Storge (2023)
Duration: September 2023-January 2024
Type: Univeristy Project
Role: Lead mechanics gameplay programmer and SFX designer
Engine and Tools: Unity
Duration: September 2023-January 2024
Type: Univeristy Project
Role: Lead mechanics gameplay programmer and SFX designer
Engine and Tools: Unity
Storge was created for senior level narrative based course, IAT 313, at SFU. The project brief was to create an multi-media project based on a narrative script, where the script formed the spine of the story and our game intend to engage as the medium for engagement.
Storge is a 2D pixel survival horror game in which the player takes on the role of June, a detective who must uncover the truth of the mysterious disappearances of her old orphanage. Taking inspiration from games such as Ib, the game involves exploration, simple puzzles, and avoiding enemies. The game mainly takes place in the Veil, which is an alternate nightmarish realm within the orphanage.
Core Gameplay Mechanics; Player and NPCS: Utilized Unity's Rigidbody2D to create fluid, responsive player movements responsive to arrow keys or other input controls, including diagonal movement with speed consistency.
Animations: Developed animations for walking and idle states, enhancing visual appeal by flipping the sprite when changing directions.
Health System: Implemented a robust health system with a dynamic health bar UI, updating in real-time as the player takes damage, enhancing gameplay realism and feedback.
The Beast/Antagonist/Enemy : Engineered a sophisticated AI system allowing The Beast to patrol using predefined waypoints, with dynamic obstacle avoidance and pathfinding. Integrated sensors for player detection triggering behavior changes from patrolling to chasing, enhancing the game's challenge. Configured the enemy to inflict damage upon contact, with a continuous damage system when the player remains in proximity, intensifying survival strategies. Incorporated methods for controlling sound effect pitch and volume, allowing for immersive audio experiences.
Sound Effects: Implemented varied footstep sound effects and synchronized damage sounds with player-enemy interactions, enhancing auditory feedback. Added rich background music and state-specific sounds for The Beast, contributing to an immersive audio landscape.
After adapting the script, our team set out to design the characters and game world. We settled on using a 32x32 size for our pixel art, as it is a size that allows for both simplicity and detail depending on what is being drawn. Characters were designed using concept art drawn for the original script, and then reimagined in pixel form. This involved simplifying some of the original details as well as creating a dedicated colour pallet for each of the characters. This also gave us the opportunity to make sure that the characters matched the setting's identified time period: the 80's. Most of the character designs remained similar to the original concept images, however changes were made to the Beast and new concepts were made for supporting characters to fit the new script while keeping the established world of a small North American town in the 80's. We also took the opportunity to add symbolic elements to the character designs (such as flowers with symbolic meanings) to further tie them into the story.
In the course of developing "The Storge", I embarked on a journey that not only expanded my technical skills but also deepened my understanding of game development as a whole. This immersive experience allowed me to grasp the intricacies of player interaction, sound design, and health management within a game. The implementation of player movement, complete with animations and footsteps, brought life to my virtual world, offering players a responsive and engaging gameplay experience.This project has not only honed my Unity skills but also deepened my passion for game development. It has been a remarkable journey of creativity, problem-solving, and continuous learning, leaving me eager to explore and create even more captivating game experiences in the future.