This project, it's my first video game as a game design student.

What's Dive into our waste ?

This game, it's a 2D side-scroller. You embody Sherman, a subsea cleaner. Your goal if you accept it... Is to collect waste using your submarine’s mechanical arm.

Subject of the project :

This project was a merge between programming and 2D illustration courses.

" Program and create assets for an action/adventure game in JavaScript with Phaser 3. You have the choice between three themes : the snowy mountain, space or the abyss.

This theme will have a strong influence, both on the production of your assets and on the configuration of the physics engine of your game (collisions, friction, inertia...). "

I've chosen the abyss theme, the constraints are :

• Create an input to speed up swimming.
• Feel the water resistance.

Mechanics and intention :

Intention :

Having chosen the abyss theme, I wanted to represent a dark environment while addressing the theme of ocean pollution.

Therefore, the enemies represent this marine pollution. As if the wastes we produce are finally turning against us.

Now that my intention was posed, I was to think about the playful experience.

Then, I need a character. I've done many iterations with a diver, but I didn't like it. A diver would have been too fragile for the environment I wanted to create.

So, I opted for a little submarine.

Ok, I have a submarine, but what that done a submarine ? Launch torpedo ?

No it's stupid, the goal of the submarine is to clean the ocean, not leave waste after him.

I have researched a way to collect waste without impacting the environment.

Finally, I've chosen to add a mechanic arm on the submarine. It's a good compromise beetwen the waste collect and the impact on the ocean.

Mechanics :

The mechanic arm : is the only way to defend yourself against the wastes monsters.

Pick up power-up : can increase your speed. It's useful to cross difficult area. This mechanic relies on the player's timing.

Walls collisions : If you hit walls too fast, you will destroy your submarine. This mechanic relies on the player's precision.

Creation of the level :

Assets creation :

For the environment, I created different block on photoshop according to the character metrics. Then I've assembled them on a big scene.

As I worked at the nearest pixel in photoshop, it was very easy to assemble the blocks in the engine. Which made the creation of the environment very flexible if something went wrong.

Collisions :

However, the boxes collisions to close the map gave me some problems. In the engine, it's only possible to makes square/rectangular collisions and some decor blocks do not fit with that.

As you can see on the downside picture, I had to make several of the collisions to fit with the environment.

Ambiance :

To give the undersea illusion, I've used various process : 

• Sun ray, through the water to give the depth sensation.
• Dust particles, to show the altered gravity.
• The algae movements according to the current direction.
• Bubbles behind the submarine.
• Water friction.

Post mortem :

As it's my first real game project, I realize that it's a very long process so that everything fit together, but it allowed me to make mistakes for think the production pipeline upstream to won time thereafter.

Points to review :

• There is a lack of iteration on the submarine controls, which makes it rigid.

• The game is linear, I should have created a more open universe to give the player choice.

• The mechanic arm, could have more importance in the gameplay. For example, using objects caught in its claws.

Worker : Solo project
Technologies : Phaser 3 (JavaScript)
Production time : > 2 months