PROTOTYPES
SCREENSKIP
Screen Skip is a puzzle game prototype I created as a personal project in my free time while working at Therion Games. Working as the only developer, I developed this prototype in Unreal Engine 4 to test a time related mechanic I got.
This mechanic is destined to a game like: The sexy brutalle, Gregory horror show, Chulip, etc.
In Screen skip, the time advances only when players interact with portals. Once they used a portal, it needs some time to recharge so they will not be able to go back from the same portal they entered the room. When players advance in time 8 times, the day ends and a new one starts. Some puzzles require more than one day to be completed.
The controls are simple. Only with WASD players can move and they interact with items and villagers by overlapping or getting close to them.
This prototype shows the opportunity to experiment the mechanic with some example puzzles and use different types of portals.
- Regular portal: time advances 1hour when used. It displaces players to the closest room.
- Inverse portal: Time goes back 1 hour. It displaces players to the closest room.
- In place portal: time advances 1hour when used. It makes players reappear in the same location.
- Long range portal: time advances 1 hour when used.
- Time door: It blocks the access to a portal until is opened at a certain time.
MONUEL'S QUEST
3D platformer game I created as an assignment during my Master in Game Design. Working as the only developer, I created a prototype in Unreal engine 4 that allows users to experiment the core mechanics of the game.
In Monuel’s Quest players control Monuel and his lantern Caravela in a quest to restore the light of their world. The game combines 3D platforming with light mechanics that players use to advance through a world that is made of solid light and where only the illuminated elements are transitable.
Monuel is able to run and jump like in other platformers, but the core mechanic of the game is that he is able to switch off his own light to reduce the amount of light he emits. This allows Monuel to cross through half illuminated objects and makes him harder to be spotted by enemies. While he remains switched off, he is not able to jump.
If Monuel keeps his light switched off for some time, he will charge a lot of energy and when he releases it will cause a great shine or flash that
will scare enemies and affect the behavior of certain objects of the stage like platforms and switches.
The game follows a color code to help players to identify each object’s function. (More information at Case Studies).
There are also enemies that will try to block Monuel’s advance to his goal. This enemies will try to catch Monuel, and he will have to escape from them or scare them with the shine explosion to pass through them. Some enemies even have sunglasses and they will be invulnerable to Monuel’s light.
In Lumina only illuminated elements do “exist”, making props that have lost their light traspasable for a switched off Monuel.
This prototype was designed to create an experience where players must discover different ways to interact with the environment using the core mechanic of the game, the light, while they platform their way to the goal.
LAPUEBLA
Level design exercise based On Blizzard’s Overwatch FPS game that I made for my Master in game design. In the role of level designer, I was asked to create a level blockout for the game in Unreal Engine 4.
This map has been designed as a control map where players must reach a location and avoid the other team from gaining control over them. The map was created using Unreal Engine 4’s FPS template, but the movement parameters were adapted the ones from Overwatch.
The level resembles a small Spaniard agricultural town with an economy based in winemaking.
The control point is placed in the towns square and the spawn points in two wineries. Houses are made of stone and streets are narrow, creating a traditional and rustic ambient, but at the same time futuristic elements are placed across the stage for a better integration with other locations of the game like: King’s cross, Castillo, Nepal or Ilions.
The basic flow can be defined as a triangle where each team and the control point are place on each of the vertex of the triangle. The stage is symmetrical so none of the teams have any kind of advantage. Each team will start at one corner of the stage, creating 2 main paths to the point at the sides, a central route that will make both team encounter before they reach the control point. There are also secondary paths, so players can change their strategy if the situation is not convenient.
Once the flow is detailed and expanded, secondary paths appear allowing players defend themselves from frontal attacks and allowing flanking strategies or accessing the central area from different angles.
This paths also allow the defending team to access the attackers side of the map and ambush them while they approximate to the control point, creating small skirmishes.
Depending on the terrain different types of paths appear: protected areas with low maneuverability inside houses; and exposed streets with more space to move.
The control point (A) is in an open central area of the level what helps the defending team to detect rivals. But, at the same time, this area is surrounded by access points, what facilitates the recuperation of the control point for the attacking team. It is under cover to help the defending team, but it has no walls, so enemies can attack from any direction.
The spawn points (SP) are placed inside buildings, protecting players from enemies and allowing them to heal.
The aerial accesses (blue color) allow heroes with high mobility to get to interest points easier.
a’ and b’ are the main encounter areas. b’ is a transition point with many exits that heroes cross on their way to the control point. Meanwhile, a’ is the central battle area with hedges where the control point is placed.
Health packs have been placed in specific spots to help players in different situations.
- Small health packs near the control point (A) to help the defending team recover.
- Big health packs in close buildings to the plaza that help both, attackers and defenders.
- Big health packs in the sides of the stage at medium distance from the point for helping attackers to recover the point.
- Small health packs in between a’ and b’. They serve as recovery after a skirmish.
- Small health pack under cover in b’. Help during the skirmishes in b’.
Finally, here is a complete plan of the map that resulted from the previous flows. The map is shown at floor level and 2nd floor to show all the levels of gameplay.
CONTROLS:
- Move: WASD.
- Aim: move mouse.
- Shoot: Left click.
- Jump: Space bar.
For testing purposes, players can be automatically placed in the following locations:
- Blue team spawner: 1
- Red team spawner: 2
- b’ roof: 3
DUELBALL
Sport type game prototype I created as a personal side project. Working as the only developer, I developed this prototype in Unreal Engine 4 to test the game concept and dynamic.
In Duelball, contrary to other ball base games, players do not change from attack to defense depending on who is in possession of the ball. Here, players are both, strikers and goalkeepers, at the same time.
The objective of the game consists on hitting the rival goal 10 times before the other player.
For these purposes, players can:
- MOVE: players can move up and down in front of their goal area to block rival projectiles to avoid losing points.
- AIM & SHOOT: they shoot projectiles to hit the goal of their rivals and win the match. Bullets are limited and they will have to reload in order to keep shooting. Projectiles can be used to stop rival projectiles.
This prototype is designed for 2 players to compete in 1v1 matches. Controls have been mapped to allow both players to play with a single keyboard or a single controller.
RANDOM TILEBASE MAP GENERATOR
Created in MaxScript in 3ds max 2016, this map generator is an assignment I created during my Bachelor of fine arts in digital content and animation.
This prototype has been created as a tool for game designers to help them in their job of creating maps.
With this prototype the user can:
1.Set the number of columns and rows that compose the map.
2.Set the presence and number of checkpoints and obstacles in the map.
3.With the settings stablished, “Generate scene” will create a random map.
4.Once the scene has been generated, players can edit the resultant map in the “Edit map” section.
- Delete assets.
- Generate checkpoints.
- Generate obstacles.
- Change the position of the starting point (A).
- Change the position of the ending point (B).
5.Once the editing is done, by pressing “Start simulation” a key-frame based animation is created for the playr that will navigate the map crossing across all the checkpoints (if activated) on his way from point A to B.
5.Once the editing is done, by pressing “Start simulation” a key-frame based animation is created for the playr that will navigate the map crossing across all the checkpoints (if activated) on his way from point A to B.
6.Pressing the buttons inside ”Move the player” user can move through the generated map.
7.”AI simulation” is a example of a simple AI simulation system (only works in pre-designed maps).
8.After everything has been tested, “Restart” resets all the settings and deletes the current map.
All the scripts and assets of the program can be downloaded in the following link: