DimLight Dungeon
UX Designer - 2D Brawler
Team Giga Grunts (12 people) - 6 weeks
Team Giga Grunts (12 people) - 6 weeks
Unusually for an academic project, I was brought onto the development of DimLight Dungeon fairly late into production, less than two months before submission. However, even in this short time I was able to bring a lot to the project, and got to know a fantastic development team who kept me on for future semesters. At the time I joined the team, the programmers and systems designers had created a technically impressive engine and robust prototype with strong gameplay systems, but one that needed feedback or interactive polish to make the game accessible and rewarding to players. With this provided foundation, I worked with the team to create a more responsive, engaging experience, with responsibilities including:
- Playtesting the gameplay with 6 users and reporting the results to guide development efforts
- Working with artists and programmers to develop and implement gameplay feedback (particle systems, audio cues, etc.) to make gameplay feel more responsive and impactful
- Wireframing and testing user interface layouts to create smooth interactions
- Developing and testing an effective control scheme which would be easy for players to learn and use
- Teaching the mechanics to the player through an efficient tutorial segment
- Assisting with level progression to create an accessible and engaging gameplay arc
Particle effects on for knockback, impact sparks, and dust clouds from running; using a filter and animated sprite to show stun status; enemies fading away with an animation - these are some of the effects I recommended and assisted in developing based on player testing.
Given more time with the project, there is more I would have liked to do to improve clarity and game feel - some of the visual effects could have used further testing and polish, and at this point in development there was little I could do to in the way of adding to the HUD or retiming animations. However, I am proud of what I brought to the project, as the final project was well-received by professors, and players showed improved engagement with the gameplay. Overall, I feel that my time on DimLight Dungeon was six weeks well spent.
Content Warning: Fantasy violence
Logo by Xiaowan Ma