The Design Challenge

Design a fun action game as a console download

Design obstacles

• A fast-pased game peer to peer over the xbox network 

• Mixing a high paced action for the more casual xbox audience 

• How to handle a top down view instead of the standard side view

• New players can try the game for a limited time – need to be fun fast

• Limited budget, had to care a lot about programmer time

1. Rethinking the control system

Image of the xbox controller – and of the arena

2. Iterating with prototypes

We tried several prototypes to get that intuitive feel

3. Tradition won

The decision was made to tilt the game and the control system towards the button combo systems used by most other fighting games of today.

What we learned from our design decisions

There is not as many hardcore players as casual players, but a lot of designers are hardcore players and a tendency to design first for themselves. The core was to no rationalize away the importance of first time players, they are important!

Why I chose this project for the portfolio

I hope this shows that I have a wide interaction design experience (Xbox controller) and hints that I am capable of innovative design for many different forms of input.

I hope it shows that I can thrive and be part of a team even when not in any leadership position, or having any final say on design.

 Screenshots

Details

Shortfuse Games
Startup 2007-2012

Team size: 10 people
Time: 1 year
My roles: {
  Jr Designer,
  Jr Programmer
}
Link: Xbox Marketplace

Click to view screens from the game