13th January 2025
To begin this project, I am experimenting with creating different game mechanics. This is to build up a repertoire of skills in Unreal Engine and also see if any mechanics seem as if they can be adapted or incorporated into a game. I began by using free assets to make a character that can run around and execute an attack pattern. This was just to experiment with the assets and create a character that I could test other mechanics with.
The first mechanic I created was one that lets the player grab an object and pull it toward them. When within a defined range, the player's reticle changes shape to indicate to them the object they're looking at can be grabbed. Grabbing it moves the object on an arcing trajectory toward the player. This could be used to grab a weapon to use, to bring an enemy closer to be attacked, etc.
14th January 2025
I added functionality for the player to hold an object and attack with it. When an object is pulled toward the player and reaches them, they hold onto he object and can swing it when they attack. My plan is for the player to be able to use this mechanic to pick up objects to use as weapons that do more damage or grab enemies and hit them. I have also added damage to attacks made by the player so they can reduce the enemy's health to 0, turning them into a ragdoll.
16th January 2025
I have spent the past couple of days tweaking the previously implemented mechanics. I added a visual effect to the main attack so the player can more easily see what they are hitting. I have experimented with the player carrying objects rather than just pulling them toward them. I also changed the camera properties so that the player character always faces the direction the camera is pointing. I also made the functionality to throw an object and have it come straight back to your hand.
18th January 2025
I had an idea for a mechanic that lets a player pull some rubble out of a wall, perhaps to throw it at an enemy. To begin, I gave some terrain object a specific tag that labels them as able to have rubble taken out of them. Then checked if, upon the press of a button, the object in the player's line of sight has the tag or not. From this point, I was able to have the player pull a chunk of rubble from certain walls. At this point, the rubble moved linearly from the wall to the player, so I altered the behaviour of the lerp to give the movement a more realistic feel. The rubble emerges suddenly and quickly from the wall and hovers for a second, before moving rapidly toward the player. There is a camera shake as the rubble emerges, then a recoil as the player catches it.
21st January 2025
So this mechanic can be explored fully, I created a simple game around it, in which the player must rip rocks from the walls and throw them at patrolling enemies. They have 60 seconds to hit as many as they can.
22nd January 2025
I started to explore a new mechanic: an axe throw. This is meant to resemble the Leviathan Axe in God of War. (shown below, https://youtu.be/iJLUFFYd-pM?si=mbrnFwEIvwfwALkm)
I started with a character that could move around a level. I added a reticle so the player can see what the axe will hit, and drew a vector from the player to a distance away in the direction they are looking, which is the path the axe would take, only with more of an arc. I then made the axe spin as it moves through the air.
26th January 2025
I created functionality for the axe to embed itself in the object it hits, whether this is an enemy or a wall. The axe is attached to the object and moves with it. The player can see the objects they can attach the axe to because they would look different from the ones the axe bounces straight off. I have used blue walls to show this initially, but I could use a texture that makes it clear but also realistic. From here, I had the idea to allow the player to 'pull', 'grapple', or 'recall' the axe. These actions would, respectively, pull the enemy or object toward the player, make the enemy move quickly toward the player (like a hookshot or grappling hook, see video below), and bring the axe back to the player. Currently, my method is more like the hookshot from The Legened of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, as it takes a direct path to the target. However, the grappling hook from Batman: Arkham Knight looks more realistic as it takes more of an arcing path due to the effects of gravity so I could amend my functionality to work more like that.
https://youtu.be/vGmcI28go34?si=fEbtd0nuSeHEBYmz
https://youtu.be/_g44yfSYQF4?si=urbdhbXrtwNuztdY
Another thing I need to improve about my mechanics is the location of the axe in an object, as it often embeds too deep. Also, I could amend the path and rotation of the axe as it recalls to the player so it moves more satisfyingly to the player's hand.
27th January 2025
I wanted to make it clear to the player exactly what they can do with the axe once it had embedded in an object. To make this clear, I took inspiration from the Overwatch character Moira's orb ability, which lets the player choose between damage orb or healing orb after pressing the ability key, giving them an indicator for how to use each. After playing the game a while, the player will know without looking at the indicator and ignore it.
I then created some game mechanics for the axe to interact with, and made a level for the player to explore them in.
29th January 2025
As I had a playable level for these mechanics, I decided to try working on a new project to test some different skills. This is a level in a game I have had in mind for a while based around the Marvel character Daredevil. The player is fighting against the villain The Spot, who can create portals and throws objects at daredevil through them. The player must run toward him and reach him before taking too much damage. I started by making the player move automatically through a church, as portals spawn around him.
30th January 2025
I added more functionality to this game. I made objects fly out of the portals as they appear. The objects can do damage to the player, decreasing their health bar. I also added animations to both characters to make them react.
