Game Dev – Research and Introduction

Introduction

In this blog, we will be planning our development for a 2D game in groups of three, Regan, Aaron and I. For this blog in particular, we need to conduct some research on three separate aspects – visual, audio and interactive units.

Visual

For this section of the project we need to take into consideration what game style and layout we want to strive for. We can refer to similar existing games for asset ideas or design ideas, and create concept art for this project – which I think I’d enjoy the most. Modelling our assets should be relatively straight forward, as we are creating a game from the 2D perspective, therefore not much detail or dimension will need to be included.

Here are some inspirational images (referring to a game known as Limbo) that I want to introduce to the group and like the style of:

Interactive

This section of the project is based on gameplay and how the game…plays out. The mechanics of the game, features and functions are all linked to the interactive element of it. These will contribute to the player’s experience and how smoothly the gameplay works and connects together. At this point, we can start to consider level design and greyboxing inside of Unreal Engine – which is something I think Aaron enjoys doing.

Audio

Audio for this game idea will be pretty essential, and ensuring that it is done right and to the best of it’s potential will decide how effective and immersive this game can become. I think, especially in the department of horror, audio and SFX are one of the main things, if not *the* main thing that creates tension, fear and atmosphere.

There is no one in particular in our group that has much experience with audio, however I know from previous workshops that we can use Unreal Engine and trigger boxes to add audio queues to a level design. This will be an attribute that we could all benefit from improving on, however for this project, sound design and audio will be a role assigned to someone in particular.

Video Game Research

LIMBO – Limbo is a puzzle-platform game, 2D side-scroller that incorporated a physics system that governs environmental objects and the player character. The player’s objective is to make it through a dangerous environment and traps in order to find his missing sister.

This game is recently dated, however I liked the style of this game unlike any other. I honestly can’t think of a game that uses a style like this throughout the entire gameplay. The use of shadows and light is effective in setting the atmosphere and suits the environment the player explores.

Audio and visual effects aside, I also think re-creating a game similar to this will be easier than other potential candidates. Modelling a 2D world with 2D assets seems pretty easier, or at least easier than what it could be.

Little Nightmares (1 and 2) – This small video game franchise is definitively one of a kind. After just recently playing through the second game release, and having watched gameplay of the first game, to me it feels like this game takes the term ‘surrealism’ and transforms it into a playable environment.

This 2.5D game is a side-scroller similar to Limbo, except it is clearly made it more that one dimension. The shapes and objects have shading and depth to them, meanwhile the game is consistently hosted from the same perspective all throughout. This is what makes the game unique and feel more 2D to the player. Something about the assets in this game and the overall visual effects are satisfying to me. The style of it is somewhat realistic but also has a lot of its own style.

Conclusion

This blog is a brief introduction to the group game development work and planning we are going to later consider in our groups. This helped me set the scene in my head of what kind of standards and aims I can set for a 2D game and then later on introduce to the group in hopes of sharing a common goal. These two games are stylised and despite being both horror-relative, they are so different in their own ways.