Andromeda Destroyer

Winner of the "Best Hero Award" (Best Overall Game) at Quiver Games Incubator Game Jam 2024!, Players control a spaceship, launching and steering with precision using paddles and thrusters. Bounce off satellites to charge energy and crash into planets to earn points. Compete for the high score and dominate the leaderboard!

Genre Arcade / Pinball / 2D

Team Name Team 3

Team Size 8

Tools Unity / Miro Board

Duration Less than 24 hour

Roles

Gameplay Designer
Level Designer
UI Designer
Sound Designer
Publisher

Play Now on itch.io

My Contributions

Collaborated with two designers to design core mechanics, focusing on meaningful decisions and intuitive gameplay.
Designed and blocked out the game level in Unity using Probuilder, ensuring it complemented mechanics and encouraged player interaction.
Refined control systems for smooth handling and flexible player choice.

Created in-game audio that aligned with the game’s theme and enhanced player feedback.
Designed all user interfaces with a focus on clarity and accessibility, ensuring that the player could interact with the game without confusion.
Built and optimized the game’s itch.io page to maximize accessibility and player engagement.

Designed Core Mechanics and Overall Experiences

Results

Created intuitive gameplay mechanics that removed common pinball pain points, resulting in smooth and engaging player experiences.

Received highly positive feedback from game jam participants and mentors for the gameplay’s innovation and balance.

Problem 🔍

Traditional pinball games rely too much on randomness, making the gameplay repetitive and less engaging. Our goal was to design a pinball-inspired game where players could control a spaceship, giving them meaningful choices and more opportunities for strategy.

Solution💡

We focused on giving players direct control over the spaceship to ensure they could make precise decisions and reduce the reliance on randomness. A risk-reward mechanic was introduced, encouraging players to take calculated risks for greater rewards.

To enhance the overall gameplay, we added asteroid interactions to create dynamic challenges and refined the spaceship controls to deliver a smoother and more responsive experience.

Design Process

Designing Clear and Fair Gameplay

I started by identifying common problems in pinball-style games, like their heavy reliance on randomness. I aimed to give players more control and make their choices feel meaningful. Working with my team, we broke the design into focused tasks (movement, asteroid behavior, and interaction loops) and made sure everything worked together to create a smooth, fair experience.

Testing and Refining Decisions

I worked with my team to refine the mechanics further, using both qualitative feedback from playtesters and my observations of their decision-making process. I used those insights to guide adjustments that made the game feel more balanced and skill-based, while keeping it fun and challenging.

Created and Iterated Level Designs in Unity

Results

Improved player interaction with asteroids, leading to more meaningful decisions and balanced gameplay.
Achieved greater strategic depth and engagement through refined level design, supporting the core mechanics.

Problem 🔍

The challenge was to design a level that complemented the gameplay mechanics, ensuring balance while encouraging players to effectively utilize their abilities. The level needed to reward strategic thinking while maintaining accessibility and fun.

Solution 💡

I consistently playtested the level to refine gameplay by experimenting with values. Playtesting sessions with external players provided valuable insights into how they approached challenges, and their feedback helped identify areas for improvement. This iterative process allowed me to adjust the level design to maximize balance, enhance player decision-making, and ensure the mechanics felt engaging and rewarding.

Design Process

Level Blockout

I quickly blocked out the level in Unity using ProBuilder within half an hour.

This rapid prototyping allowed Frank to iterate on the design efficiently while enabling programmers to integrate core mechanics early in the development process.

Fine-Tuning and Balancing

I conducted detailed playtesting on my own, focusing on fine-tuning key values such as spaceship speed, satellite bounciness, and asteroid gravity.

These adjustments aimed to create a more intense and engaging gameplay experience, resulting in an improved game feel.

Iterating Based on Feedback

During the game jam, we organized live playtesting sessions. While Frank gathered direct feedback from playtesters, I observed their reactions and decision-making in real time.

Using this feedback, I adjusted the level design and balanced gameplay elements to optimize the overall player experience and ensure accessibility without compromising on strategic depth.

Refined Controls for Player Engagement

Result

Players could choose between one-handed or two-handed control options, making the controls intuitive and accessible for all skill levels. This eliminated the need for a steep learning curve while ensuring flexibility in playstyles.

Problem 🔍

The challenge was to create a simple and accessible control scheme that players could adapt to instantly without confusion, while still offering depth for more experienced players.

Solution 💡

We implemented a control system inspired by familiar pinball mechanics to leverage player intuition. Playtesting revealed player assumptions about control schemes, which informed refinements to make the controls feel natural and responsive.

Design Process

User-Centered Controls: Iterative Testing & Refinement

I conducted playtests using different control schemes to see how players interacted with each one. I looked for which setups felt natural and which caused confusion. Based on the feedback, I worked with the team to improve the controls. We chose to use arrow keys for navigation to keep things simple and responsive.

Enhancing Flexibility

The final design incorporated a mechanic for abilities, allowing players to seamlessly switch between one-handed and two-handed play. This ensured that the controls could accommodate different playstyles and enhance player comfort.

Postmortem

Achievements 🏆

The game was recognized as the best overall project, showcasing its polish across all areas, from gameplay to presentation.
Improved game level led to more meaningful player interaction, creating an engaging and rewarding gameplay experience.
Rapid level blockouts enabled faster iterations, resulting in a highly refined and well-balanced final level design.

Challenges ⛰️

On the same day, my laptop, mouse, and headphones died, creating unexpected delays and disruptions during the development process.
Due to tight deadlines, we couldn’t fully optimize the game or address all potential bugs, leaving some areas less polished than desired.

Takeaways 📚

Game feedback is important and should remain a high priority, even in time-constrained projects like game jams, as it directly influences design decisions and player experience.
Effective communication when working with multiple designers significantly improves the game’s overall design quality and ensures the same vision.

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