Games I've made in college
2 Semester Game Toori
Game made by Arabella Heuer, Jens Reher, Connor Peters & me.
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Time: 4 months
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I was the lead programmer
Goal: Gather all 7 lanterns bevor your radius of sight is blown out.
Mechanic: Player wears a mask which allows him to see hidden platforms, doors and enemies. The mask is tied to a Toori, which is located in the center of the level.
The enemy tries to attack the Toori and the player has to keep it safe. If the Toori gets damaged, so does the player.
My thoughts and lessons
This game turned out to be a disaster, especially considering it was my first programming experience. In the end, my team members were unhappy with the final result. One major issue was that the game lacked a tutorial, leaving everyone confused about how to play.
I did present a prototype during development, and at that time no one complained or expressed concerns. However, looking back on it now, it's clear that there was a communication breakdown among all of us. This serves as a valuable lesson learned for future projects.
It's important to recognize and address any potential issues early on in order to avoid disappointment and confusion down the line. Incorporating tutorials or clear instructions can greatly improve the overall user experience and ensure that players understand how to engage with your game.
Concept Art
Development
Final Look (not drawn by me)
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3 Semester Game Spacemoon
Game made by me alone, no team :'(
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Time: 4 months
Well, I made a significant mistake by creating not just one, but three games. One of my attempts was to develop a procedural island creator, but it turned out to be too ambiguous and unclear. At that time, I was still relatively new to programming.
The second game drew inspiration from classic titles like Asteroids and Space Invaders. It took place on a planet where the player's objective was to collect crystals located on top of a tower or acquire more valuable crystals by destroying asteroids and structures. The enemy (represented by red crystals) had the ability to fuse with the tower crystals and transform them into turrets. Unfortunately, since I never sought feedback during development, no one really understood how to play the game—a major oversight on my part.
In the third game concept, similar mechanics were present; however, this time around, players were tasked with demolishing an enemy tower by converting their own tower into a cannon through crystal fueling. Interestingly enough, the enemy AI possessed similar capabilities and could also convert their structure into a cannon using crystals.
An important lesson learned is that feedback is crucial and should never be overlooked.
Development
4 Semester Game Jam
Garden Game (I forgot the Name of it :( )
Game made by Lisa Marie Grimm, Carolin Mueller, Hossien Mostafa and me :)
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Time: 3 weeks
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I was the lead programmer
Game: The player can plant seeds and crossbreed them, to get strange combinations . The goal is to figure out all combinations to fill the garden book.
My thoughts and lessons
One feedback we received was to transform the game into a tower defense genre, and I personally liked that suggestion. However, programming this game proved to be quite challenging for me as it was. I had never worked on a drag and drop system before, so I ended up creating my own without utilizing Unity's interface system, which could have made things easier and less prone to bugs.
The primary objective of the game was to create a relaxing and chill experience, which is why we decided not to include any enemies. In hindsight, it would have been a great idea to incorporate two modes: a relaxing sandbox mode and a more challenging survival/tower defense mode. This would have provided players with different gameplay options based on their preferences.
Development
Final look (not drawn by me, except garden plants)
Dodlenaut
Game made by Hossien Mostafa, Helmi Kangassalo, Agnieschka Trabski, Indra Ernsting and me.
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Time: 3 weeks
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I was the lead programmer
A tablet game (for desktop, didn't finish in time), for very young kids, with puzzles, a rocket and line drawing. To progress and reach platforms, you have to draw lines that serve as pathways for walking.
My thoughts and lessons
The game turned out to be more challenging than anticipated because its target audience was young children, around the age of five. We faced limitations in terms of what we could include without overcomplicating things. I frequently proposed mechanics such as physics puzzles, but my team declined them due to their complexity.
Development
Final look (not drawn by me)
6 Semester Game Cloud Dive
Project by Indra Ernsting, Agnieschka Trabski, Cennet Arika & Raoul Poupart.
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Time: 4 months
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I was the lead programmer
"Cloud Dive introduces you to a wondrous, abstract world inside of a mysterious
dome. Judging by the surrounding cloud formations it seems to be located
somewhere in the sky, but you quickly find yourself in the midst of a splendid
underwater flora. Further exploration of the environment reveals tiny troops of
lost fish, which need your guidance in order to find a way back home. The search
for the little ones turns out to be trickier than expected, as some of them have
gotten themselves in trouble. Fly around the picturesque dome, solve puzzles and
take a deep-dive into a relaxing adventure." - from our project book
My thoughts and lessons
This game would have been more successful as a 2D game since our team had limited experience with 3D development, resulting in significant time loss. It was an important lesson learned about the need for early communication regarding our skill sets. Nonetheless, programming a flying creature proved to be an enjoyable and valuable experience.