Astral Ark
Embedded Files
Overview
Overview
Official Trailer (1:05)
Steam Link
(Coming Soon)
Game Description
Prepare to explore various alien worlds upon the LC-7. With up to 3 other teammates, use unique loadouts to find and pacify the native creatures of these worlds for the sake of preservation upon the Astral Ark.
Development Information
Team Size: 15
Project Duration: 6 Months
Engine: Unreal Engine 5
My Responsibilities
Game Designer
Blueprinter/Scripter
Animation Implimentation
Playtester
Game Design
Game Design
Terminology
Zorbos - The currency used in Astral Ark
Stamina - The health system of enemy monsters
Tire - Drains the stamina of monsters
Exhausted - A state in which a monster has lost all stamina and can be captured
Playable Characters
The Sniper
Name: Neb (She/They)
Height: 5'10"
Strengths:
High Range
High Damage
Creature Tracking
Weaknesses:
Low Survivability
No Crowd Control
No Secondary Tool While In Combat
Dart Gun
Ability Description: A sniper rifle loaded with non-lethal darts. FIRE to shoot a dart that TIRES the creature it hits. ALT FIRE to aim down sights.
Dart Gun Damage: 25 Stamina
Dart Gun Range: Infinite
Dart Gun Reload Time: 5 Seconds
Dart Gun Scope: 3x Scope
Creature Scanner
Ability Description: A biometric scanner that displays the distance to the nearest creature.
Creature Scanner Range: Infinite
Creature Scanner Cooldown: None
Invisibility Cloak
Ability Description: An invisibility device. FIRE to toggle invisibility. Invisibility will automatically toggle OFF upon using another gadget or when carrying a captured monster.
Invisibility Cloak Duration: Infinite/Until Performing Action
Invisibility Cloak Cooldown: 25 Seconds
Challenge
The Sniper was a jack of all trades, master of... all of them
Sniper had high DPS while still having good crowd control while also being effectively unkillable because of the Invisibility Cloak
Sniper mains in playtesting liked the high, safe DPS of the character
Solution
Give the Sniper a clear role as a long range damage dealer
Changed Sniper's secondary weapon form a stun-inducing tranquilizing dart-gun to a relatively tame creature location scanner
Invisibility Cloak was changed to have a cooldown after the invisibility was deactivated
Impact
The Sniper became more of a glass cannon that has to think about their positioning
Sniper retained their enticing high DPS keeping their current mains happy
The removal of Sniper's ability to stun and the nerf to the Invisibility Cloak meant that the Sniper had to earn their high DPS
The Creature Scanner, while much worse than the Tranquilizer Dart-Gun, has an important use for the Sniper, as their low base mobility means they are not able to explore the map as quickly as the others
The Scout
Name: Angie (She/Her)
Height: 5'4"
Strengths:
Good Single/Multi Target Crowd Control
High Mobility
High Survivability
High Trolling Potential
Weaknesses:
Low Damage
Low Range
High Cooldowns
Grappling Gun
Ability Description: A grappling hook taser hybrid. FIRE to shoot a grappling hook that attaches to the first target it hits. If the target is a creature or another teammate, REEL them towards you. If the target is the environment, REEL towards the target location. ALT FIRE to shoot a tazer hook that tethers to the first enemy hit. FIRE repeatedly to tase and TIRE the target multiple times. Upon tasing multiple times, going outside the max tether range, or using ALT FIRE again, disconnect the taser. Only one type of hook can be fired at any given time.
Grapple Hook Damage: 5 Stamina
Grapple Hook Range: ~125 Meters
Grapple Hook Cooldown: 5 Seconds
Taser Damage: 5 Stamina per Shock (Up to 5 Times)
Taser Range: ~15 Meters
Taser Cooldown: 1 Second
Anti-Gravity Disc
Ability Description: An anti-gravity disc. FIRE to throw the disc. Upon landing, the disc will EXPAND and disable gravity for all creatures in its radius for a short amount of time.
Disc Anti-Gravity Duration: 5 Seconds
Disc Throw Range: ~50 Meters
Anti-Gravity Range: 15 Meters
Anti-Gravity Disc Cooldown: 20 Seconds
Net Gun
Ability Description: A net launcher. FIRE to launch a net. Upon hitting a creature, TIRE them a small amount and STUN them briefly.
Net Damage: 15 Stamina
Net Stun Duration: 5 Seconds
Net Range: ~80 Meters
Net Cooldown: 15 Seconds
Challenge
The Scout was entirely reliant on her team and could not be played solo
Scout's only way to deal damage was Net Gun
Trampoline secondary saw functionally no use as the maps were built around everything being accessible on foot
High mobility needs to be preserved as Grappling Hook was by far the most praised part of the character
Solution
Add more damage to the Scout's primary weapon & change secondary weapon
Added taser secondary fire to Grappling Gun
Replaced Trampoline with Anti-Gravity Disk
Impact
The Scout can now play solo while still providing great utility
Scout can deal damage, but not enough to make it comparable to other damage roles
High mobility lessens impact of lower damage in solo play because players don't spend as much time going from place to place
Anti-Gravity Disk gives great team utility while also helping Scout in multi-target scenarios, as she cannot deal AOE damage
The Scientist
Name: Odo (He/Him)
Height: 6'3"
Strengths:
Great Multi Target Crowd Control
High Survivability
Low Cooldowns
Looks Funny
Weaknesses:
Unreliable Damage
Potential Self-Sabotaging Flashbang
Mostly Team Reliant
Foam Sprayer
Ability Description: A foam gun. Hold FIRE to spray expanding foam. Creatures that come into contact with the foam are slowed and TIRE over time.
