TOWER TOPPLER
TENSIONS BUILD, TEETER & TOPPLE.
PLATFORM: ARCADE MACHINE*
ENGINE: UNITY
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DATE: MARCH. 2016
DURATION: 5 DAYS
TEAM: 6**
ROLE: TECH. GAME DESIGNER
*PC EMULATED
**SETH BYRNES, ANA CARPIO, CASS KING, MADELINE MCDOUGALL, JAMES PRATT
OVERVIEW:
​Tower Toppler is an award-winning block stacking/ matching mashup for 2 inspired by rhythmic arcade motions.
Gameplay involves maintaining a tower atop a teetering platform, stacking bricks, and matching for extra points.
My roles included game design and programming. I programmed the entire game, with the exception of menus.
1. DESIGN CHALLENGE: TOPPLING: IT'S IN THE NAME
The original prototype lacked movement- there was no rotating platform. From testing, we knew building high and precisely was unreliable- so I made the platform rotate, and matched tiles retain value even if they fell off the platform. Players then focused on creating several match-heavy towers instead of a single large one, reducing catastrophic losses and player frustration. This created an interest curve which rose alongside each tower before a final game-ending peak.
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2. TECHNICAL CHALLENGE: RAPID PROTOTYPING & PLANNING
To ensure I saved time for polish and fixes, I used a systems planning document to attain as much understanding as possible before beginning any actual implementation. Systems were broken down into manageable components, and implemented in a modular, extensible manner which allowed the game to go from 1 player to 2 in about 30 minutes.
TOWER TOPPLER​ DEVELOPMENT FROM CONCEPT TO PRODUCT
2. PROGRESSION
PROGRESSION:
DAY 1:
CONCEPTUALIZATION.
DAY 2.
PROTOTYPING & RESEARCH.
DAY 3.
PROTOTYPING.
Drafted concept, sought mentor greenlight.
Decided on physics vs. grid brick system; began prototyping.
Drafted player controller, core systems. Began internal testing.
DAY 4:
PROTOTYPING & POLISH.
Created 2P mode; added the platform sway. Cont. tweaking.
DAY 5:
FINALIZATION.
Bug-fixes, final polish, and submission. Chosen as 1 of 3 jam winners.