GAMES DEVELOPMENT


Task 1: Game Design Document / 23.04.2025 - 21.05.2025  / Week 1 -Week 5
Task 2: Art Asset Development/ 21.05.2025 - 04.06.2025  / Week 5 -Week 7
Task 3: Game Prototype / 11.06.2025 - 25.06.2025  / Week 8 -Week 10
Final Project & E-portfolio/ 18.06.2025 - 23.07.2025  / Week 9 -Week 14

Emily Goh Jin Yee / 0357722 / Bachelor of Design (Honours) in Creative Media 

Games Development / DST61104 / Section 01


TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. INSTRUCTIONS

2. TASKS

3. FEEDBACK

4. REFLECTION


INSTRUCTIONS



TASKS

TASK 1: GAME DESIGN DOCUMENT


In the second week, our group of three was formed, consisting of Suet Yee, Mei Hui, and myself. At that point, we hadn’t locked down any specific theme or direction for our game yet, so we spent some time discussing potential ideas. During our brainstorming session, I brought up the idea of drawing inspiration from a game we had encountered in a previous semester’s Game Study Module—Sudsprite Spin. It was a game that had stuck with me because of its unique setting and playful tone, and I thought it could be a fun foundation for something new.

The team was very open to the idea, and we ended up having a lively conversation about how we could reinterpret and build on that inspiration. Everyone began contributing their thoughts and preferences, and we bounced ideas back and forth. Gradually, through small tweaks and collaborative discussions, we shaped the concept into something that felt exciting and original to all of us. By the end of the session, we had a solid game idea that we were all happy with, ready to move forward into development.

We then moved on to preparing the presentation slides, focusing on clearly outlining our game’s concept, design, and components. For the design section, we each took part in sketching ideas for the main character—the Sudsprite—to explore different styles and interpretations. After that, we began thinking about the in-game elements, such as obstacles and interactions. I worked on sketching out a few of the key obstacles that players might encounter, including bubbles, a loofah, and a spiral tile. These were inspired by the bath-time setting we envisioned for the game, and helped us start visualizing how the environment could look and feel. It was a nice step forward in developing the overall mood and aesthetic of our game.


loofah from sudsprite spin
Sketches of Sudsprite and obstacles




TASK 2: ART ASSET DEVELOPMENT


After completing the first task, we moved on to producing the art assets for our game. This phase included animating our characters, creating backgrounds and titles for the environment, designing items, props, obstacles, power-ups, and developing the HUD layout.

Before diving into the actual asset creation for Task 2, we took some time to align on the overall theme and visual direction of the game. We discussed whether to go with a pixelated art style or a more 2D illustration-based approach. In the end, we collectively decided on sticking with a 2D art style, as it better suited the cute, rounded aesthetic we were aiming for.

Once the direction was confirmed, we divided the tasks among ourselves based on our strengths and interests. Each of us was responsible for different elements, and we began gathering references accordingly. We shared our findings in the group chat and agreed on a consistent art direction and color theme, which helped ensure everything would come together cohesively as we moved forward with the designs.

task delegation

references




Process:
For my part, I was in charge of designing the main character, the Sudsprite, as well as the start page and the collectible socks. I used Procreate to create and animate the Sudsprite, with around 30 frames in total. While the facial expressions were mostly duplicated, I focused on animating the body movements—like the positioning of the arms and legs—to reflect different actions such as walking, running, jumping, and more.

One extra detail I had to pay attention to was the foam bubbles on the Sudsprite’s head. Their placement had to be slightly adjusted in each frame to match the motion, which added to the overall consistency. I created several different states for the character, including idle mode, side view, walking, running, jumping, getting dizzy, slipping down, and the "dead" animation. Although the animation isn't perfectly smooth since I'm still getting used to drawing movement, I think it turned out well enough to clearly show the intended actions, and it fits with the playful and simple tone of our game.
Sudsprite idle
Sudsprite side view
Sudsprite walking
Sudsprite running
Sudsprite jumping
Sudsprite dizzy
Sudsprite slipped down
Sudsprite dead


For the sock components, I designed five different sock styles, since there are ten collectible socks in total, forming five pairs. Each design has its own unique look to help players recognize the matches more easily during gameplay. I kept the designs fun and consistent with the overall cute and quirky vibe of the game.

