Swarmer Game

Game Instructions: You play as a white square (Center) that can collect triangle (Swarmers). The objective is to reach the end of the level where the Yellow Gem is. 

To move, use arrow keys.

To switch between Center and Collected Swarmers, press 'X'.

To activate Swarmer's 'spark', press Space. Spark activates the blue orbs to unlock more of the path.

This solo project is my submission for the Trijam #306. My game was made in 3 hours as per the specifications of the jam. It was rather challenging having to plan out and scope down the project to fit these 3 hours. The theme was 'remote controlled swarm' which in my mind meant I had to have a pilot character and a swarm character, so I decided to focus on two mechanics: the switch mechanic and the spark mechanic. Essentially, I wanted to learn about how to switch between a single player character and a more hive-mind like object and the errors that would show up in-between. Besides that, the spark mechanic is the main way of affecting the game and is grossly simple. 

What went right: This is the first project I've managed to complete after over 6 months of nothing. I actually managed to brainstorm ideas for the game, decide on the main mechanics, and write out a plan of action for completing this game within the timeframe. Besides that, I did proper debugging after completing each task I listed out and made proper adjustments when I found that some features would not make the deadline (such as a throwing mechanic to launch the swarms through walls). 

What went wrong: I did not reach the polish phase of my plan. I intended to leave the artstyle as minimal since my main goal was to just practice programming without having to worry about visuals. That being said, I would have enjoyed to include some particles, SFX, and immediate feedback to better convey information to the player and give a little bit of life to this minimal game. Regardless, I completed my main objective and have submitted something finished.

This year, I've essentially decided to jump back to basics. I've found that throughout my gamedev career, I focused on level design and visual aesthetic but never really took the time to dive into real programming. The messy kind of programming where I really dig into the tools available in Unity without depending on asset packages and long form tutorials to learn. I hope to continue learning through these game jams throughout the year and hopefully, I'll become a more well-rounded developer by the end of the year.