Judi-n-Lyle Devlog - 002
Well folks, unfortunately don’t have much to update this time on game dev for Judi-n-Lyle. I’ve been primarily focused a lot on my real job and getting ready for the holidays.
Between finishing up deliverables before the holiday season at work and dealing with mice problems in my house (really starting to feel like House of Mouse), it’s felt like no energy left to do game dev. But that’s why I’m writing this post, to stay on a regular cadence with pushing out posts and reigniting the flame before the weekend to hopefully put some love and craft into the project.
In terms of “things done” I did actually manage to iron out some of the main design constraints I have/want to start out with. Keep in mind, these are design constraints that I want to put on myself to make it easier to think about how I design levels and how to make choices to stay consistent. These are all subject to change as I start to play around with these ideas and see what comes out in play testing a prototype!
Level Constraints
- Levels will be structured like Little Nightmares or Limbo
- This would mean that we want players to experience levels once. They can move up and down within the level, but cannot go back to a previous level once it is completed.
- There must be some defined reason as to why they cannot go back to the previous level. This could include the following:
- A massive tree falls and blocks the path back.
- They slip down a hill and can’t get back up the slippery hill.
- They fall down a hole and have to get through the underground passageway.
- Levels can be vertical meaning they contain new scenes that can go up and down, but linear progression through the level moves horizontal.
- Each level will contain at least one enemy or “tense” encounter such as completing a puzzle quickly or going through a chase sequence.
Character Contraints
- Main Playable Characters (Judi + Lyle)
- Classic 2D platformer style
- Gravity mechanics, Coyote time, Variable jump impulse based on how long you hold jump button
- Special abilities (informs how the characters can maneuver)
- These abilities will come into play later in the game to introduce new puzzles
- Lyle stretches far across gaps
- Judi can jump extra high
- Classic 2D platformer style
- Enemies
- Will not be constrained by classic platforming abilities.
- Can be something than runs and jumps.
- Some enemies will be ethereal-esque and can move beyond the bounds of the colliders.
Puzzle Mechanics
Jotting down some basic ideas to play around with in the prototype
- Move things around to make stairs to get over something
- Lyle special move stretch under something, Judi special move jump over something
- Lyle stretch under something, go up and push a block down for Judi to get up
- Lyle break down something for Judi to go through
- Judi jumps over something and pushes a tree down for Lyle to walk over. Or Judi can push a button or something to have a bridge get across.
With the holiday break coming up, I am planning to have some time away from work to sit down to this hobby and hammer out some good progress towards a prototype to begin playtesting. So we’ll see how far I can get. No strict or hard deliverables on myself (I have plenty of that to worry about elsewhere :wink:) so we’ll just take it as it comes and see what fun creative juices happen.
If you’ve been taking to time to read these - I really appreciate you. Have a great day and we’ll see you next time hopefully with some concrete progress in the game :)