Saddle Skedaddle
Saddle Skedaddle
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Design Lead
Design Lead
Inspired by classic cartoon chase sequences, Saddle Skedaddle places you in the middle of a Wild West gunfight. The only problem is, you've forgotten your gun, and have mere seconds to escape before your opponent is quick on the draw!
Given the simple prompt to create a "hallway with guard," I decided to go against the simplicity that such a phrase might imply. I envisioned a quaint, Old Western town, where the "guard" on patrol could be two things: the law, and the lawless. Spearheading the narrative and art direction, I coordinated with the art team to develop a style evocative of a game you'd see on consoles in the early 2000s.
"Shootout Sabotage" early map prototype.
"Saddle Skedaddle" final map layout.
From a gameplay standpoint, running straight up-and-down the "hallway" leaves no room for replayability. So, I divided the "walls" into standalone buildings with alleys between them, adding much more space to run around while being chased by the guards.
This image was the earliest mockup for the game, indicating a critical path as well as marking where obstacles would appear. In the final game, the Cactus and Tumbleweed obstacles ended up trading locations, but the gameplay loop stayed the same.
The gameplay is divided into two phases: in the first, the player is chased by a Cowboy throughout the town, where they learn the hazards that are placed around Crystal Point. Once they find the Stables, the player character states that they can't leave without a saddle for the lone horse. Heading back into the town, the player now has to evade the Cowboy as well as the Sheriff, from whom they steal a saddle from. Safely returning to the Stables, the player is able to escape the town and win the game.
With the layout constructed, I coordinated with the Art Team to create a small list of assets that we could repeat in numerous areas to achieve that "classic" feel. Once implemented, I placed each piece of geometry intentionally throughout the space to subconsciously guide the player through and around certain areas during the chase. The final product was a very satisfying, unmistakably Western town fit for hijinks.
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