AI Lab For A Better Future
AI Lab For A Better Future
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Project Summary
Project Summary
AI Lab.mp4As a testing android, use your energy gun and portals in the laboratory to solve puzzles.
Game Engine: Unreal Engine 4.
Project duration: 3 days.
I was responsible for designing puzzles, blocking out levels, scripting level mechanics & player control, and making the portal VFX.
Project Development
Project Development
As you can tell, this project was inspired by one of the greatest puzzle games, Portal. Each level introduces new game mechanics. Later levels will mix different mechanics you've learned and challenge your understanding and mastery of those mechanics.
The first level introduces the button mechanic, jump pad, and turret. To make players understand that turrets are dangerous, when you shoot the yellow button on the wall, a block on the other side of the room will also fall and shortly be destroyed by the turret.
I made both the door and the button green to let players know that activating the green button would unlock the green door.
The jump pad was placed directly on the player's path; players would naturally jump and understand the jump pad mechanic.
The second level introduces the portal mechanic and a way to deactivate the turret. To empower players, instead of telling players to use the portal, players need to understand why they need to use the portal.
Standing on the yellow button opens the yellow door. As soon as you leave the button, the door closes. So you have to put a cube on the yellow button to keep the door open.
There is only one cube on the level. It can't fall down because of the red panels. When you see the red button on the left, logically you will think of ways to hit that red button. And to do so, you need to use the blue portal.
Just like how I color doors and buttons, portals have different colors too. Shooting at the yellow portal allows your projectile to hit the back of the turret.
There were two reasons why I put a shield in front of the turret:
Telling players that they cannot get past the turret without disabling it.
Forcing players to shoot and see how projectiles react to the turret.
Because players already understand what will happen when the projectile travels through the portal. When they see the yellow portal, shooting at it is almost a natural instinct.
The third level introduces the transport mechanic. The third level has two sections, and the black tunnel connects the two sections.
I made a big mistake choosing this level as the third level; it was far too complex for teaching a new mechanic. I should make this level the fourth level instead of the third level. This level is where I messed up the difficulty curve.
The fourth level had the same problem as the third level, which was too hard. Additionally, it also exposed the problem with the grabbing mechanic. While grabbing a cube, the cube physics can cause the character to stuck. When you dropped the cube, it could bounce around. Sometimes it might even stuck under a platform.
The fourth level should have been cut off. It required a lot more time for tuning and polishing.
Design Notes
Design Notes
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