ZER0
Independent Project
Nov 2018 - Dec 2018
Made With: Zero Engine
A zero-gravity top-down shooter where you launch off walls to outmaneuver your opponents and destroy them with lasers. Blast away at foes or slow down time to plan your next attack.
Game Developer
Playtested to invent a unique control scheme and an addictive gameplay loop
​Tuned difficulty across several levels to elicit a flow state
Harnessed flashy particle effects to make action pop
What Worked?
Obssessive Iteration - Through a heavy iterative process - oftentimes creating multiple new builds in a single day - I created a unique yet simple control scheme from a highly restricted toolset. In tandem with the core mechanics, it created interesting, tactical heuristics for my players and contributed to excellent game feel.
Top-Down, Bottom-Up - Using my training in psychology, I designed a core gameplay loop that kept players switching between top-down and bottom-up processing; thus keeping their mind happy (i.e., engaged) by balancing the expected with the unexpected.
Game Feel - By researching indie hits like Luftrausers, Nuclear Throne, and Just Shapes & Beats, I taught myself techniques for creating amazing game feel. I then networked with a fellow student who had superior knowledge of particle systems to learn how to actualize the techniques.
Player Response - I had playtesters asking me for a copy of the game by the time I was only halfway through development because they were enjoying it so much.
What Didn't?
Resolution - With only three weeks available, there wasn't enough development time to make the game's resolution feel deeply satisfying.
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The Primary Arc - It took three weeks to get the movement system feeling great, which meant that I had less time for iteration on the primary arc. Thus, the gameplay structure isn't as strong as I would have liked. If I had more time, I would have focused on getting the hook and turn to be more impactful.
Not Challenging Enough - I actually tuned the difficulty a little too easy for the kinds of players who really enjoyed the experience. They wanted to lose at times so their skill felt genuine when overcoming a challenge.
Burnout - At the end of the project, combined with my other homework, I was burnt out and never wanted to touch this game again.