Michael Van Zant
Game Design
Level - Mechanics - Narrative
High Concept:
A 2-player top-down twin-stick shooter where one player drives a car and the 2nd player shoots.
Development: 01/2015 - 04/2015
Team Size: 5
Engine: Zero Engine
I created a large level using multiple play mechanics and weaponry.
Special attention was paid to engagement curves and enemy engagement.
I experimented with different directions to take with already existing game mechanics, from a straight forward bullet hell to an exploration based survival.
2 thieves steal a prototype super-car and drive it to their buyer in Vegas. One takes the wheel and the second takes the turret, and the two must destroy everything that gets in their way.
What went right?
The game is full of a bunch of different memorable events that elevate the game. It's a solid final project that is held up by these moments.
What went wrong?
There was at one point a plan for voice acting to be in the game, which got so far as to have it recorded and edited. By the time I got around to implementation, much of the level design had changed. Considering that much of the dialog referenced events in the level design, attempted implementation left it feeling awkward and uneven, and it was all thrown out.
What did I learn?
Fully test all avenues that a mechanic can be taken in. Once we had the major mechanics of the game, there were multiple avenues that we could have taken. Exploring the combat and the exploration separately allowed me to come up with happy medium between the two in the final product.