Mangrove's Tithe
Embedded Files
Overview
Overview
Gameplay Showcase (5:22)
Development Information
Team Size: 2
Project Duration: 4 Weeks
Engine: Unreal Engine 5
My Responsibilities
Game Mechanics Designer
Level Designer
Scripter
Project Lead
Story Description
Stories of untold riches deep in the mangrove swamp were too enticing, so off you set on your humble boat to plunder asunder. However, the ghosts that haunt the swamp may not be so keen on letting you take their treasure and return to tell the tale.
Gameplay Description
Mangrove's Tithe is a re-imagining of the classic Pac-Man (1980). Move around the maze-like swamp to collect all the coins or use your barrel launcher to defeat all the ghost ships that lurk in the waters to move on to the next area. Make sure to watch out for flying rocks, as the ghosts haunting the catapults will ensure that you can't stay in one place for long. Try to see how deep into the swamp you can go before having to pay the Mangrove's Tithe.
Download Link
Game Design
Game Design
Base Movement
Ability Description: Move in the opposite direction immediately or store a perpendicular direction that the player will change to at the next crossroad where that direction is valid.
Input: WASD/Arrow Keys//Left Joystick
Base Speed: 300 Meters/Second
Overheat
Ability Description: Double the player's movement speed. If the Overheat gauge fills completely, the player will be slowed until the gauge empties again
Input: Right Mouse Button//Bottom Face Button (A on X-Box)
Overheating Speed: 600 Meters/Second
Overheated Speed: 200 Meters/Second
Gauge Fill Time: 3 Seconds
Gauge Empty Time: 6 Seconds
Usage: Quickly maneuver around enemies or collect coins quicker.
Barrel Launcher
Ability Description: Launch a barrel in front of the player. The longer the input is held, the further the barrel will be launched. The barrel must hit the ground before another can be fired.
Input: Right Mouse Button//Right Face Button (B on X-Box)
Distance Charge Speed: 1000 Meters/Second
Damage: Instant Kill
Usage: Defeat ghost ships.
Power-Ups
Treasure Chest
Power-Up Description: Slows all enemies that are currently spawned in for a brief moment.
Enemy Slow Speed: 100 Meters/Second
Duration: 10 - (Current Level) Seconds
Usage: Makes ghost ships easier to evade and/or defeat.
Hazards
Ghost Ship
Hazard Description: Moves around the swamp and destroys the player if they come into contact with it.
Movement Speed: 300 Meters/Second
Ghost Ship Spawner
Hazard Description: Spawns ghost ships for the player to avoid or defeat. If the player loses a life, all ghost ships are despawned and must be respawned by the spawner.
Spawn Amount: 4 + (Level)
Spawn Rate: 10 - (Level) / Second (Minimum of 3/Second)
Haunted Catapult
Hazard Description: If a player is in range, ready a shot near the player (represented by a red circle). Once ready, launches a projectile at an arc. Once the rock hits the floor, it begins recharging.
Detection Radius: 1000 + (Level * 50) Meters
Fire Rate: 1 Every 5 - (Level/2) Seconds (Minimum of 1 Every 2 Seconds)
Recharge Rate: 5 - (Level/2) Seconds
Riptide
Hazard Description: Teleports the ship that enters to the opposite side of the map.
Notes: Both ghost ships and the player's ship can enter, so utilize as a last resort unless the player is certain that no ghost ships can use it.
Win Conditions
Collect All Treasures
Win Description: Collecting all coins and treasure chests in the area completes the level. Any ghost ships left alive or have yet to spawn in will have no possessions tying them to this world and will move on, granting the player points as if they were the ones to defeat them.
Notes: There are 312 coins and 4 treasure chests to collect in every level.
Defeat All Ghost Ships
Win Description: Defeating all ghost ships will complete the level. Any uncollected treasure will fly towards the player and collect automatically (to prevent the player from needing to collect everything when nothing can really stop them)
Notes: If the player defeats all ghost ships before they have all spawned, it will not count as a win. The player can only win when all ghost ships have been defeated and no more will spawn.
Challenge
The player could just stand in one space and defeat ships as they passed by
Staying in one spot the whole time was technically the best strategy (even if it took forever to actually finish the level).
No reason to risk lives to collect coins.
This is extremely boring even if it's clever.
Solution
Added a catapult that will fire projectiles at the player
Projectiles will be launched at the player throughout the level.
Aims where the player currently is.
Impact
The player cannot camp in one spot (at higher levels)
A player trying to camp the ghost ships will get hit by projectiles, as the best way to dodge them is to be constantly moving.
Slower fire rate at earlier levels to ensure new players don't get overwhelmed by a bombardment of projectiles.
Level Design
Level Design
Same level structure as Pac-Man
Catapults spread throughout the level
On lower levels, there are a few zones where the player can stay without being in range of any catapult to allow them to get familiar with the controls
Large clump of catapults in northwest area to make it a more difficult area to clear
Closing Thoughts
Closing Thoughts
The finished product was super satisfying to play. The barrel launch especially is super satisfying to nail an enemy with from across the map, especially since you can only aim in front of you and can only stop if you reach a dead end (like in the original Pac-Man). Speaking of, mimicing Pac-Man's movement system was also super satisfying to fully implement.
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