Devlog

Devlog Report - Unity 3D + 2D Game Development

Project Name: "Dual Dimension"

Author: Hans Liu

Date: 10/1/2023

Introduction

Welcome to the development log of "Dual Dimension," a Unity 3D + 2D game that challenges players to switch between dimensions to make impossible jumps. In this devlog, I will provide an overview of the development process, including key features, challenges faced, and the overall progress made.

Day 1: Concept and Planning

The project began with brainstorming and concept development. My idea  consisted of a gravity switching 2D platformer, a bow that shoots upward, randomized gravity. But honestly, those are going to be too generic, and I decided to try to make something more unique. I settled on the idea for a 2D + 3D switching platformer. Essentially, the idea is a platformer or puzzle where you beat levels by switching from 2D to 3D. 

Day 2-3: Character Movement and Dimension Switching

I started implementing the player character's movement in 3D space. The character could run, jump, and perform basic interactions. I also began working on the dimension-switching mechanic, allowing the player to transition seamlessly between the 3D and 2D worlds. In Unity, there are 2 different camera modes, perspective and orthographic. Orthographic gives a 2D look while Perspective gives 3D. Using C#, I made it so when the player clicks V, it switches modes. The player movement was fairly simple, just a generic movement script that uses rigidbody. As for the jump check, I used a empty object below the player with a box collider as a trigger to check if the player is on the ground or not. This is to prevent jumping in midair. Another movement strategy is using transform, which is what I first used, but it caused an issue where the player could clip into walls.

Day 4: Level Design and Testing

With the core mechanics in place, I began designing the game levels. I wanted each level to present unique challenges that required players to use the dimension-switching mechanic creatively. Playtesting was crucial during this phase to ensure the gameplay was engaging and the difficulty curve was appropriate. Creating levels was easy aside from brainstorming ideas, It just incorporated moving cubes around the map. Aside from that, I also programmed a goal so we go to the next scene/level when the player collides with it. I locked the Z axis on the player in 2D view and also moved everything to a single Z axis. When the player switches back to 3D, everything moves back.

Day 5: Visual Polishing

I focused on enhancing the game's visual appeal during this phase. I implemented shaders/postprocessing to make the 3D and 2D worlds distinct and visually appealing. Additionally, I worked on a main menu, where I animated a player moving in the background, which looks pretty cool. I also made a end screen where I "animated" the background with cubes. It really is just a script which makes the cubes randomly rotate at different speeds and axis. Lastly, I added an animation, via script again for the goal to move down when the player collides with it, a level complete UI which I animated myself on the Unity editor. I couldn't figure out how to play it on trigger so I disabled the animation and in the goal logic script I enabled it on player collision, and it worked butter smooth.

Day 6: Sound Design and Final Testing

I added background music and sound effects to create an immersive audio experience. I made the background music with Garageband, there are 2 music tracks, 1 for main and end menu, and 1 for gameplay. I also downloaded a commercial free sound effect for level complete. Final playtesting and bug fixing were conducted to ensure a smooth and enjoyable gameplay experience.

Conclusion

"Dual Dimension" has come a long way from its initial concept to a fully playable game. The development process involved overcoming various challenges, from implementing dimension-switching mechanics to designing engaging levels. Playtesting and iteration were crucial to refining the gameplay and ensuring a satisfying player experience.

As the project nears completion, I'm excited to share "Dual Dimension" with the development community and gather feedback for further improvements. Stay tuned for updates and the official release of the game!