Lua Zoe Ying
Game Designer | Level Designer
Gemini
Level Designer | Environment Artist
Explore the Ancient Forest
Use skills to defeat enemies!
Swap between Zeth and Azuri to take down big enemies!
Description
Gemini is a 2D side-scrolling, action-adventure platformer, set in a fantasy-themed world, where elements reside within gifted ones. Our heroes, Zeth and Azuri, blessed with the power of Ice and Fire. Cursed and bounded together to a single entity by the evil Ancient One. It is up to them now to manipulate their abilities to traverse through the harsh environments, combat malicious creatures lurking within and to ultimately put an end to the ancient ones' reign & undo their curse!
Players have to switch between Zeth and Azuri to cross obstacles and defeat enemies in order to take down the Ancient One.
Roles
Duration
Sept 2016 - April 2017
(Joined January 2017)
Team Size
6
Engine
Custom Engine
The player has to use both Zeth and Azuri's skill to cross the obstacle
The player has to use both Zeth and Azuri's skill to cross the obstacle
Sample of level design done in a spreadsheet
Level design is then transferred to a skeleton for testing in engine.
Art implemented after skeleton level is finalized
Sample of level design done in a spreadsheet
Level Design
After joining the team, I was tasked to redesign levels for the game after game mechanics were tweaked and changed with feedback gathered from play-testers.
Roles
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Designing levels on Microsoft Excel, then transferring them to the game engine
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Designing the levels with the rhythm and intensity curve I wish to deliver in mind
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Play-testing and iterating the levels
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Placing the final art into the levels once the level is finalized
Building Levels in Engine
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Designing levels using Microsoft Excel for team comments and documentation.
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Built levels in the engine, play-tested and iterated them.
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Implemented art when the level is finalized.
Environment Artist
I made the environment art for the Desert Environment of the game. All pieces are made such that they are modular and can be placed quickly to populate the level.
Roles
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Finding reference pictures and games for the game environment
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Drawing the platform tiles so that they are modular and able to build levels quickly.
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Drawing the background so that the pieces are large and able to quickly populate the area without much it looking repetitive.
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Ensuring that the environment looks alive by having subtle movement in the screen (in terms of the environment).
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Placing all art assets in the game engine.
Something in the background is always animated to make the world feel alive.
The pieces are done in big pieces so that the level can be built seamlessly and quickly
The same hazard is then used as a mechanic to defeat the boss in the next level. This is also combined with using skills on the fly to avoid the boss' attacks.
The same hazard is then used as a mechanic to defeat the boss in the next level. This is also combined with using skills on the fly to avoid the boss' attacks.
I reused the same obstacle at Level 2-1. However, this time, I added enemies and also hazards on the platforms. The player will get hit by either if he uses the same moves he did in Level 1-2
I reused the same obstacle at Level 2-1. However, this time, I added enemies and also hazards on the platforms. The player will get hit by either if he uses the same moves he did in Level 1-2
Traversal obstacles
Using Zeth, the player can cross the obstacle using his ice platform.
Azuri can also cross the same obstacle using her Fire Dash. This is the easiest obstacle for easing intensities and teaching players about mechancis
Using Zeth, the player can cross the obstacle using his ice platform.
The traversal obstacles have different enemies, combinations of hazards, and solutions to cross the obstacle. Each combination has a different complexity and difficulty to them.
Obstacles make use of the characters' Ice Platform and Fire Dash to cross the obstacles. The switching mechanic is also taken into consideration when crafting each obstacle's complexity and difficulty.
Enemies are also introduced to create another layer to the obstacle. The same traversal obstacle can be used, but with the enemies added, the circumstance of using the same moves to cross the obstacle would change. This increases the complexity and difficulty of the obstacle.
This is one of the obstacles at Level 1-2, whereby the player crosses 3 platforms with gaps.
This is one of the obstacles at Level 1-2, whereby the player crosses 3 platforms with gaps.
The intensity curves are also drafted for each level so ensure that the difficulties does not spike, or that the level gets too repetitive in terms of intensity. The graphs is also referred to during play-tests to make sure that the difficulty is as what I have intended.
Iterations and changes are made along the way until the final level design.
Elements are also changed as the level progresses to make sure that the game does not feel repetitive and a new challenge awaits. Obstacles can also be overcome depending on the player's play style as they have multiple solutions for how to cross them.
This is also where players start to use the switch mechanics more on the fly (esp. when new obstacles are introduced), use mechanics to fight bosses, and quickly traverse obstacles. This creates more complex and intense sections of the level.
The switching mechanic is used on the fly by many players in this obstacle. They have to be constantly on the move and switching to get across gaps.
The switching mechanic is used on the fly by many players in this obstacle. They have to be constantly on the move and switching to get across gaps.