Items: socks


Moving on, the next part of my task was to create the start page. I referred to the initial background that Suet Yee had worked on, along with some reference images we found on Pinterest to guide the layout and overall mood. I used Adobe Illustrator to design the page, incorporating a soft purple-blue color tone to match the dreamy, bubbly atmosphere of our game. The goal was to make the start screen feel welcoming and visually in sync with the rest of the art direction.
references

suetyee's initial attempt on background


Start Page

After completing the art assets, we had our presentation the next day. Following the feedback and our own review, we took some time to further refine the visuals. Mei Hui and Suet Yee made adjustments to certain parts of their designs to improve consistency and detail. During this process, I noticed that we had missed out on designing the environment for the second level. Since this stage is meant to be slightly more challenging, we decided to go with a darker tone for the background while still maintaining the magical, whimsical feel of the overall game world.

I took the lead in designing the second level’s environment, aiming to create a more intense atmosphere while still keeping it consistent with the rest of the game. I used deeper purples and blues to give it a slightly mysterious tone, as a way to reflect the increase in difficulty. The platforms and landscape still feature the soft pastel colours, but with more contrast, and I added the signature drippy elements—like soap waterfalls with bubbles—to keep the dreamy, bath-time inspired vibe. The intention was to make it feel like the player has entered a more hidden, enchanted part of the world, but everything still belongs to the same whimsical universe.

references for level 2 background

process in Illustrator



Completed Level 2 design
Sample Scene in game





TASKS

TASK 3: GAME PROTOTYPE

Requirements:
For this task, we’re supposed to build a basic version of our game, just enough to test if the gameplay works. It doesn’t need to have the final graphics yet. The important thing is to get the main game mechanics running so we can playtest and see if anything feels off or if there are technical problems we need to fix. The goal is to focus on the core gameplay first before we worry about the visuals or extra features.



After finishing Task 2, we started working on the prototype. For this part, we imported our art assets and sprite sheet into Unity. We used the weekly exercises from tutorial classes as a base template to build on. Since Suet Yee is using a MacBook, we were a bit worried that if we ran into problems, Ms. Mia might not be familiar with Mac setups to help us troubleshoot. On top of that, my own laptop tends to crash often, so in the end, we decided to use Mei Hui’s laptop for the main coding because hers has been the most stable among the three of us.

While Mei Hui was setting up the game in Unity, we organized all our art assets—such as characters, obstacles, backgrounds, panels, and UI pages—into a shared Google Drive so they’d be ready for import. I also worked on arranging the Sudsprite animation frames in Photoshop to make the placement in Unity easier and cleaner. Additionally, we kept the background designs in Illustrator files, so we could make quick edits whenever adjustments were needed without affecting the entire layout.




After setting up the basic scene, we started placing our sprites into Unity, replacing the placeholder background characters with our actual art assets. We also added the tilemaps for the platforms and adjusted their sizes to match the level design. One of the main things we had to fix was the Sudsprite’s movement—the character looked too floaty when walking and jumping, so we tweaked the Rigidbody and collider settings to make it feel more grounded and responsive. It took a few test runs to get the right balance, but it definitely made the movement feel smoother and more controlled.

While testing the scene, we noticed that the Sudsprite’s color was blending too much into the background and wasn’t standing out clearly. It made the character hard to spot, especially during movement. To fix this, I decided to redo the entire color scheme for the Sudsprite, making it lighter with a slight bluish-white tint. This helped create a better contrast against the background and made the character pop out more visually without losing the soft, bubbly feel of its design.

Sudsprite idle

Sudsprite side view
Sudspritye walking
Sudsprite jumping
Sudsprite slipped
Sudsprite dizzy
Sudsprite dead(game over)
Sudsprite won


During consultation, Ms Mia helped us with the timing code for the game mechanics. From the feedback we received, it was clear that the overall design didn’t meet expectations—the background and tiles especially needed improvement as they looked a bit dull and disconnected from the game’s tone. Because of this, Suet Yee decided to redesign the entire look of Level 1, including reworking the colors and layout. The new design now features brighter, lighter, and soft pastel tones, giving it a much cuter and more playful vibe that fits the Sudsprite theme better. After the redesign, Ms Mia said it looked better.

before and after of level 1's background


walkthrough of prototype: completed level 1



TASKS

FINAL PROJECT & E-PORTFOLIO

Requirements:
For the final project, students will fully develop their game by integrating all completed art assets into the game build, ensuring that visuals, mechanics, and interactions come together as a polished, playable experience. The focus is on refining the game to its finished state, troubleshooting any remaining issues, and enhancing the overall user experience. Students will also document their development process, design choices, and final outcomes in an e-portfolio that showcases their work and reflects their creative and technical journey throughout the project.



