Ulysse 31 : "Twin Ulysses"
- Group Project
PROJECT OVERVIEW
This project is the result of a workshop given at Game Sup during my 2nd years.
The instruction was to made a Rogue Lite game in the universe of 80's cartoons. In the list we were given, we have chosen : Ulysse 31.
And I present to you a special map, made from a bug that I used to create a bonus map, the Twin Ulysses.
I had to create a new level using all our mechanics but not adding new one to avoid increasing production cost.
INTENTIONS / WORKFLOW
Gameplay
Player is playing 2 PCs at once
Using all game mechanics (fight & puzzle)
and not designing new
Create a real interest to have 2 Ulysses
(not just "for fun")
The 2 Ulysses that the player control
Workflow
Retake
Discovering the Bug with two Ulysses
First ideas on Layout to see the possibilities with 2 PC
Pushing ideas further in a Blockout
Testing Ideas, fun and playability
had a lot of testing tbh
Validationg & implementation In Game
LAYOUT
For this map, I had a close time constraint because we discovered this bug quite late during the production.
To adapt, I decided to do only few layout and just the beginning to have an idea to start and then go on the blockout.
Here are my first paper works for this map
1st Iteration :
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Lots of platforming
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spawning one Ulyss a little bit in front of the other to allow player to go up and down.
This was too messy so I tried something else.
2nd Iteration :
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Same start
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2 truly separated paths to create a real interest to split.
But I hardly could "force" the player to go both ways. And he is controlling both Ulysses at the same time, so I just could not.
3rd Iteration :
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2 Spawns on 2 Separated paths.
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Teach player to keep an eye on both Ulysses
This is the one I chose to start the blockout, more permissive and not spending hard time to seperate the Ulysses, they already are.
BLOCKOUT
Blockout Overview
I've ended up with this blockout after lots of iterations. I had many tests and retakes for each part before trying the whole map because I wanted to have a solid ground to test the map with the team & potentials tester.
Blockout Breakedown
1°
Ulysse spawn
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The first obstacle come very fast, it's just blocks. They're not alligned so it won't block the Ulysses at the same time.
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Player have to keep an eye on both Ulysse.
Comming from there*
​→​
​→​
2°
Now we fight !
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2 enemies facing the Ulysses, 1 each. Player learn to controll Ulysses while fighting.
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Both Ulysses share the same health points, so the player have to be focused on both Ulysses.
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A single enemy here would not have been challenging enough and one Ulysse would not have been used.
​→​
​→​
3°
First puzzle
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Both Ulysses are blocked by force field. Bottom one must shoot the button to disable it.
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Really easy puzzle, just a warm up for the player.​
3.5°
Drop
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Ulysses drop in two columns. One-ways platforms are placed here to prevent the player from being soft locked.
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Same use of the horizontal Force Field, it prevents player to drop with one Ulysse and block himself.​
​→​
​→​
4°
Second puzzle
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Second puzzle implicate both Ulysses.​
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Bottom one must shoot the button, that unlocks top Ulysse.
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Top Ulysse must shoot second the button, unlocking bottom one.
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Then the paths merge into one, making the twins meet.
5°
​→​
Second fight
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Ulysses get into a new fight,​ a little bit harder.
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2 static enemies + 1 turret. But now Ulysses fight together.
5.5°
End
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The player get to the end. They can either choose the next room and continue, or try to get the chest on the top.
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Ulysses can't get to the chest just by jumping, it's too high. they need to use an emerging feature : Boost.
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​To Boost, player must stick Ulysses to the wall, jump to put a Ulysse on the head of the other one, then jump again to reach the platform.
WHAT'S NEXT
To push forward, there are some changes I could do to improve the map that I haven't had time to implement.
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Like the global pacing of the level, some changes could be interesting to explore. For example, if I had to redo the level, I wouldn't put a first puzzle(3°) and another puzzle(4°) right after each other in such a small level. I could have switched areas order and put the 2nd fight(5°) before, or add another fight.
5°
3°
4°
I would make these little changes too
Just there
From this ...
... To this
Just there
By addind just this little block under the top One-way Platform. Because the player was dropping with the bottom Ulysse at the same time as the top Ulysse. And that was a little bit upsetting.
Something I would modify too, is the position of every buttons. They are all a little bit too high, forcing the player to jump before shooting.
On the picture, we see the blaster shot, hitting too low to trigger the button.