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Phantasaria

Phantasaria is a side-scroller jump-n-run game whose goal it is to reach a portal at the end of the level to get closer to the treasure inside the castle. The players plays a humanoid cat, that is from a different world, can jump high and loves candy, that you can collect in the game as a resource and score in each level. They can also cut down trees to craft useful items, like a box, that you can use to reach higher platforms. The twists is that cutting down trees takes time and disables you from using the trees as platforms which makes the player constantly weigh their options. This allows for near endless possibilities to complete a level.

 

Genre: Jump n‘ run

Year: 2020

Players: 1

Team size: 3

My part: Design and programming

Goal: Emmersive jump n‘ run focusing on different paths for the player

Design process

With the goal in mind two possible game ideas came to mind:

1. A jump n‘ run with many possible paths to reach the goal and additional harder challenges to get bonus objectives and collectibles

2. An action-puzzle game where the player has to gather resources and build objects to overcome obstacles (e.g. a river or a mountain). They would play against a timer and have to balance their resources (time, material, objects) while planning on how to approach the obstacle.

After a few quick iterations it was decided that both ideas should be combined into one. To fit a broad target audience we decided on two themes: animals and candy. 

After every big change in the game we organized a testing session and collected feedback. This forced made me rewrite the player control script and the object placement mechanics. Furthermore, I helped make a new level design and change the art style to fit the theme better and increase the feeling of being in a fantasy world. Lastly, the timer has been removed for a high score system, as it allows players to spend as much time as they want in a level, but then replay it to try to reach a better score.

What went well

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no run feels the same
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placing objects does not stop the flow
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jumps are accurate
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objects allow for interesting environment interactions
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gambling between time and resource management

What could be done better

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more complicated objects
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increasing movement set
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more consistent art style
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heavier impact of objects on shortcuts
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use for the collectibles (e.g. store)

What I learned

“Game flow should not be stopped by whatever features are implemented.”

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