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SwapBox
Platform
Engine
Duration
Team Size
Role
PC
Unity
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Six Weeks
3
Game Design
Narrative Design
Composer
Overview
SwapBox is a first-person puzzle game where the player assumes the role of Henry, a botanist sent to survey a mysterious tree that has appeared out of thin air. Inside, they obtain an extraordinary device that allows them to swap positions with boxes in the environment. The player must use this newfound ability to navigate the depths of the tree, and uncover its many mysteries.
Any box the player has swapped with inherits the properties of the player, and vice versa. For instance, if the player is stationary and swaps with a box flying upwards, the box will be motionless upon changing location, while the player will be propelled upwards. Using a combination of boxes, buttons, the device, and their own wit, players must conquer the many puzzles of the tree to succeed.
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Design Challenges
Design a game with a core gameplay loop that hinges on a single mechanic.
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Project Roles
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Designed gameplay systems and narrative framework in collaboration with Programming and Art departments
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Programmed dialogue triggers using custom scripts written in C# and implemented into the Unity Engine​
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Composed and implemented soundtrack/SFX by integrating FMOD into the Unity Project
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Developed a narrative beat map that contextualizes and reinforces gameplay sequences
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Wrote character bios and dialogue sequences
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Development Process
Playtest feedback was an integral factor to the design work of SwapBox. Because of the abstract nature of the world and mechanics, it was important to note any difficulties playtesters would have with understanding the swap mechanic and the role of boxes in the world. The introductory puzzles present in the current build can largely be attributed to this data. Stages and new mechanics had to be introduced in such a way that the intended use of the swap mechanic can be implicitly understood as quickly as possible. This is why moments such as the sequence where the player must create a makeshift staircase are designed the way they are. The layout of the scenario guides players towards the intended solution so that this concept is planted firmly in the users mind. With this knowledge in hand, further gameplay scenarios could be developed which iterate and adjust this concept in new and interesting ways, to make for a consistently engaging, challenging and enjoyable gameplay experience.
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Gameplay Overview
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