This project I worked on during my junior year and is my sixth game overall that I worked on during the winter quarter of 2024. This game is an endless runner where the main character, a bullfighter, is running away from a bull while jumping over obstacles, collecting power-ups, and avoiding debuffs and hazards. The main goal of this game is to make it as far as you can before losing.

When I came up with the idea for this game, I immediately knew I wanted to focus on one continuous level where the entire game takes place. One of the first things I did was create a prototype that gives me an idea of what I wanted the game to look like, and this prototype includes a moving foreground where the player is able to move, a moving background to give the impression of movement, the player who is able to move left, right, and jump, and a simple obstacle and power-up. During my time working on this project, I mainly focused on the art and game mechanics, but I was able to tie these features within the level. I was able to set the mood of the level with art, with the simple 2D pixel art and the bright giving off a nostalgic, warm feeling that lets the player feel relaxed and joyful, despite the slowly increasing challenge that the player faces. The various obstacles and the background are examples in the game. I also used art to help distinguish the smaller power-ups from the larger platforms, and to show which obstacles the player can jump on and which obstacles the player has to jump over.

When I came up with the idea for this game, I immediately knew I wanted to focus on one continuous level where the entire game takes place. One of the first things I did was create a prototype that gives me an idea of what I wanted the game to look like, and this prototype includes a moving foreground where the player is able to move, a moving background to give the impression of movement, the player who is able to move left, right, and jump, and a simple obstacle and power-up. During my time working on this project, I mainly focused on the art and game mechanics, but I was able to tie these features within the level. I was able to set the mood of the level with art, with the simple 2D pixel art and the bright giving off a nostalgic, warm feeling that lets the player feel relaxed and joyful, despite the slowly increasing challenge that the player faces. The various obstacles and the background are examples in the game. I also used art to help distinguish the smaller power-ups from the larger platforms, and to show which obstacles the player can jump on and which obstacles the player has to jump over.

The obstacles, power-ups, and debuffs are two game mechanics that the player interacts with to progress further within the level. The level is structured around randomly spawned obstacles that move towards the player, with some of these obstacles on the ground while some take the form as floating platforms. At first, the obstacles appear fewer in number, but as time progresses, more obstacles spawn and begin to overwhelm the player. There is even an obstacle that can hurt the player, adding more difficulty. Then there are power ups, seven in total, each with to aid the player for a few seconds, whether to help with player mobility to navigate the level to better avoid obstacles, heal and protect the player, or help with player’s score. Like the obstacles, the power ups spawn randomly and move towards the player. Due to the random spawning of obstacles and power ups, the player will be put in difficult situations deciding whether it will be worth it to grab a power up. And finally, there are two debuffs that will spawn randomly like the power ups, but unlike the power ups, they negatively impact the player by slowing the player down and damaging the player. The debuffs add a level of difficulty that keeps the game interesting and forces the player to adapt their playstyle since the player will have to avoid the debuffs along with the obstacles. Overall, these mechanics work together to keep the level fun and engaging, while providing a challenge to the player.