Kilan Larsen
377 Blog 3
With most of the core programming work out of the way, I've been working on polishing up various aspects of the game and adding features that will help with the game's re-playability such as the high score system.
​​
-
As a player, I would like to be able to press a button to exit a level at any time and a restart button to instantly reset the level and timer
I created two new sprite images to replace the previous "Back To Menu" button. The new menu button is a lot simpler and cleaner, using only an image and no text. I also added a much needed restart button with the same visual style as the menu button.
These buttons sit in the top left of the screen, on the opposite side of the Joystick, so that it is difficult to press them by accident, and they provide a balance with the time text on the right.
​​
-
As a player, I would like levels to have a bronze, silver, or gold rank so that I feel more accomplished for doing better and the game has more replay value
​
-
As a player, I would like a way to know how fast I need to play in order to earn the silver and gold medals in each level
At the top right of this gif, you can see that underneath the time text is a visual with a colored star and a number value. This represents the time you need to reach the end by to earn that color of medal.
​
It's easy to understand at a glance, and updates in real time with the timer to show when a gold or silver medal is no longer possible to achieve.
​​
-
As a player, I would like an easier method of hitting the goal at the end so it is smoother and more satisfying
​
You may have noticed that the end of the level is no longer a green circle, but instead a finish line. This change was done to ensure that once players reach the end they won't accidentally go right passed the goal area and lose time in a frustrating or unforgiving way. The finish line takes up the entire two squares at the end of each level, and is impossible to miss once you're in front of it. I also worked with one of my level designers to add a confetti effect when it is touched!
​​
-
As a player, I would like a way to reset my high-scores so that I can choose to start the game over again if I feel like it
I realized after some testing that some players may want the option of resetting their highscore data and playing the game over again from scratch. This is dangerous to include as a 'one and done' button press, so I added a warning pop-up to make sure that accidentally pressing the button doesn't result in a loss of player's high-scores.
​​
-
As a designer, I would like a Google Play Developer account in which I can upload the game to the App Store so that players can find and play the game
​
-
As a player, I would like the game to be available on the Google Play Store so that it is easy to access, download, and play
Among the most important steps in making this game is to actually publish it on the Google Play Store. To do this, I needed to set up a Developer Account, fill in information about the game, and submit it for review. This is a bit of a confusing process, but I'm learning a lot by attempting to do it now with this project!
Once it's approved (hopefully) we will be updating the game one last time to add the last few touches to the game, including an options menu, background music, and more sound effects.
​
I'm super proud to have created a fun and complete mobile game with such a small team and limited time over a couple of months. Given a slightly larger team and more dedicated time to work, I can imagine building far bigger and more impressive things!