A Decay in Us

Character Design and Overall Game Concept:

Before the game had a direction, I created Mila while practicing my pixel art. Inspired by her design, I felt compelled to build a game around her character. During the initial stages of development, I focused on conceptualizing the game's overarching theme and setting, which revolved around a post-apocalyptic world. This involved envisioning the environment, atmosphere, and the challenges players would face. 

Research, Outline, Art & Animation:

I worked on defining the basic gameplay mechanics, including how Mila's shotgun and lighter work, as well as how the zombies behave. I balanced these features to make the game both strategic and challenging for players while maintaining my scope. I conducted thorough research on post-apocalyptic settings, drawing inspiration from a variety of media sources to add to the game's atmosphere and narrative. Additionally, I studied different gun mechanics and animations, ensuring they were well-suited for the world I envisioned and aligned with the pacing of the gameplay. I watched a lot of YouTube videos on different people shooting guns, before I finally settled on a simple pump-action shotgun. I drafted different animations--testing out the timing before deciding on that particular shotgun.

Implementation of Movement and Art/Animation:

During this time, I iterated between creating art, implementing features, programming, and adjusting mechanics to make sure everything worked well together. 

While working on the art and animation, I spent time improving how Mila moves, handles her gun, and uses her lighter. I also implemented various assets and environment art, focusing on an urban design. This step was crucial for immersing myself in the character's environment and ensuring that the animation cycles seamlessly aligned with the mechanics.

World Design and Mechanics Development:

Once the mechanics were set, I began designing the level. I opted for a simple level, making sure the game could be completed within a reasonable time frame. When I introduced vertical elements like balconies and ladders, I had to consider how the zombies would navigate them. Since I hadn't programmed pathfinding for the zombies, they got stuck on the balconies. Instead of entirely fixing this, I turned it into a gameplay feature, allowing players to use light to guide the zombies around the map.

Iteration and Testing:

As the game neared its release date, I worked on multiple builds, concentrating on improving gameplay, incorporating suggestions from playtesting such as tweaking zombie features and object placement in the game, and resolving critical bugs. I also introduced new features, such as using inverse-kinematics so that the player can move the dumpsters. Additionally, I created the main menu, pause menu, and added post-processing effects to polish the game.