Little Mouse-dev updates

https://xiaowenxh.itch.io/leveldesign (Play in Web)

9/2 updated screenshots

Top-down layoutLayout put in unityWhite boxing

9/14 updated screenshots

9/24 updated screenshots

Updated

Overview

A little mouse, Max, loves to go on an adventure to get to meet new friends. One day when little mouse was traveling, he got catch and was trapped inside a huge cage. He needs to find the way out! This is a 3D platformer game. The player would control the character to escape, collecting foods along the way to maintain health, sometimes player might need to complete certain tasks to go to the next area. Player needs to be careful of traps and cats that could hurt the little mouse. 

Goal

The player’s goal is to complete the level by finding the correct way out but also need to avoid enemies and traps. 

Gameplay

Players need to control the character to move around the level, collect food in order to maintain health, avoid dangers, and find key items and paths to escape.

Obstacles: traps, cats, huge furniture

Mechanics: walk left/right, jump, move and collect items

Playtest Note

Feedback from 9/09 Playtest-

• Most people think the scaling is a little off. The character seems to be too big compare to the environment.
• Player control is feeling awkward. Turning and jumping are hard to control. With no back up movement without turning makes the control even harder. Most player prefer a faster moving speed.
• Some objects are blocking player's view, camera movement is not in a favor, but camera angle seems to work fine.
• There are some places that player can get soft locked, unable to jump through, or stuck because of bugs that cause by the placement of objects.
• The staircase area is hard for most of the player to jump over.
• With two keys and two doors confused the player, one of the key and door might seems useless. 
• Some player confused on where the goal is.
• Level difficulty is fine. Objects are easy to differentiate and recognize.

Feedback from 9/14 Playtest-

• Player control is hard on turning. Camera movement is not separate from the player movement so it feels off. 
• Player might lost in direction at first. Once player get one of the key, they can easily just go through the goal without exploring other area, this is suggested to change.
• Making other mechanics, like climbing or doing a back up control might improve player experience. 
• Some player didn't feel the need to pick up anythings, and keys are not obvious enough.
• Player could jump on to the next area without going through the path I expected. 
• Adding certain sounds and animations might instruct player. 

Things that I plan to address - 

• Make my own player controller instead of using standard assets control. Adding backing up key for player to move backward, running option, and I might add a climb mechanics.
• Separate the camera movement and the player movement. Considering using mouse input to give camera movement instead of smooth follow camera to player character. 
• Reduce the size of the character.
• Extend the level. Higher platforms. Add more traps or enemies, such as cats that moving around that could catch my character. 
• Adjust objects that block player's view. Avoid places that can get stuck. Fix strange spots. 
• Remove one of the key and door, and replace it with other puzzles mechanics like pressure pad, pushing or picking up objects to certain places. Or use different key for different door to guide the player, so it won't confuse the player. 
• Add jump pads on the stair case area to help player go through. 
• Add animations, texts, and sound effects to instruct player and improve playing experience. 

Feedback from 9/23 Playtest-

• Player movement is too slow. Player running and turning are too slow.
• Camera angle seems to be too close and tiled downward too much. Camera can go behind the walls. 
• The mouse locked is recommend since the camera cannot move as far as wanted to see useful information. 
• Adding more assets since it is mostly gray blocks.
• Spikes or traps are too easy to avoid. Most players want more challenges to make the game more enjoyable.
• Sometimes player can fall through the objects or edges. 
• The key and door were not obvious enough to the player.
• The collision for the jumping pad needs to be fix.

Changes I have made since last playtests - 

• Incorporated in new game mechanics like jumping pad, enemy AI that chase the player. 
• Added objects that prevent player to go through the edge and fall through
• Incorporated new game assets and animations. 
• Adjusted the player controller, such as changing walking speed, turning speed.
• Created camera movement by using mouse inputs. Adjust camera angle and direction.
• Reduced the size of the player character. 
• Created different platforms for increase player experiences.

Things that I plan to make or change - 

• Player control still need to adjust, like increase the speed of player walking and turning. 
• Incorporate UI, music, sound effects, animations. Need health bar, win screen, some guides to player and etc. So the gameplay, like collecting keys, opening the door for escape seem more obvious to the player. 
• Create a mouse lock so that player could have more freedom in moving around using mouse inputs. 
• Make the camera tiled upward more, and move it further away from the player in order to let player see more information on the screen. 
• Consider in making the camera movement that can let player to have complete freedom for move in all directions. Also need to check camera collision detection, since the camera could go behind the walls. 
• More variations of traps or game mechanics. More things that player can interact with. 
• More challenges. Placing more spikes and enemy, and make them harder to avoid. Jumping pad could place in some other places instead of just having them in the stair case area.
• Add more assets into the level. 
• Some bugs need to be fix, like player falling through the edges or objects.
• The mechanics of the jumping pad need to be adjust.

Things that changed for the final version-

• Adjust player controller and camera movement.
• Add the pressure pad mechanics.
• Add music, sound effects, lightings, animations, and UI.
• Fix bugs, like falling through the objects, strange spots, and collider issues. 
• Set up the enemy of the cat to be chasing the player and could cause reduce in health.