Rainy Studio
IAT 410
Zhengyao Zhu
Hello, I am Kaiden Zhu. I am the Level designer in our team and playingtest observer.
Week 11-12 Journal
During the final two weeks, I focused on the map design and enemy distribution for the last level, as well as the boss level. As these are the final levels of the game, I made significant adjustments to the quantity of Type A enemies, reducing their numbers, while increasing the combination of Type B, C, and D enemies to noticeably raise the overall difficulty level for players. I also created a designated boss battle area, featuring a spacious open ground that allows players to maneuver and dodge boss skills effectively.
Additionally, we conducted internal game testing and addressed any identified bugs, making necessary refinements and fixes. We also replaced the previously used placeholders with our own custom-made textures and improved particle effects to enhance the overall visual quality of the game.
Throughout this process, I ensured a formal and meticulous approach to the map design, enemy placement, and boss battle area to provide players with a challenging and engaging experience in the final levels of the game.
Week 9-10 Journal
After receiving feedback from the guest lecture, I realized that our game's level map design and enemy archetypes need further refinement and enrichment. Additionally, we need to attempt to update our boss design and work on completing the code for buff replacement. Over the past two weeks, I have been designing the reward placements, map terrain, and enemy positioning and quantities for the second and third levels of our game.
In our game, enemies are divided into three types. Type A is the frog, a low-health and low-attack melee patrol enemy. Type B is the soaring eagle, with moderate health and high attack, which will pursue enemies within its attack range using a Finite State Machine (FSM). Type C is the low-health and medium-attack ranged enemy. Type D is the high-health tank enemy. Additionally, I have also designed one of our unique features, which involves placing buff pick-up locations (marked by yellow circles) randomly after creating a buff. The Golden Tree NPC will then provide players with the buffs they have crafted.
Week 7-8 Journal
During the past week, I was tasked with the responsibility of designing the seed type, rank, buff type, buff effect, and buff composition method. The aim was to create a game that gradually becomes more challenging as the player progresses through the levels. As such, the scrolls and seeds that the player unlocks and collects increase in power as they move forward in the game.
The buffs are scrolls that are unlocked and crafted using different kinds and grades of seeds. The red seed, for instance, is used for attack buffs, yellow for speed, blue for recovery, and green for defense. Each seed is graded from 1 to 3, with the higher-ranked seeds producing more powerful buffs. The process of synthesizing each buff is unique, ensuring that each scroll has a unique combination of seed types and ranks.
Additionally, I collaborated with the game developer to refine and design the skills and attacks for the Ice (Frost) player state. We worked to improve the animation and visual effects of the player's attacks, making them more appealing to the player.
Week 5-6 Journal
During the week I worked with our developer on the design of the map environment interaction, and we decided to augment the skill with element buffs to allow players to break barriers or use the environment to kill enemies. Still working on a crafting system. I have been researching and developing smart depth and winning play in our games to add complexity and fun to our games. Players have multiple ways to kill monsters, with different obstacles and traps in different map environments. After a team discussion we decided that our unique point was to use seeds to build buffs and let players choose them. I was an observer of our playingtest and all the feedback I got was about visual feedback and guidance issues. So in the next prototype we need to not only improve our game core loop but also complete our UI and how-guide interface. We need to create a how-to page and add visual cues and signs to the game to remind the player and teach the player how to play and operate.
Week 3-4 Journal
In these two weeks, I made functional flowboard of the game, and planned and designed the switch between primary gameplay mode and sub gameplay mode, cut scene, game UI and map. I also did some preliminary definition and planning of the theme setting, monster attack modes and levels in the game. I also created a narrative back story for the game. Our game's protagonist will act as a naturia guardian to guard the monster-polluted world. But we went too far into the details of the game and neglected the most basic game concepts and ideas, and we needed to find a novel concept to put into our Rogue-like games. In addition, I realized that the relationship between farm and rogue combat was inappropriate and that I would improve the game mechanics.
This my idea: There are difficult-to-explore areas planted in the level, where rooms are planted to find seeds that unlock skills, which can be chosen by the player. (There are many skills) Returning to this level players can choose a buff as a bonus in each small level, there are a variety of buffs in the buff pool, the same buffs can be stacked on top of each other, upgrading from green to blue, purple, gold. The last 6 buffs are available, and players can choose to replace them.
Week 1-2 Journal
During this week, my classmates and I brainstormed and designed our games. We basically decided on our gameplay, style, and basic mechanics. We made a roguelike 2D pixel game where the main character surrounded a natural environment and fought a pollution monster. As the game designer on my team, I designed the game skills, the level Settings, and the different effects of the skills. At the same time, I will also start a part of the map design.
Buff design
