#MovieGameJam DAY 3 and 4
— Jeffrey B (@BarkunJ_Games) 6 February 2018
Took time away from Unity to plan out my next move; mostly been focusing on UI, progression, score balancing, metrics, and level design.
More Unity gifs to come; until then, enjoy a little "Behind the Scenes" 😉 pic.twitter.com/34izdgHX8v
Boulder Marcielo
During the Movie Game Jam (a Game Jam where participants made a game based on a movie scene), I designed this first-person arcade-racing game inspired by the infamous boulder scene from Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark. The goal of the game is to create as much damage as possible while chasing a treasure hunter down a temple.
One of the aspects I focused on during this jam was to create camera behavior that could convey the boulder’s movement to the player. One way I conveyed turning to the player was by having the camera tilt on the side during turns; this way the player knows when they are turning without thinking of what their last input was. In order to convey rolling forward, I added small rotations with the camera and adjusted the perspective of the camera to convey speed. Finally, I tested with casual players to see if the camera’s behavior was effective and didn’t cause motion sickness.
(Image Above: some of the process work for different aspects of the game)
Introducing... Anime Balloon Fight! #BravoGameJam #ConBravo2017 #gameDev #balloonSwords #gameJam @Devon_Wiersma pic.twitter.com/Qosnwok30Z
— 👻 Jeffrey Boo 👻 (@BarkunJ_Games) July 29, 2017
Anime Balloon Fights
During the Hamilton Paper Bag Game Jam (where I also served as a Game Design Mentor), I designed this sports game as an engaging way to use the game’s theme: balloons. The core rules are that the player needs to hit their opponent first with their Balloon Sword while staying in the designated area.
Upon playtesting, minor rules have been adjusted to encourage movement and a fairer fight. This includes changing the designated standing areas, having the players face away from each other so they have to move first before swinging, and choosing where the player has to hit their opponent to win.
Disco is Dead! (2016)
Made for Sheridan College’s Sprint Week of Summer 2016, Disco is Dead! (2016) is an arcade game that centers around two protagonists who have to fight off an army of zombies using slaps. The game won the Sprint Week for its easy-to-learn controls, comedic and eye-catching scenario, and multiplayer engagement. The game was later on built upon as the award-winning Disco is Dead!.
On the final night of development, I had an idea for how to change up the flow of the game and implemented a Bonus Round; this Bonus Round (referred to as The Slap-Off by people who played the game) was strongly praised by the group members, judges of the Sprint Week, and players. This was considered a unique moment that elevated the tone of the game and created more engagements between the people playing multiplayer.