Dev Diary #2

This first Mustachio assignment is pretty interesting because I’ve never really worked with Unity on a technical level; I’ve only seen other people use this engine. I think that Unity is a lot like Maya, so in this case I feel comfortable with controlling this program pretty well. I had fun creating this “Mustachio” level; I named it “If I fits I sits” because there are many sections where the player needs to squeeze their way through an area.

The Basics

Mustachio can jump 2.5 blocks vertically.

He can jump a maximum of 4 blocks horizontally.

What Happens If…

1) What would happen if I created a maze for the players to go through to receive the key?

I found out that it is important to keep all the pieces together and locked, any little bump wouldn’t let Mustachio through the maze nor would it let Mustachio go back, it would make him stuck.

2) I wondered if I put two arrows in the sky showing the directions for the key and the door; would players know which way to go first?

I found out that players knew which way to go first as long the objective of the game was explained first. Players understood the arrows that I made in the sky, it helped them understand which way to go first (left or right).

3) What would happen if I added spike balls/ spikes really close to each other?

I found out that I have to be careful with placing hazards close to one another, it becomes almost impossible for a player to cross any hazards without setting it off so easily, it usually makes the player feel frustrated and not want to give up on the game.

Skills

1. The Zig Zag

2. Smooth Criminal

3. Wall Jump Sling

"The Zig Zag"

Jumping in a zig zag pattern while avoiding various hazard items to reach a certain goal (key, completing a puzzle, jumping across another ledge)

"Smooth Criminal"

Sliding across and keeping your head down while avoiding spikes from above. Sometimes playing it safe pays off.

"Wall Jump Sling"

Using a wall to increase your distance and height for Mustachio's jump. This will help a player jump across multiple objects in a game.

Conclusions

Working on a platformer level was really fun, I tried to make my level challenging (if you haven’t noticed). So far I got the hang of Unity pretty well because I feel like I’m using Maya with the fun factor of playing with my creations that I’ve made.

My favorite thing about Unity so far is being able to play around with my level and adding challenges. My least favorite thing about Unity so far is the saving technique; I sometimes lose my scenes because I’m constantly forgetting to save as a “scene” in a “folder”.