Short Giraffe Blog Post 2: New Mechanics

This sprint we split the team up into two subteams, one dedicated to the backend and the other dedicated on the frontend content. Part of my job on the team is to communicated with both sides of the team and figure out how to implement what the other designers request while also making it flexible. My goal with every new system implemented is to make it as modular as possible so that the level designers have as easy of a time as possible making levels.

We spent our time this sprint making new mechanics. The first one is a heat lamp that will stop meerkats from moving around when underneath them. When the heat lamp is turned off, the meerkats will wake up and go back to doing their patrol routine. The second mechanic is a way for the player to alert meerkats by way of breakable objects. If a meerkat “hears” a breakable object break while patrolling, they will be alerted to that position it broke at and then move to it. I also worked on a new system to move objects in the level on a predefined rail. This combined with the heat lamps and the new button system will create powerful opportunities for the designers to make interesting puzzles, especially for stealth gameplay. Another interesting new addition is the electricity system we have started to work on. The new system has the player use their neck as a conduit for electricity. The player has to then use their neck to power conduits which in-turn will power on specific objects within the scene, allowing them to do different things. All of these systems combined will help the level designers create interesting scenarios within the game.

On the experimental side I helped the programmers work on the Zero-G space area which we have planned for later in the game. We needed a way for the player to traverse the environment since gravity doesn’t exist so what better way for a secret agent giraffe to move in space then a jetpack! It has been a busy week but there is even more to come in the following weeks!