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Tel: +46 76 188 86 39
Mail: fabianadlertz@gmail.com
Fabian
Adlertz
game & Level Designer
Stockholm, Sweden
About
Live or let die is a puzzle solving game that me and two friends made during the GMTK 2022 Game Jam. The game is about a die that has to make its way through several levels by solving die based puzzles. Match the number on the platforms to open doors and progress. Fight Enemy dices and defeat them by rolling a higher number then the enemy die is showing.
Details
Roles
Game & Level Designer
-Fabian Adlertz Bertzén
Tools & Game Mechanic Programmers
- Martin Blomquist Rendhal
- Julius Wendt
Game Jam
GMTK 2022
Genre- Puzzle Game
Engine- Unity
Platform- PC
Timeframe- 50 hours (a Weekend)
Team size- 3 people
My Responsibilities
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Level Design
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Game Design discussions with my teammates to form the overall gameplay design and the game mechanics.
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3D model for dice
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Enemy design
Game Feel
Movement
When we designed the movement of the dice we decided early on that wanted it to feel like it have some weight to it but still feel snappy and responsive. To achieve this we first played around with the roll of the die so that it wasn't too fast or too slow. When we were satisfied with the movement we added a sound and a small particle effect to simulate dust shooting of from the die because of its weight.
Final result
Camera and Controls-
Problem and solutions
Problem:
When we had the game in a playable state we noticed a problem. When playing the game you can only see 3 sides of the die. This is something we felt could lead to frustrating situations were the game feels unfair since you cant see what your next move will result in.
Solution:
To solve this problem we added a rotation mechanic. If the player press the "Q" or "E" keys the camera will rotate around the player left or right.
Q-key
E-key
New Problem:
This new mechanic introduced a new and possibly bigger problem. Whenever the camera rotated it would Result in forward("W"-key) possibly being left, right, back and forward depending on the cameras rotation.
Pressing "W" key
Solution:
We fixed this problem by always matching the controls with the camera rotation so if the player presses "W" they will always move the die forward and not be confused which way it will roll.
Final Result
Enemy Die Design
After we felt satisfied and happy with the players movement we decided to start with the Enemy design. The first thing we wanted was to make it feel as scary and intimidating as possible, or at least as scary as a ordinary dice can be.
To achieve this we decided to make it contrast the player die, so less snappy and more sluggish to make it feel very heavy and metallic. We also gave it another color and gave it a bigger particle effect to really cement that this is a die you don't want to mess with.
The enemy AI is designed to move the shortest route it finds towards the player. We wanted it like this to make it clear for the player how to approach the combat and how to plan their next move.
Final Result
Dice based Combat
When we had decided to have enemies in the game we had to decide how the player would interact with them and how the combat functioned. We decided to have the mechanics very streamlined and function similar to the numbered platforms, so that the top number is what matters. The higher number wins and the one that loses get shot away in a very satisfying way to make it very clear who the winner is. If both roll the same number its a draw and incase of a draw the two dice gets pushed away from each other, allowing for a tactical retreat.
Player Lose
Player WIN
Draw
Level Design
To begin the level design process we first decided what kind of puzzles we wanted the game to have. What we decided was to have a more open ended solution to each level since the player movement was very fun and satisfying and made for a more enjoyable time for the player.
When designing the levels we also thought about the progression. We wanted the levels to always introduce something new or expand on the earlier levels mechanics and early on teach the player how to interact with everything.
Level 1
Teaches the player how to control the die with some simple UI and how to finish the level and progress
Level 2
The level leads the player through to the first goal to teach the player that the numbered platforms open up the green gates to allow the player to progress
Level 3
First real test for the player to show what they have learned from level 1&2! Have to use the squared areas to be able to calculate the correct movement.
Level 5
The player faces of against two enemies but one is locked behind a wall and will not move before the door is open. the player can tactically try to defeat the first enemy before opening the door for the other enemy
Level 4
Introduces the first enemy die in a stand of fashion, the player have to figure out how to get the higher number and win against the enemy.
Level 6
Two enemy Dice in play at once, one a bit closer than the other. The player have to work with the level to not get pinched by the two dice.
The final level introduces two player dice and one enemy dice. The player have to open the passage for the other die to be able to complete the level.
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