Team Size: 6
Project Duration: 2 Months
Role: System Designer, Level Designer and Manager
Game Link: https://brianlb.itch.io/illume
llume is a atmospheric, side-scrolling puzzle platformer where objects only appear when you illuminate them.
On this project I designed the core mechanics and did the puzzle and level design. I was also the project manager of the team. I designed 10 puzzles for the game all of which were implemented and tested prior to the Gotland Game Conference.
At the Gotland Game Conference the game won the best Art Design and was nominated for best presentation and best level deisgn.
The project was also showcased at Xbox Game Camp Sweden, and we were mentored by Mark Craigie and Mathias Develtere.
Design Work
In Illume the world is only revealed when the player llluminates it. The source of the light is a flower that the player carries. The player can drop the flower and pick it up from anywhere in the game and the light emitting from the flower makes trees that sprout platforms grow. Finally, If the player stays without a light for too long they will disperse(die) and return to the last checkpoint.
To design the previously mentioned mechanics I created rules for the game that match the prompt presented by the product owner. Afterwards, I used those rules to prototype puzzles and levels in Figma and presented them to the rest of the development team. It was important for me that the mechanics can be combined together to create interesting platforming and puzzle-solving challenges.
My goal after designing the core mechanics was to make a variety of puzzles that teach the player more about how the light functions in the world and prepare them for more difficult puzzles that show up later in the game.
The most challenging part of developing the game was the level design. Considering that the entire game is dark it was hard to guide the player properly. To solve this I decided to add checkpoints that would emit a small amount of light and were visible even when not lit up. These flowers would open up when the player illuminates them to inform the player that they have reached the checkpoint. This provided the players with guidance and a goal within each level.
In the game branches would grow from the ground when light interacts with their roots. Particles emitted from the ground were used to indicate the location of roots, this was used to further guide the player inside the dark. Finally larger ferns were placed closely together to draw a path that if the player follows it would lead them to the necessary roots.
In the puzzles trees would grow from the root to form a platform. These platforms were not just used in puzzles but also in timing challenges.
Timing challenges were indicated by creating spiral roots at the end of the tree's branch. My reasoning behind this was that the longer fuse will give the players more time to jump from platform to another, but it is also there to indicate what type of challenge is required from the puzzle. I wanted this to be a part of the way we communicate with he player which type of challenge is expected for each puzzle/area.
In order to create 3D blockouts of the puzzles for the game I would use a spheres and platforms and color code them to indicate how tree roots will grow. This helps show the positions of all the platforms and roots relative to each other and help the artists with modelling the branches and better understand the design.