31st January 2025
I added an action indicator to appear over the player's head. This indicates to them they have to press a button to dodge an incoming attack. This could be a different colour to indicate the player should press the parry button instead of dodge for some attacks. I have intended this to look similar to the Batman Arkham parry indicator, but in line with the art style from Daredevil comic books.
I had two problems with this level. The first is that it seemed a bit small. I could emphasise the power of the player by increasing the size of all objects, making it seem a greater feat to move them. Another problem was that jumping from surface to surface seemed slow and clunky. I made all the objects bigger but didn't want to increase the jump height to account for this, so I decided to implement a ledge mantle mechanic, that allows the player to hold the jump button when facing a ledge and automatically climb it. I found examples of this in Borderlands 3 and Tomb Raider:
6th February 2025
This week I have been focusing on how I want to make the player feel with each action they can do in the game. For example, when pulling an axe out of wall, I want them to feel like they are using a lot of force to rip it out and that the character is strong enough to do so. I have used camera shake and changed the zoom of the camera to build anticipation for the axe bursting from the object. I also want a player to have a good idea of the speed at which the character is moving when grappling, so I have added speed lines, a grapple pose, and an acceleration to the movement.
9th February 2025
I spent some time remaking my axe throw project from scratch in a different version of Unreal. Once I had this new version working, I decided I wanted to change the way the axe is thrown. I began by giving the player the ability to plot the trajectory of their throw by holding down the button. I tested this trajectory by having the player throw a ball when they stop holding the aim button.
10th February 2025
I changed the aim mechanic to throw the axe instead of a ball. I also changed the axe recall mechanics to use a slightly different animation from before, but keep the vibrating axe before it emerges. I have altered the throwing animation with the anticipation principle of animation in mind. The player winding back a throw gives the player a clue as to what will happen when they release the aim button.
13th February 2025
I looked into the mechanic in Tomb Raider that allows the player to pull a destructible wall down using a rope. I aim to create an effect similar to this.
I have created my own version that aims to replicate the same feeling of strength. My animation is faster because of its purpose in the game - it is an action that will be used far more often so gets repetitive for the player if the animation takes too long. I am planning on adding a reinforced wall to my game that could take a while to pull down and maybe even have a button mash prompt with it.
20th February 2025
As I now have some mechanics in my game, I decided to start creating some levels that allow the player to explore the mechanics. This is the first version of the level, demonstrating destroying walls, pulling objects, toppling objects, and grappling.
(https://youtu.be/HDNJ29qbEtk?si=2JdnCpEvTcqcilVb,
https://youtu.be/KcSaHdRy9Oo?si=tdYwnUlOmQh6pTQY)
I also experimented with some lighting, as I thought it'd be a good way to give the player the sense they are trapped and trying to escape, as well as guide the player using light sources.
2nd March 2025
I created another level to demonstrate the use of the mechanics. I added lasers for another layer of complexity to the puzzles.
3rd March 2025
I am looking into changing the way the character interacts with the environment. The lasers suggest a sci-fi game but the axe suggests fantasy, so I am changing the feeling of the world to be more consistent. I am changing the push and pull mechanics to a powered gauntlet that can manipulate certain objects if they charged. The player can see if they are interactable by looking at them while holding the aim button to see a charge emanating from them.
8th March 2025
Upon watching this video (https://youtu.be/AKeUZVikPV8?si=wGNBh6ngzsLfoQDp) on Spatial communication in video games, I started trying to make to own level. Previously, I had been creating levels, but I didn't focus much on the structure of the level itself, and instead just provided a space in which the player can explore mechanics. I made a note of all the key points about level design highlighted in the video and tried to include as many as possible.
- Focal point - the lit window with red curtain in the distance
- Motivating movement to uncover the environment
- Reveal information through new perspectives
- Attract the player's attention with a glowing yellow box
- Build a vocabulary of the yellow boxes can be interacted with
- Temporary furniture
- Tear down walls and present a privileged perspective
- Let the player get lost
- Safety nets
11th March 2025
I made a second level that further demonstrated the use of my mechanics. This one puts the player in a mansion that they must escape. I added locked doors that can be opened either with a key or by unblocking it.
16th March 2025
There were some areas of the levels I created that made it difficult for the player to see their environment properly due to problems with the third person camera. Therefore, I added a key that toggles a switch to first person camera, to see which worked better for each aspect of gameplay. For first person mode, I wanted to create a view that was similar to Bioshock, in which the player can see their hand that is interacting with the world.
https://youtu.be/DOG_sk8Ws4w?si=0f-ljwx8tREeaVz9
20th March 2025
I added and quick switch to third person view for when it it beneficial for the player to see the character movement in more detail. This happens when the player is scaling a ledge or grappling.
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