PROJECT CONSTELLATION
ROLE
Lead Designer
DESCRIPTION
Project Constellation is a sci-fi 2D top-down shooter in which you play as a super soldier who has been in a cryogenic chamber for many years in a space station long lost in history. The soldier must now fight through hordes of aliens to discover what happened to the people on the space station and what else lurks within the space station.
YEAR
2024
GENRE
2D Top-Down Shooter
PLATFORM
PC
The Process
PROJECT OVERVIEW
A 2D Top-Down Pixel Art Sci-Fi Shooter
01
Our Goals
In collaboration with a team of six people, a Programmer, Narrative Designer, Technical Artist, UI/UX Designer, a Generalist, and my self a Designer. We aimed to develop a 2D Top-Down shooter that specializes intense Second-to-Second Gunplay with meaningful weighty movements within combat, that also feels immersive and unique to other Sci-Fi shooters within the genre.
03
Challenges & Solutions
As a team, one of our main challenges was refining the level layout and overall design. Initially, our scope was too ambitious for the time we had, so we had to make tough decisions to cut levels, mechanics, art, animations, and features. By narrowing our focus, we could prioritize essential elements and save others for later, which helped us establish a smooth workflow and streamlined our development process.
04
Outcome & Next Steps
The project is currently on track for a demo release in December. While final elements, like a boss, detailed level design, and polishing are still in progress, the game is already being recognized for its professional quality and market potential. I'm proud of what our team has accomplished so far, and I’m excited to see how future additions can elevate the game beyond our initial vision.
02
My Roles and Responsibilities
Mechanics Design
Our primary goal was to achieve harmony between player movement, weapon mechanics, and enemy behaviors, ensuring that each element complemented the others. Balancing these aspects required a careful process of give and take, where every choice introduced both strengths and weaknesses. This approach allowed each gameplay component to shine without any one feature dominating, creating a combat system that felt both engaging and fair.
Weapon Design
When developing the game’s weapons, I aimed to make each one distinct, giving them unique primary and alternate fire modes that set them apart. Every weapon was designed with a specific purpose, feel, and mechanic to ensure they each offered a fresh experience. The challenge was not only in balancing these weapons but also in making them stand out from one another and from weapons commonly found in other games.
Enemy Design
While designing enemies, it quickly became clear that each needed a distinct mechanic to stand apart from the rest. I focused on giving each enemy unique roaming and combat behaviors, specific strengths and weaknesses, and a visual and functional role within the game’s narrative. At the same time, I aimed to keep our designs original, ensuring they felt fresh and unique compared to enemies in other games.