Devlog #2 - Level Blocking

For this dev log, I’ll be going over my process for blocking out the level design for the game world, as well as my plan for game progression with addition of game mechanics (as I would like to incorporate that into the level design).

Player movement is now feeling nicely balanced, suggestions and testing from other students in the class offered some good insight on what would ‘feel’ good, and only minor tweaks were needed to player primary speed and jump intensity. Overall, feedback on the movement has been extremely positive, and I am now moving onto designing the first level.

Level Design

Initially I planned on having the player start inside a secret research base (having already entered) and break out, however I am now rethinking that and may start outside the base instead with a small ‘mini level’ that introduces basic movement/platforming mechanics to the player.

I have a general idea of the progression of the story and associated levels, but am struggling with the smaller, fine-grained detail of designing the platforming and actual level layout. That said, the plan currently is:

Short form:

• On surface, enter base
• Explore and exit base
• Platform in cave system to surface
• Cross surface to ship
• Defend ship(?)

Or in more detail:

• Start in small ‘outdoor’ or exterior area to introduce basic mechanics/movement, ending at a blast door with keypad. Shoot keypad to open door and enter the lab.
• Explore the lab, possibly have a few side areas (above/below?), but primarily linear left to right. Find fuel cell for boosters, introduce double jump (and possibly air dash). Scientist you came for is dead, fine main terminal for research, then need to exfiltrate.
  • Exit door unpowered, need to find power main switch?
• Exit lab into cave, increasing amounts of blue, encounter monsters
• Platform through cave to surface (Optional: Dead research team hidden in side tunnel with optional side logs?)
• Make way across surface to ship.
  • Platforming, combat
  • Fall into chasm and climb back out
  • Wind hazards, acid pools;
    Side note: running into trouble with area effectors as my movement (based on Tarodev controller) presently explicitly sets linearVelocity every FixedUpdate, meaning it overwrites any velocity applied by an effector. 😬 I'm looking into ways to work around this by blending primary movement with effector, but may have to end up making my own version of area effectors which is concerning. Alternatively I could adapt movement to use AddForce, but I can't get this working as smoothly in the limited testing I did.
• The ship is in one-piece but powered down, defend the ship while powering it up (wave defense?)

Some of this is definitely going to be time/scope sensitive, and I’m not currently certain I’ll be able to get all this done.

Entry/Starting Area

Alternate with extra entrance

I am currently unsure on whether this game will all be on the one level without transitions, or split into multiple scenes - I suspect for performance reasons it may be better to split but am yet to confirm this.

Update on Extra Movement Stuff

I have now added a double-jump to movement (planned to be portrayed as a thruster ‘boost’ obtained a little way into the first level), and also a roll/dash that will double as both a way to get under low/tight spaces and as a dodge mechanic.

Roll Mechanic - Able to roll through a tight gap otherwise inaccessible

Currently the roll is only possible when grounded, however feedback suggests air-rollies would be fun so I may enable it in the air too. It did occur to me that it would be possible to have roll when grounded, and a more traditional dash when in the air (using aforementioned ‘boost’, but sideways). Could be fun, outcome to be decided.

Enemies

This week I also added the first enemy - just a cute little blob. I figured it would be a good test of creating a mob other than the player that has independent movement and animation, and for such a simple little thing it's actually rather fun to play with. Presently they just jump around randomly and don't harm the player, however I plan to have them jump towards the player if inside a given radius and harm the player a small amount on collision.

Blob - I played around with this squishy little thing for far too long lol

What's Next (or Still To Do)

• World/level building
• Implement player attacks (gun/shooting, melee, maybe jump squash)
• Implement boolean check and item for the player to collect to enable double jump
  
• Add second enemy type
• Player health & enemy health
  
• Area effectors (wind, buoyancy in acid pools)
• Collectables

I'm currently also wrestling with trying to figure out why it's possible for the player to roll through the ground from a jump. If I can't address it I may need to just go back to only enabling roll when grounded.