Game_Boy_Game
(The Story of a lost game_boy)
The story goes: At GDC 2022 my backpack was stolen. Inside my backpack, was my Gameboy. This is an Unreal 4 game based on that story.
There are 5 Levels in the game:
Level One: Collect 3 bags of gold then survive the AI for 45 sec.
Level Two: Escape the overhead bin, collect the ginger ale, survive AI, return to seat.
Level Three: Shoot the Hotel room TV to be Jumanji-fied. Survive/ Ride the animals for 90 sec.
Level Four: Escape the holding room, survive AI, reach the top of the map, and over the edge escape.
Level Five: Use the boost pads to outrun the vehicle chasing you!
There are 5 Levels in the game:
Level One: Collect 3 bags of gold then survive the AI for 45 sec.
Level Two: Escape the overhead bin, collect the ginger ale, survive AI, return to seat.
Level Three: Shoot the Hotel room TV to be Jumanji-fied. Survive/ Ride the animals for 90 sec.
Level Four: Escape the holding room, survive AI, reach the top of the map, and over the edge escape.
Level Five: Use the boost pads to outrun the vehicle chasing you!
Giving it life:
(Animating THE GAME_BOY CHARACTER)
Animated using Maya 2022.
Over to Unreal 4.27:
(Starting to build the game)
Game_Boy Character Blueprint
This is the majority of my main character's blueprint. You may need to zoom out and pan around to see the whole thing.
Charged shot mechanic
The bulk of the Blueprint, beyond movement and animations, is letting the player hold down the shoot button and release a projectile with velocity based on the time held. If the player has enough energy and has held down for long enough, a much more powerful projectile will be fired. The character's screen glows to dietetically show when the player is holding down the button and will flash red while on cooldown. In addition to the projectile being fired, there is all the VFX and SFX that need to trigger when it hits something.
Play dead MECHANIC
The play dead mechanic is where the player will not attract attention, as long as they are not seen moving or standing on their feet. If the AI discovers the player while they are playing dead, they will not become aggressive. If they see the player enter the play dead state, they become aggressive.
Stamina System
There is a Stamina system which depletes when sprinting or firing projectiles, recharges at default speed when walking, and recharges extra fast when playing dead. This also depletes while carrying the Soda Pop in the "In Flight" level.
Pick-Up Object Mechanic
In the," In Flight" level the player needs to retrieve a can of ginger ale soda then avoid detection while returning to their seat. Basically I attach the Can asset to a socket on the mesh of the character and extra quickly deplete stamina while it is being held.
Enemy_AI BLUEPRINT
This is the majority of the roaming enemy blueprint. You may need to zoom out and pan around to see the whole thing.
sight and chasing mechanics
This AI will see the player character whether they are playing dead or not, so I had to make a check where the Enemy will consider the player invisible if they haven't been seen moving or standing.
When Caught mechanic
If the Enemy AI reaches the player while they are being chased, they will kick at the game_boy and cause a fail state/ restart of the current level.
Check sound mechanic
Using the big projectile the player can shoot, you can cause the Enemy AI to investigate the area of impact.
Stunned on-Hit Reactions
Depending on which projectile hits the Enemy, different things will happen. The small projectile will take about 1/8 health and cause a confused animation and VFX to play. The big projectile will take 1/3 health and completely knock the AI onto the ground for a few seconds.
Playthrough Video:
Level Design:
Level 1: "Home"
The player's home where they will be introduced to a number of mechanics. First they will be able to shoot a projectile which opens most doors and drawers. Then they will pick-up bags of money laid accross. Then they will be faced with an enemy_ai to survive for 45 sec.
Level 2: "In Flight"
The player will find themselves in the overhead compartment of an airplane, and will need to use their projectile ability to escape. Once out they will be faced with a number (~7) of seated enemy_ai which will scream out if they see you, the Gameboy running across the aisle. If they see you three times a roaming enemy_ai will spawn which will patrol the aisle. At the far end of the airplane from the spawn point is a Soda Pop. Once the player grabs the Soda Pop and starts heading back to their seat, the roaming enemy_ai will spawn when you reach half way back. Get the Soda Pop back to the starting area to pass the level.
LEVEL 3: "Hotel"
The player will wake up on the desk in a hotel room. The only thing in the room that does anything meaningful is the TV. If the player uses their projectile to shoot the TV, they will be Jumanji'd (Sent to a wild TV world with the task of survival). There they will encounter a number of animals. Elephants do not fear the player and will approach them to show that the player can press a button to ride/ control the Elephant. Zebras are also passive, but do not approach the player. If a Lion, Crocodile, Hippo, or Rhino see's the player moving, they will try to charge and attack the player. Despite those 4 animals being dangerous, the player can still sneak up to ride/ control any of the animals they want. Surviving for a a time limit will advance the player to the last level. If the player survives, they will be sucked back to the Hotel room where an enemy is waiting to steal you.
LEVEL 4: "Warehouse"
After being stolen in the "Hotel" level, the player will wakeup in a warehouse. They will need to charge their projectile long enough to become empowered, then they can break down the doors of the room. once out of the room, the player has to get passed 2 roaming enemy_ai and reach the top floor of the warehouse by climbing the piles of bricks. Once their the player can either choose to take revenge on the enemy that stole them, or simply try to escape by jumping onto the truck.
LEVEL 5: "the chase"
So, the player has now escapes the "Warehouse" but they find themselves right in front of an occupied truck. The truck will begin a chase after the player where the player will need to hit the majority of speed boosts to reach the end alive. Otherwise the truck will catch-up and destroy the player. If the player does successfully out run the truck they will escape through what looks to be a small escape hole at the end of a tunnel. However, since this is the story of my Gameboy which was stolen, I can't end it with the player getting away. Upon entering the small escape hole the player will find themselves in an ever glowing white world, where there is only a small zen garden and flame to explore. The player will need to accept this fate and ignite the Gameboy in the fire, then walk into the abyss. The End.