Acorn Rumble
ROLE
Designer (System, Mechanical & Technical)
Co-Programmer
DESCRIPTION
It is a work of The Hub 175, Spring Board 2024, team B.
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A 3D Multi-player party game, players need to achieve victory in the checker game, yet they need to keep an eye on different environment events, and prevent dying before the game is done.
YEAR
2024
GENRE
3D Multi-player Party Game
PLATFORM
PC (itch.io)
Engine used
Unity
Game Trailer
Creative Process
Concept
At the beginning of the workshop, our team started brainstorming different game ideas. One of our teammates suggested a concept: "Play as a gangster fly doing gangster jobs." This quirky idea gradually evolved into a game where flies compete for control over a food source by playing a board game. While competing, players must also be mindful of environmental hazards.
We found the concept amusing — imagining tiny bugs engaging in human-like behavior — and believed it would provide a unique and humorous gameplay experience. From there, we began developing the design pillars.
Design Pillars
Replayability
It was important for us to ensure the game has strong replay value. The combination of a randomised board game and unpredictable hazard events means that each playthrough offers a different experience.
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Strategy
Players can approach the game tactically, choosing how to play their cards and whether to bend the rules by cheating. These strategic decisions help keep players engaged and invested.
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Unexpectedness
Even with strategic depth, the game features random interruptions that introduce suspense and chaos. This unpredictability prevents the gameplay from becoming stale or overly predictable, while also making successful strategies feel more rewarding.
Once the design pillars and overall direction were established, we moved on to task assignments and began drafting the Technical Design Document (TDD). As the game designer, I focused on the gameplay loop, the 3Cs (Character, Camera, Controls), and the random environmental events.
Screenshot of the TDD in Miro
Gameplay Loop
Menu for starting the game & setting
Player matching
Game starts
Focus on the boardgame
Random events happen
Actions to counter the event, or change game plan due to the event
Gameover / Won the match
However, due to unexpected changes in the team and time constraints, we had to adjust the scope of our development (Like we decided to go with a checker game instead of designed a new board game.) And I took on additional responsibilities beyond my original tasks. In addition to my initial focus, I became responsible for the 3Cs (Camera, Character, and Controls) as well as all aspects of the game's technical design.
Responsible For
System and Mechanical Design:
Random Environment Hazard Events:
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In my view, the checker game and the random environmental hazard events are the core features that set our game apart from other board and party games. To create a unique experience, I believe these two elements need to be thoughtfully integrated and designed to interact with each other.
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For the random events, my goal was to ensure players aren't only focused on progressing through the checker game. They must also stay alert to their surroundings, as environmental hazards can provide both advantages and disadvantages — and in some cases, even help them secure a win.
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Additionally, I designed the system so that players can use these environmental events to mislead or trick their opponents. For example, a player might attempt to cheat while their opponent is distracted by a hazard occurring on their side. This creates a stronger connection between the board game mechanics and the environmental elements, adding depth and unpredictability.
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To further enhance the tension, the frequency of random events increases as the checker game nears its end. This makes it more difficult for players to focus solely on strategy, and driving a more intense final phase of gameplay.
Screenshots of the design details of the environment events in Miro
3C (Camera, Character, Controls):
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In this game, players engage in two main activities: playing the checker game and observing and reacting to random environmental events. To support these distinct gameplay modes, I designed two separate sets of controls and camera perspectives, with a focus on minimising unnecessary input complexity.
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Playing the Checker Game
For this mode, we use a top-down camera to give players a clear, comprehensive view of the game board. This perspective allows for better strategic planning and awareness of the board state. Players use a joystick and two buttons to control their game pieces and to exit the checker view when needed. -
Observing and Reacting to Environmental Events
For this activity, we switch to a third-person camera positioned at a longer distance, providing players with a broader view of their surroundings. This makes it easier to understand what’s happening in the environment and to react accordingly. In this mode, the joystick is used to move the character around the map and engage with environmental elements.
Different set of Camera & Control for different activities
Technical Design
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Due to limited time and resources, we needed to implement our planned features as efficiently as possible. In addition to using the MoSCoW prioritisation method to decide which features to develop first, we also focused on coding each feature in a way that was simple yet effective in achieving the desired gameplay experience.
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To support this, I maintained close communication with the other programmers throughout development. I used sketches and simple diagrams to clearly explain each feature's purpose, highlight key considerations, and outline the logic behind the implementation steps. This helped ensure everyone was aligned and could work more efficiently.
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For example, one of the environmental events involves acorns falling from above, which can damage players if they’re hit. While the acorns appear to fall randomly, their positions and timing aren't entirely left to chance. I designed a grid-based system to ensure that falling positions evenly cover the map. The number and frequency of falling acorns scale with gameplay time and the current state of the checker game. This method creates increasing tension and a dynamic gameplay experience while keeping the implementation manageable and efficient.
Issues and Solutions
Resource & Time limitation
As previously mentioned, due to sudden changes in team members and limited time, the development progress was significantly affected. We had to reschedule the development timeline and restructure the scope of the features. Many of the original elements—such as some environmental events and the single-player mode—had to be cut.
Although the final result may not fully satisfy all team members, myself included, we were able to complete the prototype and successfully demonstrate the potential of the game concept. With more time or resources, we could have included additional mechanics and features to bring the prototype closer to our original vision.