Timebox Three | March 2nd, 2021

Maddy Carek, Alex Chan, Von Mbah, Sara Miskus, Eric Sullivan, Jack Weiner



Summary

For Timebox Three, we were able to design six additional levels for a total of nine levels. Additionally, we implemented five new puzzles to incorporate into these levels. We also were able to implement passive AI animals, enemy AI, and combat. Overall, we refined our game even more by implementing player UI, animal specific cameras, and more dialogue boxes.

Concept Ideas and Design

Puzzles

We implemented five new puzzles:

  1. Mastermind: The player tries to guess a four color code by receiving feedback on whether they have selected the right color or if the color is in the correct order.
  2. Minefield: Player try to avoid bombs by uncovering squares in a grid with numbers. Each row and column has a specific total the numbers in the grid add up to.
  3. Simon Says: The player must remember what squares lit up and press them in the correct order.
  4. Image Shuffle: The player must unscramble the image by sliding tiles one at a time.
  5. Lights Out: The player must turn all of the lights green and each light turned off will affect neighboring lights.

Level Design

Below are the sketches we came up with for the hare, hippo, polar bear, and lion levels:

What We Accomplished

Lion Level

The lion level is the first combat focused level where you kill enemies in order to advance to the next section. There are also puzzles that you must solve in order for the gates to be lowered. Eventually, the end of the lion level will lead to a boss fight where you able to switch between all of the safari animals.

Enemy AI

Within the lion level, there are enemy AI that can attack the player when coming into range with the player. These enemy AI can be implemented on other animals and can be used in future levels that require some form of combat.

Hippo Level

The hippo level has three mountains that you must platform up as the raccoon in order to reach the image shuffle puzzle at the top. After completing these puzzles, you're able to swim across as the hippo to the island with the simon says puzzle. The hippo is the only animal that can trigger the pressure plates, so you must switch between the raccoon and the hippo in the correct order. After completing the simon says puzzle, you then enter the code that the simon says puzzle gave you to escape the exhibit.

Fire Salamander Level

The fire salamander level is based around sliding physics as you go down six different slides to complete a puzzle at the bottom of each one. The salamander is the only animal that can go fast enough down the slide. Once you complete all fix puzzles, then the pyramid will rise and then you'll be able to escape.

Desert Hare Level

In the desert hare level, you're able to switch between the scorpion and the hare. The scorpion's special ability is placing a block that the raccoon can climb on to reach high places. The hare's special ability is double jumping to reach high platforms. For this level, you must get across the cactus pits of death by stopping the moving platforms at the correct time. There are five keys that the player will need to find in order to open the first gate. Then they will have to solve the lights out puzzle in order to raise the bridge to complete the level.

Elephant Level

The elephant level has four different sections that contain a variety of puzzles. These puzzles include pressure plates that need to be activated in order to raise bridges, flip switches, or access new areas. In this level, you can switch between the elephant and the scorpion. The elephant can push boxes around and activiate pressure plates while the scorpion can activate a pressure plate by placing a block on it. After the puzzles are solved, the oasis will be flooded with water allowing you to escape.

Polar Bear Level

In the polar bear level, you're able to switch between the polar bear and the penguin. In this level, you use the penguin to throw snowballs at a device that lowers the water. The water will rise after a certain amount of time. Touching the water will make you respawn at the last checkpoint. The polar bear is used for moving heavy objects and activate pressure plates. Once all the pressure plates are activated in a specific area, then the gate will lower.

Once you reach the end of the first section, you will end up in a warehouse where you'll have to avoid lasers. To do so, you push file cabinets to block the laser and move past it. Once you find the key, you'll be able to escape the polar bear enclosure.

Passive AI

Started to add in passive animals into our levels. This helps give the levels a bit more life to them, as players can pass by them and see them move around. This uses the implementation of the simple waypoint system. The current levels that have some of the passive AIs are the penguin and zebra level. We will later implement more passive AI animals in other levels

Roadblocks

Team Organization

The roles during this timebox were the following:

Future Plans