I’m not sure today what actually inspired me to create my first game project. However, it was my first serious introduction to programming, animation, designing game mechanisms and game development as such.
It was a 2D pixel-art action platformer in which you played as a nameless zombie who took out the others. This straightforward platformer, lacking any deeper story or themes, served as a stepping stone to the later The Unknown Within Us.
I decided to develop the project in GameMaker because of its reputation for being simple and straightforward. I followed tutorials on YouTube and consulted the GameMaker documentation. Although I would not choose this game engine today, creating this game gave me a solid foundation for my next project. During the game’s development, I took on the following roles:
Beginner-level programming (GameMaker Studio 2)
Gameplay design (GameMaker Studio 2)
Level building (GameMaker Studio 2)
Character sprites design and animations (Aseprite)
Testing and debugging
Current status: This was a pilot project, and I currently have no plans to revive it. However, I did manage to implement several basic mechanics:
Movement in all directions and jumping
Shooting and reloading projectiles
Enemies with simple wandering behavior and damage mechanics
Regeneration of lost health