Solo Project

Solo Project: Gather

November 16, 2012Download, DigiPen, Solo ProjectBernard HwangComment

Genre: Top-Down Shooter

Summary:
This project is the second of three assignments created for James Portnow’s (of Extra Credits) DigiPen class. This project is an arena-based top-down shooter. Originally starting out as a Game Jam game, Gather is the fully realized version.

I always tend to look back on unfinished projects or unattempted concepts when put under the pressure of creating something fast. There is some sort of cathartic feeling after completing a half-completed thought.

My Role:

Solo Project

Development Time: 1 month

Publish Date: 11-11-12

Post-Mortem:
A novel mechanic requires copious testing. While the visual aesthetics and feedback was there, the interest curve is not there, the character is sluggish, the player isn’t taught how to be successful at the game. These facts would come up with rigorous testing.

Again I tried novel mechanics, but a game will never turn out well simply by implementing my thoughts. This could have been a great piece with more attention given to the player’s needs.

Solo Project: PrototypeMan

October 16, 2012Download, DigiPen, Solo ProjectBernard HwangComment

Download Prototype Man (Windows)

Genre: Platformer

Summary:
This project is the first of three assignments handed down to me by James Portnow of Extra Credits, in his DigiPen class. In this assignment, I explored which mechanics and aesthetics worked to create a 2d platformer.

My Role:

Solo Project

Development Time: 1 month

Publish Date: 10-06-12

Post-Mortem:
There were many obstacles that got in the way of player exploring the central mechanic. Death should not have been the only way for the player to learn. There are plenty of other ways to teach and give a player space to practice a mechanic other than the through the threat of demise. Using an extreme such as player death shined a light on a problem I suffer as a designer: I get trapped trying to accomplish the big picture.

I need to become cognizant of what each moment of my game is doing to my player. There are a number of exciting set pieces and challenges, but most of them are bogged down by too much traversal, being too far from a spawn point, finicky controls.