Valuables

Github Game Off 2023 Submission

TEAM

Briana Jones / Programmer, UI
‍Mashi / Programmer, Narrative, Sound
Dan / Narrative, Programmer
Jane / Art
Steph / Sound

MY ROLE

UI Technical Designer and Unity Developer

DURATION

3 Weeks

CHALLENGE

What is Game Off?

Game Off is GitHub's annual game jam that challenges individuals and teams to build a game during the month of November. I collaborated with a team of classmates, and we began working on our submission in the second week of November.

Game Theme

The given prompt was "scale."

We interpreted this theme to be related to a morality scale or a scale of justice.

As a result, we opted to center our game around a dynamic where the player's choices directly influenced their "heart," serving as a metaphorical scale of consequences.

Game Mechanics

We knew we wanted a day/night phase with different mechanics. While the story was being determined, I contributed to figuring out the general format and mechanics we wanted for our game during the day/night phase.

I prototyped different layouts and potential genres that we could explore. In the end, we decided on an RPG-esque game at night and side-scrolling exploration during the day for flexibility, scalability, and to accommodate time constraints.

IDEATION

Initial Concepts of Game Components, Frames and Functions

I collaborated with Jane, our illustrator, to brainstorm ideas for user interface objects in alignment with her artistic style. I conducted initial ideation to determine potential functions and frames for conveying information effectively.

Insights:
> The design of our user interface had to be aligned with the thematic elements and mechanics of our game, followed a restrained color palette and a dedicated embrace of a monochromatic theme.
> The design deviated from the initial medieval aesthetic, refining the original user interface design to elevate visual impact and instill a sense of eeriness.

IMPLEMENTATION

Unity Effects & Post-Processing

I designed and implemented Unity effects to enhance the game's visual depth and overall engagement.

Material Shaders

I employed Unity's URP and Shader Graph to develop various shader effects, including a wind, outline, and blur shaders.

Unfortunately, due to time constraints, only the blur shader made it into the final implementation of the game.

Particle System

I conceptualized and coded particle system effects, as well as global volume animations, for the utilization of attack VFX in the battle scene.

Post-Processing

Using Unity's Global Volume and URP, I created a post-processing system and added functions for Jane and I to work with.

The post-processing effects we worked with included Vignette, Chromatic Aberration, Lens Distortion, and adjustments to Shadows, Midtones, and Highlights.

DOCUMENTATION

User Interface Components and Usage

Explore the finalized user interface design and its implementation in our game.

SUBMISSION

Itch.Io Page

https://vill4n3lle.itch.io/valuables
(Credited as "Bri")

> Includes a downloadable and playable version of our game.

Github Repo

https://github.com/mashiyatz/github-gameoff-2023/tree/main

> Our open-source code repository.

Game Off Submission Page

https://itch.io/jam/game-off-2023/rate/2398987

> Jam submission page that includes reviews, rating and comments.

REFLECTIONS

Observations

Participating in my first game jam was immensely enjoyable as I collaborated with a fantastic group, delving into the intricacies of coordinating game story, mechanics, and more.
‍
A valuable lesson for future game jams is recognizing the importance of starting coding early. The intricacy of coordinating different scenes and scripts in Unity proved to be more time-consuming than expected, resulting in the emergence of several bugs. Specifically, this severely affected the battle system.

Regrettably, significant issues surfaced in the final days of coding, predominantly stemming from version control problems, which, unfortunately, hindered the incorporation of some of the initially planned features.

Next Steps

Post-game jam, my focus will be on expanding mechanics and addressing minor bugs:
‍
> UI components/attack effects implementation issues: Correct the implementation of UI components and effects that were not executed properly due to time constraints or code bugs.
> Battle system balance: Evaluate and refine the battle system to ensure proper balance and gameplay experience.
> Expand attack effects: Expand on attack effects so it encompasses all the demon's and player's actions.

Addressing these issues will significantly improve the overall quality and functionality of the game post-jam.

Updated Fixes:

> Fixed incorrect UI formats and corrected a timeline sequence that wasn't functioning properly
> Implemented a more sophisticated battle system, incorporating various effects for different items in battle.
> Added more attack animations for both the demon and player.

Related Projects

Thwaites Glacier

I was a student fellow for NYU Bobst's This is Not a Drill exhibition, focusing on the Thwaites Glacier's retreat and potential collapse.

Unity

Exhibition Design

there is nothing here worth dying for.

For my thesis project at NYU's Interactive Telecommunications Program, I created a complex narrative 90s click-and-point game.

Unity

UI Design