Overview
This week, my time was dedicated to designing six mazes for my game, aligning with the six age stages I previously discussed. Additionally, I've been contemplating various aspects of the game. However, I'm uncertain about the feasibility of completing them within the scope of this class project. Finally, I also made a functional update for my current version of the game.
Level Design
As I said earlier, the six levels designed this week will correspond to the six age stages we mentioned, namely childhood (0-10 years old), teenage years (11-20 years old), young adulthood ( 21-30 years old), middle age (31-50 years old), senior years (51-80 years old), and the twilight years (age 81 and beyond).
Level titled "Innocence" - childhood (ages 0-10)
For this level's design, my concept revolves around broad pathways and gentle curves. I've incorporated elevated and lowered sections to help players acclimate to the game mechanics. This design also symbolizes how certain challenges we faced during our childhood were nothing more than minor hurdles.
Level titled "Turbulence" - teenage years (11-20 years old)
The design of this level will begin to incorporate intricate pathways, introducing loops, crossroads, and even some jumping platforms. Coupled with the earlier-mentioned flickering lights, these elements collectively mirror the uncertainties of adolescence.
Level titled "Crossroads" - young adulthood (21-30 years old)
The design of this level embodies its title, "The Crossroads." Players will face two paths that lead toward the light source, yet the challenge lies in the fact that the light remains obscured from their view. This path selection forms the core challenge of this level. Simultaneously, it serves as a reflection of how diverse routes can lead to entirely distinct life journeys.
Level titled "Reflections" - middle age (31-50 years old)
This level is embodied by the concept of "reflection." The majority of the mazes I've designed consist of linear paths and several dead ends. Players will need to navigate back and forth within the maze during the exploration process to grasp its layout. Furthermore, the two times of the exit gate moves serve to enhance the notion of reflection.
Level titled "Insight" - senior years (51-80 years old)
This level will symbolize the player's senior year, and the maze design will no longer feature complexity. However, due to the gradual limitation of physical abilities, the maze's challenge will encompass certain jumping maneuvers and the avoidance of dead ends. Completing the level remains contingent on finishing before the countdown concludes.
Level titled "Legacy" - twilight years (age 81 and beyond)
In the final level, players can behold the entire maze even without relying on the light source. Nevertheless, with diminishing physical capabilities, navigating through the maze becomes a challenge. This, too, is a representation of my intent. As individuals reach their twilight years, their vision may be clear, yet their bodies are no longer as good as they once were.
Game Mechanics Update
This week, I added a simple pause function to my game. In the game, the player can enter or exit the pause scene by using the Esc key. I also hope that this function can allow players to choose to stop and make their thinking clearer when they count down to the exit.
Game Development
This week, I'm continuing to contemplate the development of this game. While it's a modest creation, I recognize that my current design may not suffice for a fully engaging experience. Hence, I'm considering some minor enhancements. For instance, integrating narration into the game could inform players about their current age stage, eliminating the need for mere speculation based on a single word.
Furthermore, addressing the game's replayability is essential. As the game currently follows a linear structure, the consistency of the maze persists across repetitions. To counter this, I'm contemplating the introduction of a challenge mode to inject diversity into the gameplay and elevate its overall replay value.
Lastly, I've conceived an additional approach to augment the game's replayability. This involves incorporating a system akin to achievements, affording players the opportunity to collect and accomplish tasks, thus broadening the scope for extended engagement.
Demo
Currently, my version of the game has been updated to the first level I mentioned, which is "Innocence", after the level of a straight-line test. Later levels will require adjustments to my existing mechanics.
Game Link:
https://0maple0.itch.io/light-beta
Next week
Next week, I will implement all the levels I designed and may make some changes to the maze structure of the levels. At the same time, it can be regarded as completing one of the goals of this class. Although this game is not done yet, I will definitely continue to improve this game after this class.
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