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Scrapped

Role: Game Designer

Genre: Single Player, Third Person, 3D Platformer

Engine: Unreal 4
Team Size: 14 Developers

Team Name: Get Out Alive Games
Development Time: 5-6 Months

RTM Date: December 2015

Website: www.scrapped.us

Development

Responsibilities

  • Retained and communicated overall vision for the project.

  • Analyzed and iterated on playtest feedback.

  • Developed sound effects and audio for the project.

  • Discussed and pitched project in milestone presentations.

  • Created and maintained the project's Game Design Document.

  • Tested all levels to ensure core game play is maintained.

Downloads

Scrapped Trailer

Game Overview

Scrapped provides a unique alteration to traditional platforming movement. In addition to a jump ability, C-23, the main character, also uses its two-part magnetism functionality to manipulate itself or environmental objects. The dual aspects of C-23's magnetism include attract and repel. Utilizing these magnetism properties, C-23 reactively traverses across hazards, avoids obstacles, reaches platforms, and influences magnetized objects. These minor goals encourage the player to reach the end of each mechanical themed environment, as well as fully explore and gather the optional collectibles.

 

As the player crosses Scrapped's two areas (levels), C-23 also gathers smaller light bugs along the way. These collectible objects serve to unlock story based artwork. A HUD element in the upper left corner tracks the player’s light bug score for the current level or area.

Story Synopsis

After the C-23 robot’s creation, its testers conclude that the “quantum force” powered prototype does not meet their standards. With the flip of a switch, the robot finds itself falling through a giant trash chute and into the endless heaps of scrap metal below.

 

Crashing and stumbling into a massive scrapyard, C-23 suddenly encounters a robotic, glowing light bug named Fritz. This shiny new friend zooms ahead into the unknown, encouraging C-23 to follow along.

 

As the pair travels through the area, C-23 must repel and attract across hazards, dodging saws and swinging over bottomless pits. With each force-powered leap or slide, C-23 and Fritz draw closer to a mysterious new home.

Playthrough

Game Playthrough

Design Pillars

Design Pillars

Fun Emergent Gameplay

Use simple magnetic mechanics that encourage and reward discovery and experimentation.

 

Personality Driven Character

Create a distinct robotic character that embodies a sense of curiosity and naiveté.

 

Stunning, Polished Environments

Develop an imposing scrapyard environment that is visually engaging and immersive. 

Design Iterations

Design Process

Quantum Forces (Magnetism)

At the outset of our Capstone project, my team and I explored and prototyped several pitches. Through this exercise, we decided upon "Scrapland," an adventure platformer with a small futuristic robot as the protagonist. As we continued to experiment with "Scrapland" (later dubbed Scrapped), we expressed interest in having the robot utilize magnetism to manipulate itself or its surroundings. Through this character, players would attract and repel across various hazards to reach a mysterious, unknown safe haven.  

 

For Scrapped to be successful, I realized that the magnetism mechanic had to be very intuitive. Almost immediately, I began to brainstorm and discuss this priority. Initially, the largest direction choice I had to consider was whether the character had magnetism based abilities or whether the environment was magnetically charged. After the first intense prototyping session, where programmers and level designers explored both gameplay systems, the answer revealed itself. Our robotic character would pull and push itself using magnetized pads in the world. 

From this point forward, I needed to establish specifics regarding the magnetism (Quantum Forces) and magnetism pads (Q-TeC). I created a personal Unreal 4 test level. With this experimental environment, I placed Q-TeC and utilized a scripted measurement block to test my jump and lift height. After hours of calculating the numbers, I determined that starting values should be as follows:

  • The jump height at 181 Units

  • The smaller Q-Tec at double jump height

  • The largest Q-TeC pad at triple jump height or double the strength of a small Q-TEC.


As we continued development, we quickly found the smaller Q-Tec type was getting little to no usage. It was originally developed because Scrapped appeared more "puzzle centric" at the project's start. I deviated from this puzzle oriented gameplay and helped establish the game as a purely adventure platformer. This decision was heavily influenced by the quantum force abilities. I wanted the player to continually move and experiment with their powers in newfound ways.  Stopping to think and address a challenge interrupted this intended gameplay flow. 

Instead of only relying on the basic large Q-TeC, we explored several, unique Q-TeC types. Through intense brainstorming, prototyping, and iteration, we developed standard Floor Q-TeC, Swinging Q-TeC, Angled Q-TeC, "Elevator" Q-TeC, "Monkey Bar" Q-TeC, Wall Q-TeC and Sliding Q-TeC (Not Pictured).

 

Toward the later milestones of the project, my priorities shifted to balancing and testing the feel of all Q-TeC. Based on playtest feedback, I would request strength increases, decreases, or new functionalities. Through constant communication with the programmers, I adjusted and approved the quantum force alterations in each of the Q-TeC cases. The final product was praised by playtesters as behaviorally intuitive and enjoyable.

