Based on our previous prototypes and some feedback we got on them, we met as a team to decide the direction we were headed.

Player experience

• Keep a “happy” vibe
• Collaboration, communication, coordination
• Methodical, slower paced puzzles (it would encourage better communication)
• Lighthearted player to player interaction
• No Super Meat Boy deaths, keep it family friendly
• Less shouty/chaotic, more thinking/trying

Audience

• Atlas community: students and instructors
• Gamers who like platformers and puzzle games
  • Celeste
  • Hollow knight
  • Over cooked
  • Ibb and Obb
  • Heave Ho
• Expo goers

Mechanics

Unique Mechanic

• Primary interaction
  • Each player aim a beam in one of the cardinal directions
  • The beam has infinite range (on screen)
  • One beam repels the other player and metal objects
  • One beam attracts the other player and metal objects
  • The strength of the beam is dependent on either
    • The force of the trigger as analog input
    • The duration the trigger is held for
• Secondary Mechanic
  • Each player has a burst that acts in all directions
  • The burst is on the player
  • The burst has infinite range, but distance affects the force
  • Repel burst
    • Repels the other player and metal objects
    • Force is greater for objects that are nearer to repelling player
  • Attraction burst
    • Attracts other player and metal objects
    • Force is great for objects that are further to attracting player

Player Movement

• Standard left, right movement
• Single jump
• Possible dash ability, but it would need to serve a purpose besides just platforming

Levels and Puzzles

• Vertical level design, “up-scroller”
  • Non traditional a plus
  • Burst mechanic would fit well
  • Falling things to avoid?
• Death resets level
• Players able to reset level
  • In menu or in game?
• Length (height) of level depends
  • Longer = more difficult
  • Don’t want them too long
• Blocks
  • Metal boxes
    • Stationary
    • Free
    • On horizontal/vertical tracks
  • Spikes
  • Heavy blocks to break destructible platforms
  • Destructible blocks
  • Rubber (springs)
  • Windows (allows magnetism but blocks player)
  • Lead (blocks magnetism and player
  • Pressure buttons
  • Buttons
  • Build circuit by moving conductive blocks
  • cogs/gears to lift gate
  • Deposit charge to open gate
    • + close proximity to each other
    • – players keep distance

Development

With these idea in mind, Nolan and Willie coded the basic physics, interactions, and PS4 controller support. To test these out, they made a few basic levels. However, since this game is two player, testing them out will be difficult, so in this build, one player can toggle between both abilities. This is just for preliminary testing, to get a feel for the movement and push/pull mechanics:

Ben started creating the structure for the tilemap using temporary assets. They were created tile rules so everyone could draw the tiles easily:

 

Nolan created and found sound effects for the underground environment, and player movement.

Willie added some more world interactions, including breakable blocks and buttons.

Hai worked on finalizing the character concepts. She simplified the design from last week which will make it easier to animate.

She also created tilemaps for the first area of the game.

In addition to this, we started thinking about the pacing and progression of the levels. A part of puzzle design is teaching the player the basic mechanics and interactions in a way that doesn’t frustrate them.

After listing out all the things that out players would have to learn, we ordered them in a sequence that makes the most sense. This will help us when figuring our the sequence of levels and what skills dependent on previously learnt ones. Another interesting thing that came out of this talk was the idea of having circular metal objects so they can roll more freely than the boxes.

Level Design

We also had our first weekly level design session.