The assignment was to create any game for an end-of-semester showcase, and Chimere went above and beyond. Working entirely solo, he created a 3D platformer, which is one of the hardest types of games to produce.
Within this extensive solo project, the core of my speed-based platformer in unity hinged on presentation and controls. Although I sought to make the game minimally taxing as possible for a solo project, there were certain aspects that conflicted with my overall vision. Considering the necessity for proper movement and controls, I tackled the coding aspect immediately as it was the most difficult part of this whole project. Beyond the constant troubleshooting I luckily managed to establish a relatively simple Sonic Adventure 2 inspired movement and controls for the player.
On the other hand, the presentation in terms of the Christmas aesthetic and design was my strongest asset as a 3D artist. Ranging between 5 distinct areas indicative of different toy lines, a fully animated player model, and various obstacles designed in Blender, the overall process instantly became easier.
As someone who aspires to work in this field professionally along with other 3D related roles, this project was an eye opening experience that taught me a lot about game design. Beyond getting over my habit of getting too ambitious, the aspect of project management, various playtests, research, and compromises improved my overall workflow and understanding of game design.
