BOO!
Boo! is a 2D Top-down Shooter Game Prototype, with a black & white doodle theme, and a gameplay focusing on tactility and darkness. This is my final project for the Game Design Studio class during my second semester in POSTECH. The project helps me get familiarized with Unity and the process of video game making.
DATE
April - June 2024
TYPE
Course Project
Personal Project
Personal Project
RoLE
Game Designer
Game Developer
Game Developer
DELIVERABLEs
Prototype
TOOLS
Unity
Envato Elements
Sketchbook Pro
Adobe Photoshop
Envato Elements
Sketchbook Pro
Adobe Photoshop
story
A teenager suddenly got kidnapped into a cult's hideout. Waking up with an AK47 and a flickering flashlight in his backpack, he has to fight his way to freedom. He has to navigate through the darkness to escape the house full of armed cultists.
Design Principles
Top-down Perspective
Destructive Environment
Information Scarcity
Horror Action Vibe
Destructive Environment
Information Scarcity
Horror Action Vibe
THE DESIGN PROCESS
I. Initial Research:
After learning basic knowledge of Unity and Game Making in the first half of the semester, I spend the second half to apply what I had learned to create a mobile game. This is my final project for the class Game Design Studio at POSTECH.
I decided to make a tactical shooter game with horror elements. I decided to conduct a second-hand research on shooter games and horror games on multiple platforms, including PC, Console and Mobile.
I decided to make a tactical shooter game with horror elements. I decided to conduct a second-hand research on shooter games and horror games on multiple platforms, including PC, Console and Mobile.
Questions
What does 'tactical' means?
What are the types of horror used in games?
What are the common tactical shooter games on the market?
How games or movies build up their horror tempo?
What are the common elements in those game?
What are the common elements in horror game?
For this project, I wanted to create a game that can make people feel scared of the unknowns in the dark, but at the same time feel like a badass that can take on anything. My biggest inspirations in this projects are:
Darkwood
Rainbow Six Siege
Rainbow Six Extraction
Bullet Echo
Key Findings
Tactical Shooter
Horror
Strategic & action oriented.
Sound design plays a crucial role in creating the horror atmosphere.
Achieving goal in a short amount of time with multiple way to complete the objectives.
Narrow perspective & environment.
Gather intel & deny intel. Intel plays a crucial role in tactical game.
Lack of information about what's ahead. Lots of surprise attack.
Mistake are very punishing. Actions are not reversible.
Lighting & sounds building up the atmosphere, usually for a designated jump-scare scene.
II. IDEATION:
Based on these games, I decided that the project would be a top-down shooter horror game with destructible environments. I also decided to use fast-tempo background music (rock-n-roll!!!) and emphasis on sound design to improve the experience of the game.
Top-down
Bird-eye view perspective. Player control movement and rotation of the character.
Tactical
Provide minimal information of the enemies to the player.
Destructiveness
Indoor map with elements that can be interacted with and destroyed.
Horror & Action
Use sound design, visual elements & gameplay to create the desired atmosphere.
III. First prototype:
Sketching of the game's elements
Due to the short amount of time given in this project, I decided to use a Sketchbook Pro & Photoshop to minimize the time I needed for creating the visual elements. I used Envato Elements to created a banger sound design.
After building my first prototype, I get feedbacks from the teachers and classmates. The looks and atmosphere of the game had began to get into shape.
However, the problem of this demo were:
- Unfriendly UI (The Shoot & Interact button is hard to reach)
- Enemy AI was not available.
However, the problem of this demo were:
- Unfriendly UI (The Shoot & Interact button is hard to reach)
- Enemy AI was not available.
Boo! First Prototype
IV. Second prototype:
Boo! Second Prototype
From the first prototype of the game, I made further improvements for the prototype, adding simple enemy AI, and an auto-fire mode.
Later on, this version is used to gather external feedbacks.
Later on, this version is used to gather external feedbacks.
V. external feedbacks:
Test Device
Samsung Tab S7
Purpose
Understand differences between different type of gamers & how they feel about "Boo!".
Questionaire
- What games do you usually play?
- What do you like about "Boo!"?
- What can I improve about "Boo!"?
- What do you like about "Boo!"?
- What can I improve about "Boo!"?
Interviewees
- Mr. A**: Computer Science Student
- Mr. R***: Industrial Engineering Student
- Ms. K*****: Industrial Engineering Student
- Mr. R***: Industrial Engineering Student
- Ms. K*****: Industrial Engineering Student
Questions
MR. A**
Mr. R***
Ms. K*****
What games do you usually play?
League of Legends
Overwatch
Overwatch
Mobile Legend
CSGO
Valorant
Valorant
What do you like about "Boo!"?
The doodle art style.
Like the black & white theme.
Jump-scare.
What can I improve about "Boo!"?
The UI can be better.
The tablet is hard to hold.
The tablet is hard to hold.
Need death animation & HP bar.
Mini-map for navigation.
Mini-map for navigation.
Add time limit & animations.
Player vs Designer Perspective
Player perspective
Designer Perspective
The simple doodle, black & white art style is good, simple. Yet additional visual elements are needed.
The minimalist art style helps with simplify assets creation. Clearer animations & other visual cues such as HP bar are needed, yet, thoughtful decisions are essential to maintain the key elements of the game: darkness & mental uncertainty.
The buttons arrangements are hard to use. Need more elements like HP bar & maps.
The gamers who are used to playing PC games find the game's UI is harder, and usually play with two fingers. Meanwhile, mobile gamers who are used to shooter game are more familiar with the UI placement.
The jump-scare & sound is good, but time limit or other mechanics, such as time limit or making the flashlight only light up when shooting.
The desired environment & vibe had been met. Yet the core gameplay mechanics & loop need more work.
VI. Further improvements:
Boo! New UI Elements
Base on the feedbacks, I have added some simple UI elements for the game. The layout is inspired by many other shooter mobile game.
Takeaways
As a gamer who's in love with the story-telling aspects of video games, this project has helped me fulfilled my passion, and also help me understand the world of game design. Watching the players interacting with my game, and the game create feelings like I planned toward them is an amazing moment for me as a gamer and a designer.
This project also push me out of my comfort zone, teaching me new knowledge such as Programming, Unity & Game Design, understanding the balance between the player and the designer in creating a game. The final product still need works, especially in the gameplay mechanics and visuals, but this project was meaningful to me, since I have got so many new experiences, knowledge and skills from it.
This project also push me out of my comfort zone, teaching me new knowledge such as Programming, Unity & Game Design, understanding the balance between the player and the designer in creating a game. The final product still need works, especially in the gameplay mechanics and visuals, but this project was meaningful to me, since I have got so many new experiences, knowledge and skills from it.
Key Learnings
Game Design Process
Familiar with the video game design process & principles. Clearer understanding of the tasks needed to create a game, and the time and effort needed for these tasks.
Unity
Learned the basics of creating a game in Unity. Understand how to create assets, sounds, animations and programming.
Creating Atmosphere
I understand how to combine sound design, gameplay & visual elements to create the desired atmosphere for the game. Understand how games & movies build up intense emotions.
Player vs Designer View
Understand how to differentiate player perspective vs designer perspective. Got a better understanding of the insights needed when reviewing gamer's feedbacks.