Death Dweller
- Solo project
- Made for the 7th GameBoy Jam
- 9 days in development (2019)
- Top-down arcadey boss-rush
- Made in GameMaker Studio 2
Overview
Death Dweller was made for the 7th GBJam, in which jammers must work within certain graphical and input restrictions to mimic the original Gameboy.
My goal with this game was to adapt my previous style of twin-stick boss rush to the limitations of the jam.
This forced me to go directions I wouldn't have otherwise, such as locking the player's aim to the position of the boss, and gave me ample opportunity to make the most of the position those decisions put me in.
What I'm most proud of, though, is this game's aesthetic strength. I really enjoyed combining different techniques to create something that looks and feels unique, and was surprised at how well my vision came through in the final product. I especially like the first attack of the third boss, 34 seconds into the video, which really makes the most out of the game's visual style.
What I'm most proud of, though, is this game's aesthetic strength. I really enjoyed combining different techniques to create something that looks and feels unique, and was surprised at how well my vision came through in the final product. I especially like the first attack of the third boss, 34 seconds into the video, which really makes the most out of the game's visual style.
Lessons Learned
Take accessibility seriously, and plan for it in advance.
While working on Death Dweller, I realized that the color pallete may be difficult to parse for some players with visual impairments. However, wanting to avoid revisiting completed spritework, I resolved that “it's not like a legally blind person is going to play my game.”
Egg on my face when I personally received feedback from another GBJam dev who loved my game, but had some trouble playing it because they were legally blind.
I don't know if I had the time to make accomodations either way, but this experience has stuck in my mind as a reminder that all sorts of people play games. It's important to give their needs the earnest consideration they deserve.
While working on Death Dweller, I realized that the color pallete may be difficult to parse for some players with visual impairments. However, wanting to avoid revisiting completed spritework, I resolved that “it's not like a legally blind person is going to play my game.”
Egg on my face when I personally received feedback from another GBJam dev who loved my game, but had some trouble playing it because they were legally blind.
I don't know if I had the time to make accomodations either way, but this experience has stuck in my mind as a reminder that all sorts of people play games. It's important to give their needs the earnest consideration they deserve.