Blunder Dog
Blunder Dog
Gameplay Showcase (7:06)
Development Information
Team Size: 4 (1 Team Lead, 1 Gameplay/Level Designer, 1 Environment Artist, 1 Character Artist)
Project Duration: 12 Weeks
Engine: Unreal Engine 5
My Responsibilities
Game Mechanics Designer
Level Designer
Scripter
Story Description
You play as Knackle the pirate dog, who was once part of the jolly crew known to the world as The Scurvy Dogs. However, now Knackle finds himself being forced to walk the plank by the crew he's spent his whole life, all because you accidentally put 4 ice cubes in the captain's drink instead of 3. As he is drowning, he hears a faint voice and prays for his life before everything fades to black. Waking up washed up on shore, he finds a talking gun and a demand to obtain 50 tons of blood to give to the god Sanguikan, who saved his life. As he wanted nothing more than to get revenge on those who betrayed him, he saw no reason to argue and set out into the world to get blood from those who wronged him.
Gameplay Description
Blunderdog is a first person shooter platformer that tests one's ability to maneuver around the environment and defeat enemies. Shoot and scoot through the world using your wits and your newfound trusty gun to defeat your enemies, traverse dangerous ruins, or potentially both at the same time.
Download Link
Blunder Dash
Ability Description: Knackle dashes forward
Input: Right Mouse Button
Dash Distance: 4 Meters (Grounded); 10 Meters (Airborne)
Usage: Cross long distances or reposition in a fight: Affected by momentum.
Princess
Fire + Recoil
Ability Description: Fires a shot and sends Knackle flying backwards
Input: Left Mouse Button
Recoil Distance: 4 Meters (Horizontal); 3 Meters (Vertical)
Usage: Extending vertical and horizontal distance or distancing from enemies while attacking. Affected by momentum.
Feeding Frenzy
Ability Description: Princess feasts on dead or specific nonliving things it vacuums to enhance its next shot
Input: Q
Vacuum Distance: 8 Meters
Usage: Enhance combat prowess or traverse the world more efficiently.
Shots
Cannonshot
Shot Description: Fires a cannonball
Special Traits: Infinite; Default Shot
Damage: 1
Effective Range: 50 Meters
Usage: Damage enemies without needing to use Feeding Frenzy.
Bloodshot
Shot Description: Fires a spread of blood and bones
Special Traits: High Burst Damage
Damage: 1-5
Effective Range: 10 Meters
Usage: Deal a big burst of damage to a nearby enemy.
Bombshot
Shot Description: Fires a bomb
Special Traits: Explosion
Damage: 1 (Casing); 3 (Explosion)
Effective Range: 30 Meters
Explosion Size: 9 Meters
Usage: Deal AOE damage or use explosion to traverse the map.
Fireshot
Shot Description: Misfires a flare
Special Traits: Spreads Fire; Damage Over Time; Invulnerability
Damage: 1 (Flare); 1 per Second (Burning)
Effective Range: Infinite (Flare); 2 Meters (Fire Spread)
Usage: Sets self on fire which grants temporary invulnerability (Knackle is too worried about being on fire to take damage) and sets enemies touched on fire to deal damage to them over time.
Chainshot
Shot Description: Fires 2 cannonballs connected via chain
Special Traits: Stun; Applies Vulnerable
Damage: 1
Stun Duration: 5 Seconds
Vulnerable: Certain Enemies Are No Longer Invulnerable
Effective Range: 50 Meters
Usage: Trips enemies, immobilizing them and marking them as vulnerable.
Challenge
The special shots from Feeding Frenzy felt underwhelming
Using Feeding Frenzy added ammo that the player could freely switch to and use
This ammo never went away, meaning that the game had to be balanced around the player potentially having tons of special shots at any given point
Solution
Feeding Frenzy now only boosts the next shot
Feeding Frenzy no longer stores ammo
Players can no longer freely change what shot they use
Impact
The special shots are allowed to be much more powerful
Special shots can now be balanced around only having 1 at any given time
Similar to Kirby, special shots make the game easier, but are not required at any point besides specific boss mechanics
Breakdown
Spawn Area
Player spawns in beach
Water behind and impassable mountains to the sides means only path is forward
Temple has a breakable door that serves as a tutorial on how to fire the gun "Princess" that you get after the beginning cutscene
Movement Area
Player must jump over gaps to move further
Platforms get smaller as the area progresses
Overall difficulty is low to let player get adjusted to the controls and movement of the game
Blunder Jump Area
Gaps too large to pass just by jumping
Princess tells player how to Blunder Jump which gives enough distance to make the gaps
First jumps are easy and can even be done without jumping
The scalable wall is higher which serves as a way to reinforce to the player that they can get more distance the sooner they fire Princess after jumping
Blunder Dash Area
Low ceiling prevents player from jumping over to ensure the player knows how to Blunder Dash
Player is told how to Blunder Dash
First gap is passable by dashing without jumping
Second gap is passable by jumping then dashing
Third gap is passable by combining a Blunder Jump with a Blunder Dash
First Enemy Area
Serves as an introduction to the combat
A single enemy to not overwhelm the player
Plenty of space to encourage use of Blunder Dash for maneuvering
Teaches player how to use Feeding Frenzy after victory
Feeding Frenzy Area
Introduces several different types of Shots player can get from different types of enemies
Player will try to Blunder Jump over ledge and will get a huge boost from the bomb explosion which teaches them about Bomb Jumping
Big arena to make it seem like a big fight before it's revealed to be a fakeout and the player sets themselves on fire with fireshot
Fireshot is meant to reinforce the games lighthearted comedy nature
Final Platforming Area
Final test to ensure player can platform with previous tools
Reaching the end is easy and doesn't require optimal movement
2 secret Golden Bones require perfectly timed Blunder Jumps and Blunder Dashes
Final Wave Area
Tons of enemies to ensure player can utilize tools given to attack and defend
Plenty of cover so player doesn't get overwhelmed
Differing enemy types so player changes strategy based on what was gained via Feeding Frenzy
Secret Golden Bone that is semi-easy to get but hard to notice
Boss Fight Area
Big area for maximum maneuverability
No obstacles/cover because boss is slow
Enemies respawning through doors that serve as Feeding Frenzy fodder
Next level (end of game for now) after boss defeated
This game was incredibly fun to work on. Not only that, but the movement and shooting feels so satisfying when done just right. Also, while it's not fully explored in the level, bomb jumping is incredibly fun. Using dev mode to infinitely bomb jump is some of the most fun I've had. The next levels will definitely utilize it more.