Fritz

When crafting the story of Scrapped, we detailed a companion character for C-23. This robotic light bug named Fritz, served as a mentor for the naïve and bewildered protagonist. We were very pleased with his initial concept design, as an artist on the team gave him an endearing light bulb body. Additionally, the bright bug aligned with our pillar of injecting personality and character into inanimate objects. 

Art Credit To: Tiffany Griffith

Due to our focus on the quantum force mechanics and C-23's developing personality, Fritz received less attention and care for quite a while during development. This inattention also stemmed from a feasibility underestimation. Initially, the programmers and designers thought that Fritz did not require AI interactions. Instead, he would merely traverse along a spline. However, after several milestone presentations and playtest sessions, we realized that Fritz was not exhibiting any energy as we originally intended.

 

To address these issues, the lead artist began developing charming animations for the light bug. I assisted him with this task by personally listing out certain desired behaviors. With these mannerisms, we hoped Fritz would surge to life.

 

As Game Designer, I held strong to Fritz's existence throughout the entire process. I felt that the secondary character provided several positive things to Scrapped:

  • In such a chaotic, scrap filled environment with few landmarks, he was an easy win in terms of guiding the player. Playtest feedback supported this thought process.

  • He provided life and vibrancy to an otherwise vacant, static environment. 

  • Fritz served an integral part in the narrative.

 

Overall, Fritz provided the most challenge for me as a Game Designer simply from a team dynamics aspect. The need to make important decisions and defend them in the face of disagreement proved very insightful and empowering.  

Collectible System and HUD

Throughout development, the team and I struggled with the collectible system and corresponding HUD. I held firm in the belief that Scrapped, as a platformer, needed collectibles. Without something to search for and gather, the game lacked purpose and the developers would lose a player motivation tool.  

 

With this in mind, we collectively discussed the sheer number of unique collectibles Scrapped required. Despite the brainstorming process, the team could not arrive at a decisive conclusion regarding any potential collectible's functionality.

 

After much thought, I decided upon a three star style collection system. The higher the number of gathered collectibles the more stars the player received. This system appeals to the explorer and collector gamer types and heightens replayability. Utilizing this system, we developed the light bug collectible. This light bug item corresponded to the narrative and did not alter the magnetism functionality or increase scope. 

Art Credit To: Justin Atkinson

Despite this conclusive decision, there were communication issues involving the three star system and the HUD. We created an early iteration of a 'star' meter, represented by three filling light bulbs.

 

However, players did not understand the light bulbs' purpose and expressed confusion in their playtest survey responses. Subsequently, the lead artist, producer, and I researched and discussed various alternatives. Inspired by Rayman Legends and Kirby's Epic Yarn, we crafted a HUD bar which fills to certain designated tick marks on a meter. Once the meter reaches an indicated point, a large marker, in our case a lightbulb, lights up.

We solved the HUD bar aesthetic and functionality problem, but a new question arose. How many light bugs should the player have to collect to receive three stars? By placing a value or percentage on the bar, avid collectors felt the need, regardless of having filled the bar fully, to seek out every last light bug. These players expressed extreme frustration at thinking they missed a bug and were not somehow notified of it. I decided to remove the counter/percentage text entirely. By deleting this HUD item, the player felt free to collect at their leisure.

Postmortem

Postmortem

What Went Well:

  • During the course of development, I found it relatively easy to create and implement my main "look and freeze" mechanic.

  •  

 

What Went Wrong:

 

What I Learned:


What Went Well:

  • During development, the team adapted to several adjustments in the production process. In particular, we adopted Scrum, incorporated Kanban boards, and added various amalgamations of daily group meetings.  

  • As soon as Get Out Alive Games began production, the team exhibited extreme dedication to the project. This passion translated into an increased work effort, a willingness to change, and a solid team culture.

  • Over the course of development, we had around seven to eight formal milestone presentations. The team leads did a fantastic job at professionally presenting the content and addressing questions/suggestions. 

  • Due to a strong emphasis on adhering to the schedule and cutting material appropriately, the team experienced little to no crunch. 

  • Scrapped underwent a large amount of playtesting and iteration, leading to polished gameplay systems.

 

What Went Wrong:

  • In the early stages of the project, the team found it difficult to discuss ideas without creating a cyclical, sometimes hostile, feedback loop.

  • Unfortunately, there were a few instances of poor communication, collaboration, and understanding between team members.

  • Generally, the project operated smoothly and created little crunch. Due to this success, individuals committed to unknown, overscoped systems.

  • A general overestimation of scope and feasibility regarding the scrapyard environment caused tons of tedious level design work and allowed for little rework time.

 

What I Learned:

  • As a game designer, it is difficult, but necessary, to balance collaboration from the team and your own personal vision. 

  • A larger team creates unexpected, often unforeseen communication issues.

  • Adherence to and understanding of scope serves to create happier developers, which subsequently spurs on passion for the game's development.

 

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