HACK N SLASH
This game prototype is a 2D beat-them-up Co-Op focusing of asymmetry. Take control of Hack and Slash and combine their unique set of skills to solve puzzles or fight their enemies. The prototype was made to explore asymmetry and how entirely different mechanics per player can be combined to make good gameplay. Further, a test to implement a cellphone application was made, to give information asymmetry.
MY CONTRIBUTION
PROGRAMMING
Set up base systems like quests, dialogue, events and hacking puzzles.
Make a mobile application and connect it in-game using network programming.
Make a basic AI enemy.
Optimizing some functionality, like melee system and some events.
GAME DESIGN
Designing a phone application with different puzzles to beat when hacking.
Specify an interface for the application and specify how the connection between the game and phone should work.
Find a way to incorporate different mechanics to solve a puzzle, with both characters being active.
Design some features, like spawn system etc.
USER EXPERIENCE
Try to find the essence of a good asymmetrical Co-Op experience with both characters doing their part in the game.
Applied user testing to validate the game's user experience and cognitive ease of use.
CHALLENGES
Good networking
My main challenge with this game was how to handle the networking. I used Unity’s built-in packet-handler and then programmed a remote message-passing system. The game only needed to know if a hack was initiated, cancelled, failed or succeeded. The application handled the rest of the mini games. Even though Unity handles the packets, I needed to handle the connections and potential error cases (like; more than one cell phone connected, find the IP-address of the game, sudden disconnects, etc.). The messages were then handled through an interface that I made and could call on events that would happen in-game, this was made to make it more user friendly to work with.
DESIGN CHALLENGE
An asymmetrical game in a week
My challenge for this game was to make a Co-Op game that focuses heavily on asymmetry. This resulted in a beat-them-up style game with local Co-Op. The twist with this game however is that the two characters, Hack and Slash have very different approaches to solving issues. Hack focuses on hacking different things to gain access to inaccessible areas, while Slash focuses on fighting the enemy. The player playing Hack uses the mouse to interact with things and hacks doors and computers from the player’s cell phone application. This application has information about their mission (information asymmetry) and two different hacking-games that is needed to be completed to successfully hack a select thing. The player playing Slash focuses on protecting Hack from enemies and fights them with melee-combos. The goal with this prototype was to see how a really asymmetrical game is played and how the game feels when needed to be played on multiple platforms at once. This prototype was made during five workdays with two designers and two artists.