Main purpose of the project was to explore many different aspects of level design in one swoop. The premise provided the perfect opportunity to dive into first-person camera, arcade-style gameplay, replayability, fast-paced action, and even experiment with constraints of the on-rail shooter.
Optional Difficulty
No danger - The game will end if the player slows down too much. But the real difficulty comes not from avoiding game over, it comes from striving for the best score possible.
Similarity to a rhythm game - A typical playthrough is not about survival. You pick the “track” and then you explore, practice and constantly reevaluate what your aim should be.
LAYERS
Although the level is really short (2 min), the pacing of a first playthrough follows a usual pattern of ups and downs.
These “downs” are just an “illusion” that comes from not knowing. With each run and more information gathered the difficulty will increase.
This was my solution to an issue I recognized from the very first prototype.
When players reached a room full of monsters. They were overwhelmed and in the panic their accuracy droped significantly.
To make it more digestible I had to layer these interactions.
For example here we can see four enemies which can be easily dealt with. You see them from far away so you have plenty of time to shoot them in a relaxed manner.
But you could do much more. Maybe you will find a split second to grab the wooden beam with your rope for a speed boost.
Maybe you know of this fourth enemy which is more hidden.
And right after it, you could lean out on your right side of the cart to pick this box which is primarly meant for the route below you.
After each run you see a scoring screen with information about how much you’ve missed in each section to motivate you for another try.
EXPLORATION
Even though it’s a simple skill-based arcade game, part of the replayability comes from space exploration. Each segment is designed to feel distinct with unique enemies, themes, lighting, different playstyles, and post-process settings. Players are encouraged to experiment with alternative paths, finding new ways to maximize their score.
Difficult vs unpleasant
Through testing, I identified ways to increase difficulty but decided to use them sparingly.
Shorter windows of opportunity: If the target is right behind the entrance it leaves no time to aim
Increased action density: More actions required in a short span.
Mouse travel distance: Targets on opposite sides of the track are harder
to shoot than clustered ones.
But all these techniques don’t make the level only harder, they also make the experience more unpleasant. It’s more satisfying to shoot multiple enemies in the row. Or to have enough time to meticulously aim and shoot one shot per enemy.
