Dodger
- Solo project
- ~6 months total in development (between 2020-22)
- Top-down arcadey bullet hell
- Made in GameMaker Studio 2
Overview
Dodger is actually a remake of a game I made at the end of middle school of the same name, challenging the player to stay within a small moving zone while dodging projectiles and collecting upgrades.
After replaying the original version I realized that, despite being rough around the edges, the gameplay loop had me hooked.
I was inspired to recreate it with my current skills and see what more I could do with the concept.
Developed off-and-on over a couple years, I developed a new aesthetic, created music, and added multiple concurrent gameplay systems to create a more involved and engaging experience. I'm proud of the dynamic push-and-pull to the game's systems, offering many on-the-fly decisions and risk-reward scenarios for the player couched in a straightforward and engrossing gameplay loop. I could talk for a while about the design of this game, so please ask if you want to hear more!
Developed off-and-on over a couple years, I developed a new aesthetic, created music, and added multiple concurrent gameplay systems to create a more involved and engaging experience. I'm proud of the dynamic push-and-pull to the game's systems, offering many on-the-fly decisions and risk-reward scenarios for the player couched in a straightforward and engrossing gameplay loop. I could talk for a while about the design of this game, so please ask if you want to hear more!
Lessons Learned
Don't lose sight of what makes your project special!
At some point while developing Dodger, I concocted many grand ideas about its overall structure, with a grand in-game narrative forming in my mind. Yet, when it came to integrating that into the existing mechanics of the project, I became completely stalled. I soon realized that these ideas were pulling me away from the direction the project was naturally going in. In the end, I provided no narrative context for any of the games strange, abstract elements, as I realized that none of that contributed to the game's core appeal.
At some point while developing Dodger, I concocted many grand ideas about its overall structure, with a grand in-game narrative forming in my mind. Yet, when it came to integrating that into the existing mechanics of the project, I became completely stalled. I soon realized that these ideas were pulling me away from the direction the project was naturally going in. In the end, I provided no narrative context for any of the games strange, abstract elements, as I realized that none of that contributed to the game's core appeal.