Foam Sprayer Range: 8 Meters
Foam Damage: 1 Stamina/Second
Foam Expansion Size: 1 Meter
Foam Slow: 99% Slow
Foam Duration: 15 Seconds
Bubble Shield
Ability Description: A defensive bubble shield. FIRE to send forth an expanding defensive bubble that creatures cannot enter. After a short duration, the bubble shrinks.
Bubble Shield Activation Range: ~5 Meters
Bubble Shield Size: ~2.5 Meters
Bubble Shield Duration: 15 Seconds
Bubble Shield Cooldown: 15 Seconds
Flashbang
Ability Description: A flashbang. FIRE to throw a flashbang that explodes after a short duration. Teammates and creatures caught in the explosion are briefly BLINDED. Creatures also TIRE a small amount.
Flashbang Projectile Range: ~15 Meters
Flashbang Range: ~7.5 Meters
Flashbang Duration: 3 Seconds
Flashbang Cooldown: 10 Seconds
Challenge
The Scientist's secondary was underwhelming
Bubble Shield was great for team utility, but required a lot of setup for little payoff
Solution
Add an initial pushing effect upon initial usage
Bubble Shield now pushes enemies away instead of slightly displacing them
Impact
The Scientist can better utilize Foam Sprayer
Bubble Shield can now be used to push creatures into foam bubbles created by the Foam Sprayer
Further enforces Scientist's role as an AOE specialist
The Robot
Name: T3M8 (They/Them)
Height: 5'2"
Strengths:
High Damage
Great Single Target Crowd Control
Good Team Utility
Weaknesses:
Melee
Single Target Damage
Low Survivability
Short
Stun Baton
Ability Description: An electric baton. FIRE to swing the baton and TIRE creatures it hits. If a creature receives enough consecutive hits, it will be briefly STUNNED.
Stun Baton Range: 5 Meters
Stun Baton Damage: 20 Stamina
Stun Baton Number of Hits to Stun: 4 Hits (Per Enemy)
Stun Baton Stun Duration: 2 Seconds
Padded Bear Trap
Ability Description: A padded bear trap. FIRE to place it on the ground. The trap will ACTIVATE after a brief delay. Creatures that step on it are briefly rooted in place.
Trap Size: 1 Meter
Stun Duration: 5 Seconds
Padded Bear Trap Cooldown: 25 Seconds
Dancing Decoy
Ability Description: A hologram. FIRE to place a hologram down. After a brief delay, the hologram will depict a dancing robot and TAUNT enemies in its radius for a small duration.
Decoy Range: 35 Meters
Decoy Duration: 5 Seconds
Decoy Cooldown: 30 Seconds
Challenge
The Robot was dying way to much, especially solo
As a melee character, Robot is always in striking range of the creatures, meaning they are taking more damage on average
Taunt Whistle is useless while playing solo and put the player in more danger
Solution
Give the Robot a way to refocus enemy agro
Replace Taunt Whistle with Dancing Decoy, a decoy that taunts nearby enemies
Impact
Robot gets more use from their kit in both solo and team play
Robot can now safely go in for hit with stun baton while solo
Added synergy with padded bear trap as it lures creatures to step on it if Dancing Decoy is placed on or near it
Gameplay Loop
Gameplay Loop
Step 1
Select a character & embark with up to 3 other players. Press the big button in the middle of the rover to land on a randomly selected planet and receive your Zorbos¹ quota.
1. Zorbos is the currency of Astral Ark
Step 2
Use your character's tools to drain the stamina of monsters. Once a monster is loses all of their stamina¹, they become exhausted² and can be captured by putting them in a box.
1. Stamina is the health system of monsters
2. Exhausted is a state in which a monster has lost all stamina and can be captured
Step 3
Bring captured monsters back to the rover to teleport them to safety and receive Zorbos based on the type of monster teleported. Set out again until you receive enough Zorbos to fulfill your quota. The player cannot earn more Zorbos than their quota (no overtime pay).
Step 4
Once the quota has been fulfilled, press the button in the middle of the rover again to go back to space. Spend earned Zorbos to upgrade the team.
Step 5
Press the big button in the middle of the rover to head to the next planet with an increased Zorbos quota. Repeat this loop to see how far you can get. The game ends when everyone dies or the quota is not completed on time.
Full Gameplay Video (17:32)
Closing Thoughts
Closing Thoughts
Astral Ark was the first game that I worked on with a team size as big as this one. While learning how to effectively communicate between everyone about what we all needed to do was difficult at first, we eventually got a system going. Working with tons of talented people is amazing because it allows me to focus on what I need to do instead of having to potentially work on something that I have the skills to complete with the same quality as my primary work. Even though No Salmon For Wolves at the end of the day is just a big group of friends that got together, it's an incredible feeling to see the final product after over half a year of work.
Page updated
Google Sites
Report abuse