Weapon Variants
Development Roles:  Designer, Programmer
Engine: Unity
Summary:  This project was started with the intention of creating some unique weapon variants that acted differently than most weapons in modern shooters. The parameters of how the weapons would work would be different for each. Each weapon would be created and be accompanied by a quick mock-up level of how each weapon can be used in certain scenarios. Whether be used for combat, puzzles, or whatever else they can be used for. 
Prototype Assets: All art/visual assets used for these prototypes do not belong to me. They were all acquired off of the Unity Asset Store. Besides the standard character walking and camera scripts that Unity provides, most of the programming was done by me unless otherwise stated in each variant. 

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The Bouncer

Puzzle Scenario

Combat Scenario

Initial Creation: Starting off for this weapon, I wanted to add a little something to locking on to targets with a launcher type of weapon. Weapons that had a lock-on feature, like homing missiles and rockets, were my focus when I was thinking of a weapon to create. The initial feeling of just seeing an enemy light up and planning what will happen to them next led me to my following thought of planning targets in order of lock-on. Which immediately followed with me imaging what a loud, bouncing ball would feel like as a weapon. Lock-on to targets and then watching the ball hit each target in order and get stronger over time. Sound a bit goofy? Yeah, it did. Then immediately after determining that, I started working on it.

Note: The script for creating an outline around each locked-on target was done in a script I downloaded off of the Unity asset store. I do not claim to have done any work on that script.

Puzzling: For a weapon based on locking on to targets and then having the single bullet do all the work, the puzzles for this weapon would have to focus on how the bullet could be used to hit multiple targets in one go and not letting it hit anything else. The first puzzle I made was a simple back and forth hittting all the crystals to open the door forward. It shows how the gun locks on to target in a specific order and can't pass through walls and gives the player the idea of how to set up locking on to targets. The second puzzle would show off a bit more complexity by introducing a new mechanic to the weapon to make it mandatory to complete it. The weapon automatically locks on to key objects and enemies, but players can also lock-on to specific targets in the environment like boxes, walls, or even the ceiling to keep the bullet for the Bouncer going around corners and not hit the wall in the process. This created a puzzle the took the basics of the last puzzle and expanded it further to show how some scenarios can lead to players bouncing a shot around rooms to hit key objects and progress forward.

Bouncing In Combat: After the puzzle section was completed, I began to experiment what this weapon could be like in a combat scenario. So, I scripted a few hovering enemies to to go around or stand still and shoot at the player as they set up targets to bounce off of. The weapon currently has the bullet power up in damage the more targets it hits. This implies that the player has to bounce between targets to ramp up the damage to take out targets more quickly.

Feedback: Once both combat and puzzle scenarios each had one area to try out, I brought it to testers for some QA sessions and answer how they would see themselves using it. Out 8 testers, all 8 could see the potential of preferring to use The Bouncer as a means to solve puzzles more often than using it for combat. However, 4 out of the 8 also mentioned that they wouldn't mind seeing this weapon used in combat scenarios as well. 

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Third Eye

Puzzle Scenario

Combat Scenario

Initial Design: The Third Eye started off as a completely different weapon design altogether. The original design was supposed to launch a helicopter drone that would follow the player and then the player would also "paint" targets with a laser so that the drone would fly over and then shoot at whatever its current target is. However, feedback from testers pointed out that the weapon was not engaging since all they had to do was select targets and then do nothing as the drone did all the work.

Reconstruction: After spending some time trying to make the drone more engaging, I couldn't find an immediate solution and instead decided to keep the idea of using a launcher to shoot out something and trashed the weapon instead. After some time, I remembered an older game I played, Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory, had a gadget in the game that would shoot a sticky camera to walls to look around corners. What if I could do that, but make it do more than just look around and make noise? So, I decided to recreate the sticky launcher, but the camera attached to the rounds would have a turret attached to make them a usable weapon against enemies or to hit puzzle targets.

Puzzle Management: Creating puzzles for the Third Eye was very interesting since I had limitations with how far cameras could be launched, which direction they would be facing when they land, how much ammo each camera turret has, and how many cameras the player could have at once. I decided to start off simple with a puzzle that would have the player learn that they can hit crystal targets around corners and show that orange crystals can be used to switch gates around. The second puzzle is a little more complex by locking the exit with two red crystals in two different rooms that can be accessed through smaller puzzle rooms each. The entire second puzzle layout shows off how a player also has to manage which cameras are placed where and how to move forward while micromanaging which ones to keep or reuse.

Corner Combat: The combat scenarios where a bit more complicated to plan around since the enemies have to be close enough sometimes to shoot the player to be a threat, but still in areas for the Third Eye to see and shoot them. These often used examples of holes in the walls, or over fences, to launch the camera over and see what enemies were waiting for the player around the corner. This setup is used for both areas with the only exception being the second area where enemies have more room to move around.

Feedback: The overall reaction for the Third Eye on preference towards combat or puzzles was a split for either. Half of the testers really appreciated how interesting the puzzles I made were and could see the complexity of later puzzle around this weapon. The combat scenario also got good feedback because most of the tester noted that the feeling of catching an enemy at a different angle and shooting them while being somewhere else was satisfying.