Hello, and welcome to a series about Indie Game Development. These posts will contain everything that occurs when developing an indie game as a single person.

So this first post will be an introduction to what kind of game I am developing and some information around it.

I have been working on this game during weekends since the beginning of 2015. Since three weeks back I have started working 60% on it while working 40% at my regular job. This means 3 days a week which hopefully is enough to finish this project within a reasonable time frame. This is something I will talk about in a later post (scoping). And if it has not been clear, the game is still in a prototyping phase where the main controls and main gameplay mechanics are pretty much done. But graphics, level design and sound are still distant.

About the game

Physics impact on gameplay.

Story

It all starts with the protagonist having to do an emergency landing on a foreign planet. To be able to continue their journey, they have to collect radioactive energy. The energy puts the protagonist in tremendous pain but is a necessary sacrifice to be able to return home. It also alters and enhances the protagonists abilities permanently until the space ship can harvest the energy and releive them from the pain. Which makes each level a new start, ability-wise.

The theme of the game is set in space and will include different planets. So I am hoping to be able to vary the environments quite a bit.

Energy altering the speed of the protagonist.

Gameplay

The game is a 2D platformer with puzzle elements. The platforming part is a mix between straight forward twitch reflex platforming and more casual super mario bros platforming. The puzzle part is divided into several components. One part consists of combining the different energies in the correct order to solve how to get them all. The goal for each level is to collect enough energy for your spaceship to be able to travel to the next level. The levels will include things like:

  • Enemies, both dynamic and static ones.
  • Physics based interactions, like jumping springs, buoyancy effects, wind, gravitation-less platforms, surface friction and more.
  • Different environments that affects how the player must consider its options.
Energy altering the jumping height of the protagonist.

Features

  • It is a 2D platformer set in a 3D environment.
  • It is a mix between a platformer and a puzzle game.
  • The collected energy follows the protagonist and can be used for physical interactions.
  • The collected energy permanently alters the ability of the protagonist until the level is completed.
  • Realistic physics affecting the protagonist.

Final

I hope you will follow my journey and just drop me an email if there is anything you would like to know. Until next time, take care!

Early game screenshots