Justin Chen's Portfolio

Title:
Ghost Babysitter
Genre:
2D Adventure Game
Role:
Game Developer
Engine:
Unity
Tools:
Audacity, Bfxr (SFX), Figma, iMovie, Notion, Procreate, Visual Studio
Development Date:
Mar. 2022 – Jun. 2022
Project Summary:
This is a 2D project that is about a ghost who is a babysitter finding kids who are hiding in the mansion where they live.
Skills:
Prototyping, Production, Playtesting, Scrumban Methodology, Design Documentation, Flowcharts, UI Art, 2D Art, Pixel Art, HUD Design, Cutscene Maker, C# Programming, Unity Canvas, Unity Scene Management, Unity Audio Manager, Unity Panels, Unity Dialogue System, Unity Event System, Unity UI Elements, Unity TextMeshPro, Unity Triggerboxes

Ghost Babysitter Reflection

Contribution Overview

  • Plan and document the development of the game using Notion
  • Program the entire game from gameplay to the UI functionality in C#
  • Program a “Hot & Cold” Detection system where it acts similarly to the mechanics of Marco & Polo
  • Self-host play tests to get feedback for the game
  • Design elaborate spaces for players to explore and interact with
  • Create the game’s assets in terms of UI, characters, and environment using Procreate

Goals

  1. Plan and develop the game within three months
  2. Gain knowledge on how to craft a 2D environment in Unity
  3. Experience in programming an intricate mechanic for the game
  4. Develop research skills to help with inspiration
  5. Improve 2D art skills by drawing the assets for the game
  6. Practice narrative design skills 

Concept Evolution

  • Original Idea: A 2D platformer where you explore a game world to find kids in a set location
    • Explore the inside of a house
    • Explore outside of the house
    • Explore underground
  • Current Idea: A 2D adventure game where you explore the inside of a mansion to find hiding kids
    • Have several floors to explore
    • Make the player a ghost to serve as an ironic character who is trying to find people

Design & Development PRocess

  • Production
    • Work on the Game Design Document to establish the foundation of core gameplay
    • Research Victorian interiors as inspiration for designing the rooms
    • Record development progress through Notion
  • Design
    • Craft the game object assets and background to construct a housing environment
    • The original plan was to have 5 floors but scaled back due to deadlines and scope
    • Design rooms that generally belong in housing such as a kitchen and bedroom
    • Create flowcharts to serve as a guide for the UI’s functionality
    • Compose sound effects using tools that produce chip noises
  • Story
    • Storyboard the game’s lore to explain why the game is happening
    • Drew the story in a comic-like style in Procreate
    • Animate cutscenes on iMovie
  • Script
    • Program in the player’s movement and interaction with certain game objects
    • Code in the “Hot & Cold” detection system where the player will be notified if they are near the objective 
    • Implement the UI through Unity scene management and Canvas
    • Implement the Audio Manager to play audio or sound effects
  • Playtest
    • Conduct play tests to get feedback for the game

Final Deliverables

  • A playable game with a unique core mechanic by the end of the deadline
  • A workable “Hot & Cold” detection system in the game
  • Design 50 assets to create two floors for the mansion using Procreate and Photoshop.
  • An in-game cutscene that presents the story at the beginning (only for desktop) 
  • Over 5 explorable rooms for the player to roam around and objects to interact with