BatteryRunner
Tools Used
-Adobe Illustrator
-GameMaker Studio
-Bensound
Charging Into Action
Battery Runner is an auto side-scroller platformer where the player will dodge obstacles within the level while their character automatically run in one direction. This game was inspired by Gravity Guy and heavily inspired by Geometry Dash. Play as a living battery and collect sparks for power to protect against the invasion of Insulvators that hungers for energy. Beware when colliding with an Insulvators for they absorb will absorb the player's energy as well.
Breaking Down a Rhythm Game
When designing BatteryRunner as a rhythm game, I needed to design a level that is both dynamic in pathing while following the melody, vocals, and beats of the music. Here I had to dissect each part of the music in waves and translate those waves into movements for players to path through the level. Each different pathing is then placed into different part of the level following the respective music.
Trying Something New
Usually when working in GameMaker, I create my arts in pixel art. But for this game, I wanted to try a new and cleaner art style. Using my learnings from animation classes in the University of Texas at Dallas, I used Adobe Illustrator to create several backgrounds and sprites sheets for the game's art. With the level designed, art done, and simple coding for jump and automatic movements the game was ready to be assembled!
Closing Thoughts
After completing BatteryRunner, I learned the difficulty of designing a rhythm game. Many times I would play the level from the very start to match the movements of the players with the level's music, while adding new parts to the level to get a good length of gameplay. Using Adobe Illustrator was a major success in reducing the artwork from looking pixelated and the level design was very dynamic, creating unique pathing while matching with the music. Despite my success in designing the game, it will be awhile till I design another rhythm game experience.
