.
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Programs Used: Unity (as editor), Sidetrack Engine (Custom Engine created by the programmers in our group)
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Reference Game: Diablo
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Time: 14 weeks part time (4 hours/day)
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What I learned: I will not deny it. This project did not go well. Despite more than twice the usuall time we still didn't manage to get the engine working in any real capacity. That along with losing one of our Graphic Artists led to us barely having a game at all in the end. I think more than anything this just really hammered home the importance of proper planning, prioritizing and good time estimation.
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Download Link:
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My Specific Contribution: I am solely responsible for level 2.