SUPERCHARGED

In SUPERCHARGED, the core mechanic involves creating platforms to scale heights and traverse the extensive levels. I was responsible for designing the first level (Tutorial Level), from initial paper layouts to a fully playable, polished version in Unreal Engine 5.

1. Game Starting Area:
- Location: A large open table with two monitors and a keyboard that ramped onto books.
- Purpose: Tutorial area for wall running and sprinting mechanics.
- Design Issue: No clear tutorial pacing; it's an abrupt start with little player engagement or direction. This caused players to feel that parkouring is the game's core mechanics.

2. First Objective (GUN):
- Platformer Gun Pickup: Introduced on the second table.
- Purpose: Teaches players how to create platforms using the gun.
- Design Issue: The section is monotonous and doesn’t add challenge or progression. The mechanic is repeated without variety.

1. Linear Level Flow:
- Player Path: The path feels strictly linear, with little room for exploration or player agency.
- Design Issue: Predictable flow from one power-up to the next without surprise elements or dynamic transitions.

2. Monotony:
- Overall Structure: Too much repetition in mechanics (platform creation and climbing) without evolving difficulty or variation. The linear path fails to engage over time.

3. Lack of Visual Clarity/Guidance:
- Player Guidance: No clear visual cues or signs leading players. Relies on simplistic layout rather than intuitive environmental guidance.

These points show the need for better pacing, variety in challenges, and more immersive design choices to fully engage players.

1. Mysterious Start:
- Starting Area: Player begins on top of a cardboard box with limited visibility.
- Purpose: Creates a sense of mystery and curiosity. The player doesn’t initially know where they are or what the goal is.
- Design Impact: The lack of immediate information builds suspense and makes the player eager to explore, offering a sense of discovery.

2. First View of Objective:
- Reveal Mechanic: After a few steps, the player finds a gap that reveals the outer room and the end objective (the table they must reach).
- Purpose: Gives players a visual goal early on, increasing motivation to navigate through the level while adding tension.
- Design Impact: Players now have context for where they need to go, which contrasts with the earlier unknowns, helping guide their path while keeping them engaged.

3. First Encounter with Enemy:
- Enemy Introduction: As the player continues walking, they suddenly encounter an enemy, unlike before where players were introduced to enemies later on in the level.
- Purpose: This sudden combat encounter injects urgency and shifts the player's focus from exploration to survival as they don't have anything to fight back.
- Design Impact: The encounter introduces immediate pressure, prompting the player to make fast decisions while creating a sense of danger.

4. Platformer Gun Discovery:
- Platformer Gun: The player stumbles upon the platformer gun while escaping from the enemy.
- Purpose: Adds an exciting twist to the escape, as players now have a new tool to help them navigate the environment.
- Design Impact: The contextual learning feels more dynamic than a tutorial, as the player is thrust into a situation where the gun’s functionality directly helps them survive.

5. Platform Creation Tutorial:
- Short Section: Right after obtaining the gun, there is a small section designed for players to learn platform creation.
- Purpose: Provides a quick tutorial in a safe, controlled environment where players can experiment without immediate threats.
- Design Impact: The quick, non-intrusive tutorial ensures players can learn the mechanic naturally without feeling bogged down. It adds variety to the pacing, alternating between danger and skill-building.

6. Sprint and Wall Run Tutorial:
- Keyboard Ramp: A keyboard ramp guides the player to the sprinting tutorial, followed by a wall-running section.
- Purpose: Teaches two core movement mechanics in quick succession, creating a fluid progression from running to wall-running.
- Design Impact: By keeping these tutorials back-to-back and contextual, the player feels the fast-paced nature of the game, reinforcing the theme of momentum and speed.