PROJECT HIGH LIGHT

Using pickups to shape your own character

Level Layout & map consistency

Trophy instead of Traditional HP bar

2D Rigging Animation

AI supported Art Design & Scripting

INSPIRATION & CHALLENGE

Inspiration

Based on the research of Salmon Run mode in Splatoon3 (2022), I realized the limited random combination of mechanic elements (like level maps, weapons, occurrences system, and monsters) can bring up the replayability significantly.

That makes me decided to make a game that encourage players to replay.

Challenge

I want to try finishing this project as a solo developer, because trying all the parts in game development can train me get to know of other positions in game developing, and the experience can make me be able to communicate with the develop team members like developers and artists better when I work in groups.

But because I was more focused on level design and art part, scripting is a huge challenge to me, and I decide to use AI support, and try ask for help from teacher and classmates who are familiar with scripting.

Besides that, work solo means no one except yourself can push you to work, time management is also very important to this project considering the 1.5 month as limit.

MECHANIC DESIGN

The core of the mechanic design is to create a fun, lighthearted, and non-hardcore versus experience—lowering the difficulty barrier so that everyone can enjoy the game, while still offering enough variety to encourage replayability.

Pickups Design

To compensate for the limited number of playable characters and enhance replayability, I designed pickups that allow players to modify five core stats: speed, attack power, defense, dodge rate, and critical hit rate. Players can collect up to 10 pickups per match, and different combinations can completely change a character's attributes.

​​​​​​​Special Events

I designed three special events—Bomb Wave, Platform Rotation, and Item Bonus Time—that are randomly triggered every 30 seconds. These unpredictable moments add variety to the gameplay and give disadvantaged players a chance to turn the tide.

Winner Trophy

Replaces HP bar with a central trophy which shifts away when a player takes damage. Player closer to the trophy at timeout/ reach enemy‘s side wins.

This can be more visually intuitive alternative to the traditional HP bar.

Stats Design

Although not implemented in the final build, I designed the stats and abilities for several additional characters.

Game UI/UX

The UI design adopts a comic-style font, with bright orange buttons outlined in black, creating a look that is both clean and expressive.

The white bar will adopt the pickups' color when player collects them. 

ART DESIGN

​​​​​​​For the overall visual style of the game, I aimed for something fun, quirky, and intentionally non-hardcore. Centered around this vision, I designed the characters, backgrounds, VFX, UI, and other game art elements. The final presentation feels cohesive and visually harmonious, successfully capturing the tone I originally envisioned.

Character Design

Using keywords "American comic style," "simple colors," and "bold lines," I generated a series of images with ChatGPT-4o. These images served as inspiration for designing five original characters.

Characters ChatGPT4o generated (Left)  Characters I Designed (Right)

2D Animation

Considering the short production timeline and the heavy workload of a solo project, I decided to use skin rigging for animation instead of time-consuming frame-by-frame animation.

VFX

To enhance the sense of impact and highlight the game's quirky tone, I used comic-style onomatopoeia as visual hit effects, and personally created both attack and damage sound effects for the characters.

Background

In line with the character design, the environment features bold outlines and blocky colors. To reinforce the combat theme, I incorporated a stylized arena frame that is attached to the camera, dynamically moving with the characters.

Narrative Design

Before the fight starts, I introduced the story through comic slides and AI voiceovers, helping players instantly connect with their tribe and step into the battle in the character.

Setting the narrative part in the beginning also helps not disrupting the battle.