Lucid

The Process​

Throughout game development process, I worked with my fellow design team closely to come up with the system designs in the game. There were a lot of iterative and testing of the systems done by all of us as a team throughout the process. Our initial ideas were inspired by the quality of sleep and an idle clicker game. 

​

User Interface and Experience

Initially, I developed various mock up user interface designs and pop up display styles for the game to show it to the team to fit a mobile game, which I shared with our team. Our initial concept revolved around having a side scroller clicker game whereby the player is able to build new buildings, generating new currency. After conducting thorough research and referencing other sources, we collectively decided that an isometric perspective would be a better fit. Additionally, the player is also allowed to build any amount of buildings and farms within their given plot of land should they have the space and the currency for it. While buildings served as a passive source of income for the player, farms provided players with the opportunity to cultivate and observe the growth of plants. They can harvest and cross breed seeds while playing the game this also served as another source of income and a form of activity while being active in the game. Ultimately, our main focus was on allowing players to progressively build their own "dream world" within the game. 

​

Playtesting

Throughout the process, the team actively conducted playtesting sessions to collect feedback. We primarily focused on the existing user interface and the player's ability to construct buildings adjacent to one another. Based on the feedback gathered and being present for these playtesting, we were able to observe that play testers who engaged in building farms and structures ended up with their plots of land looking disorganized and it did not align with our initial vision. Consequently, we iterated on the gameplay mechanics and introduced a progression tree consisting of 3 milestones. This restructuring aims to provide a clearer sense of gameplay progression for the players. To enhance and give more focus to the gameplay experience, we agreed to limit the island size and also to refine the layout, granting players the option to remove less efficient and weaker sources of income to make space for upgraded and better alternatives. This adjustment was made with the aim to streamline the gameplay and to have the player make more meaningful choices with what was available to them at the time. 

​

Choice of Art

Our initial vision for the game was a dream-like world and we entrusted the art team with determining the art direction. However, through the game development process we encountered some challenges along the way which required my involvement in assisting them with their work. Despite these hurdles, we were able to successfully complete the project. 

In my role of supporting the art team, I primarily focused on creating most environmental line art assets seen in the game, user interface artworks, particle effect sprites and some final art assets for the farming system in the game. I worked with the art team on some concepts they had and we collectively worked together to better improve it to fit the theme of the game. I finished up most of the line art required for the game before handing it over to the art team to bring it to completion. We decided to add an additional layer of polish to enhance the overall experience of the game, this included incorporating particle effects such as falling leaves from the trees, smoke emanating from factory buildings and smoke effects on the ground. These additions aimed to provide players with a more immersive gameplay experience, as if they were situated on a floating cloud island with living trees and working factories. Additionally, we introduced small human silhouette characters walking amidst the buildings to add more liveliness into the environment, moving away from the static ambiance we previously had. 

​

Post-mortem 

Throughout the duration of this project, I learned several valuable lessons that contributed to personal growth and that enhanced the overall outcome of the project for me. This post-mortem aims to highlight the key takeaways from this project experience.

The first one is the importance of filtering and taking constructive feedback. This encompasses feedback from both play testers and team members. Being able to welcome and integrate feedback in a positive manner allowed for iterative improvements which ultimately was able to enhance the quality of the project we were working on. Next, working alongside my team allowed me a unique opportunity for growth. I was able to engage with their thought process and to understand the reasoning behind their decisions. This helped me expand my individual knowledge and improved my capabilities as an artist and designer. The last key lesson for me was the role communication played throughout the project development process. Despite being part of the design team, it became evident that offering assistance to struggling teammates within my means, even outside of my own specialization, allowed for better collaboration and in turn, pushing the project forward. Proactively stepping in to provide support improved the team's communication and ultimately lead to a  drastic enhancement in the project's overall state.