For the final task, we focused on completing the first level. Initially, we experimented with changing the tile designs to make them feel less flat and overly 2D. We also played around with different colour combinations because the visuals felt a little off. After several trials, we decided to stick with the dark purple tiles but added a semi-transparent overlay to the background to tone it down. This adjustment made a huge difference—the darker backdrop helped the tiles and characters pop, improving the overall visual clarity.

Besides that, I also worked on selecting the colour palette for the Game Over panel. We went with a red base but softened it with pink accents to balance the tone and keep it consistent with our existing colour theme. For the “Next Level” and “You Win” panels, we used an orange-yellow tone that felt celebratory yet still matched the overall palette, ensuring the transitions between screens didn’t feel out of place.

For level 2, I adjusted the layers and arrangements to make the shadows appear properly over the water, giving it a neater and more polished look. The previous version had slightly awkward placements, where the shadows were either getting lost or overlapping in strange ways. By fixing the layer order and ensuring the elements stacked correctly, the visuals now feel more grounded, and the scene is much easier to read during gameplay.

process


For the sound design, I spent time sourcing various audio effects and background music from platforms like YouTube and Freesound, looking for sounds that would complement the game's cute and whimsical vibe. After gathering a collection of potential sound clips, Suet Yee and I went through the shortlisted options together, listening and discussing which ones would best suit different moments in the game. Some sound effects, like the Sudsprite’s jump, background music had multiple variations, so we carefully compared their tone and how they would blend with the overall atmosphere.
audios



While Mei Hui focused on the technical setup, Suet Yee and I worked closely with her, assisting in testing and providing feedback whenever bugs or visual misalignments appeared. I also handled smaller adjustments within Unity, such as repositioning objects and fine-tuning animations to ensure they aligned with our intended design. Throughout the process, we encountered various issues and bugs that required us to rethink certain elements—sometimes this meant adjusting the design or changing specific settings to solve the problem. This constant cycle of testing, problem-solving, and refining became a key part of our workflow, allowing us to gradually improve the prototype into a smoother and fully playable version.

Although we had to simplify certain mechanics, such as reducing the number of abilities and adjusting the difficulty as we faced coding issues, the final game remains fully playable. We kept core features like unlocking abilities after collecting a specific number of socks, which adds progression and keeps the gameplay engaging. The game is designed to be accessible for first-time players, offering a good balance of challenge without being overwhelming. However, for those who play multiple times, it still presents enough difficulty to stay interesting and rewarding. It can also be played casually or competitively among friends, making it a lighthearted yet fun game to share with others.
Final Presentation Slide







Google Drive Link: 



FEEDBACK


WEEK 1

General Feedback 

  • will confirm with the grouping

Specific Feedback 

  • -

WEEK 2

General Feedback

  • group in 3

Specific Feedback 

  • -

WEEK 3

General Feedback

  • prepare presentation for those who have not

Specific Feedback 

  • presentation on next week (we didn't know we had presentation on this week and didn't complete the slides)

WEEK 4

General Feedback

  • -

Specific Feedback 

  • love the concept and story, very unique and interesting
  • can proceed with next step already

WEEK 5

General Feedback

  • submission on this week

Specific Feedback 

  • -

WEEK 6

General Feedback 

  • those have not present shall present by next week
  • submission next week (blog link or)

Specific Feedback 

  • -

WEEK 7

General Feedback 

  • can refine after presentation
  • complete all art assets and submit by this week

Specific Feedback 

  • cute art style
  • slightly a little inconsistent art style, is it because its done by different members?
    us: yes
    ms mia: i see, its okay cz overall still looks fine
  • for the sudsprite, would be even greater if the body has gradient in the outer layer like the foam bubble have, now it feels like half 3D and half 2D, but its okay to keep it, just take note when creating drawings like this next time
  • the powerups are clear and straightforward, nice
  • not much issue and can proceed to the next step

WEEK 8-9

General Feedback

  • -

Specific Feedback 

  • -

WEEK 10

Specific Feedback 

  • overall design wasn’t meeting expectations—visuals lacked impact
  • the background and tile designs were too plain and could be improved to match the game's playful tone
  • level 2's design is fine
  • overall game is cute but improvements could still be done for the gameplay

WEEK 15

Specific Feedback 

  • not bad overall, cute and simple
  • artstyle is good
  • the UI and Level 2 tiles is nice, but overall game is average


REFLECTION

Task 1 Experience

Working on Sock Escape has been an incredibly rewarding and imaginative journey. Building off our previous game, Sudsprite Spin, I found it fascinating to transform the surreal, bubble-filled world we had created into a more fast-paced, casual game that still retained the whimsical tone. It was exciting to reimagine the concept of lost socks and household chaos into a setting that could appeal to a wider audience, especially younger players and casual gamers. Throughout the task, I discovered how much worldbuilding and storytelling could influence gameplay mechanics and tone—even in lighter, more reflex-based games. Discussions with the team helped refine not just the game's visual and thematic direction, but also how we could simplify complex ideas from our past project into more digestible, engaging formats. It was also interesting to observe how certain themes, like the idea of everyday objects coming to life, continued to resonate and evolve across different gameplay styles. Overall, this task challenged me to balance creativity with accessibility.


