#suzycube #gamedev #indiedev #madewithunity
Been pretty "heads down" this week, not much in the way of exciting gifs and what not. So what have I been up to!?
Working around a hard crash bug took up most of Monday, and after that I dove right into a new level, Level 1-3. It's another desert themed level all about learning to use the double jump power up and falling really long distances!
Mind the Gap
Learning to use the double jump power up
When introducing a new power up to your player, it's a good idea to set up a situation which will force them to use it. In the case of the double jump power up in Suzy Cube, what I've done is set up a wall you can't quite jump onto followed by a gap you can't quite jump across. Only by first double jumping then double jumping and gliding (by holding the jump button) can you clear these two obstacles. The tradeoff is that failing to learn to use the power up will result in halted progress, but since Suzy only uses a single "button": jump, I have high hopes that the vast majority of players will catch on. Of course, only user testing will validate or invalidate that hypothesis.
A Long Way Down
Ooh, I wonder what's down there...
When designing the levels for Suzy Cube, I try to keep in mind what the player might find memorable about the level. For Level 1-3, I'm essentially trying to keep in mind that it's "the one where you're going down a long way". Even something as simple as starting Suzy up on top of the level and having her run and jump her way down can be enough to make the level feel unique and stand out in the player's mind.
Watch your step!
What's in Here?
Spelunking
I've also incorporated a couple of hidden areas into the level. These kinds of secondary paths and secrets, I think, are very important both for breaking up the normal action of the game, but also to give the player more of a sense of freedom and discovery. Also, it's fun to make a torch lit inside areas for a change!
The Bee's Knees
Killer Bee, rigged and ready to fly!
And finally, today, I modelled and rigged what will be the game's basic flying enemy, the killer bee! I'm sure I'll have more to say about this baddie in next week's post after having, hopefully, hooked it up in the game.
That's it for this week. I've got a few more things I want to add to the level before calling it quits for the weekend. So see you all next week!
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