Task 2 Experience

Working on Task 2 gave me a better appreciation of how visual design shapes the identity of a game. Deciding on a 2D art style helped us maintain a cohesive and cute aesthetic, and even though each of us contributed different assets, I think the overall look still came together nicely.

During the presentation, we received feedback that some parts of the art felt slightly inconsistent, likely because they were done by different group members. I actually see that as something that adds character to the project. Each of us has our own drawing style, and bringing those together created a visual identity that’s a bit more unique and personal. It reflects the nature of teamwork—different hands, one shared direction.

There was also a helpful comment about adding gradient to the Sudsprite’s body to match the bubble texture more closely. I hadn’t noticed the contrast between the 3D-like bubbles and the flatter body before, so that feedback gave me something to think about and be more aware of when designing in the future.

Overall, this task helped me grow not only in technical skills like frame-by-frame animation and visual consistency, but also in understanding how group collaboration can shape and influence the final outcome in interesting ways. I’m happy with what we’ve created, and I look forward to improving even more in the next steps.


Task 3 Experience

Task 3 made me realise how important prototyping is in shaping a game beyond just testing mechanics. It’s where all the hidden problems start showing up, whether it’s visual clarity, coding bugs, or unexpected technical issues. Even though we didn’t need final visuals yet, we still had to adjust things like character colours, backgrounds, and object placements so the gameplay could be tested properly and felt coherent during play. Small design choices became surprisingly important, as they affected how readable and enjoyable the game was, even in this early stage.

One thing I learned is that creative and technical work are always connected. Fixing small design issues helped improve playability, and coding problems sometimes made us rethink visual elements too. For example, colour adjustments weren't just about looks; they were necessary so that important gameplay elements stood out clearly. I’m really grateful that Mei Hui generously offered her laptop as the main workstation, having a stable device made a huge difference in helping us work efficiently without constant disruptions.

The feedback from Ms Mia about improving visual consistency made me more aware of how early design choices can impact the final user experience. Things we didn’t think would matter much, like slight colour mismatches or inconsistent tile designs, actually stood out a lot when testing the prototype. Ms Mia’s guidance helped us see those blind spots and approach the adjustments with a clearer direction.

Overall, this task taught me to be flexible and to expect constant adjustments during development. Prototyping isn’t just testing—it’s active problem-solving that requires teamwork, creative thinking, and technical troubleshooting all at once. I also realised that a lot of the progress comes from making small, continuous improvements based on feedback and actual playtests, which makes prototyping a crucial step in bringing a game idea to life.


Task 4 Experience

Looking back at the entire journey of this project, I can say that it’s been a challenging but rewarding experience. From brainstorming the concept of lost socks and mischievous bubbles to actually building a playable prototype, the process was a huge learning curve for all of us. Our initial ideas were very imaginative, but turning those ideas into a functional game wasn’t as simple as we thought. There were so many adjustments we had to make along the way—whether it was changing art assets, fixing technical bugs, or even rethinking certain level designs when things didn’t work as expected.

Although our final outcome isn’t perfect and there are still areas that could be improved, I genuinely feel proud of what we’ve achieved. We did our best to bring the game to life, and the final prototype actually turned out better than we initially imagined. It may not be super polished, but for a student project, it reflects a lot of effort, creativity, and teamwork.

One thing I really appreciated was how supportive Ms. Mia was throughout the process. Every time we ran into problems—whether it was coding issues or design feedback—she was always patient and willing to assist us. That encouragement definitely helped us stay motivated even when things felt overwhelming.

Working together as a team also taught me how important communication and flexibility are. We all had different strengths, and by combining those skills, we managed to overcome the hurdles. It wasn’t always smooth, but the experience showed me how problem-solving and collaboration go hand-in-hand in game development.

In the end, the whole journey felt like a huge learning process, and I’m happy that we kept improving step by step. I’m grateful for the experience, and it definitely made me more confident in handling future projects.



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