Robo-Dash

Robo-Dash is a single-player, 3D side-scrolling isometric platformer featuring a neonpunk skyline. As a pizza delivery robot, collect slices, stack jumps to reach towering buildings, and dash through enemy bots to complete the delivery on time.

Read Concept Doc

In Robo-Dash, I managed a team of 4 students at Vancouver Film School, overseeing the project's progress while also contributing to designing the gameplay and programming the core game.

Beyond leadership, I was directly involved in gameplay design, creating the original concept, mechanics, and UX of the game. Additionally, I contributed to programming the game, from the core systems to user interfaces and enemy AI.

Robo-Dash was developed as the first project in the Game Design program at Vancouver Film School, from July 2022 to October 2022 (4 months) and published under the VFS Arcade. Originally a team of 4 students, the team was reduced to 3 after one member left the school early in the process.

The game was created using Unity Engine, with Sourcetree (GitFlow) + GitHub for versioning control, ensuring efficient collaboration and code management.
The UI of the game was designed using Figma, allowing for easy prototyping and design adjustments.

This project served as a valuable learning experience in both game design and teamwork, laying the foundation for further projects in the course.

Gameplay Design

Original Concept: I helped create the original concept for the game, including the idea of a pizza delivery robot that navigates through a neonpunk skyline filled with obstacles and enemies.
Jump Stacking Mechanic:
- Players can normally jump and double-jump, but can find gasoline cans that provide an additional stackable jump (up to a maximum of 4 stackable jumps).
- These extra jumps can be used after a double-jump, allowing for more complex movement and level design.
- The regular jumps, including double-jumps, are used first before consuming any of the stackable jumps.
Dash Ability:
- I designed the dash ability that allows the robot to dash forward, primarily used to defeat enemy robots.
- If the player collides with an enemy robot without using the dash, they lose a life. However, dashing through enemy robots destroys them, allowing the player to progress safely.
Collectibles:
- Hearts: Restore one of three lives (attempts) when collected. Players lose a life every time they die, either by falling off the map or getting hit by an enemy robot.
- Pizza Slices: Serve as in-game currency, intended for future upgrades (potentially a character upgrade feature).
- Gasoline Cans: Used to increase the player's jump stack by 1.

UX / Quality of Life (QOL) Improvements

Camera Adjustments: Considering the isometric perspective, I made the camera closer to the player character to reduce frustration caused by the difficulty in properly judging the character's placement in 3D space.
Circular Shadow: To help players better identify the character's position, I added a circular shadow underneath the robot, making it easier to judge where the character is in the 3D environment.
Magnetic Effect for Collectibles:
- I added a magnet-like effect that attracts collectibles to the player within a certain range.
- This was designed to help with the perspective error and provide an extra bonus, as players no longer need to touch the collectibles to collect them, making the experience smoother.
Auto-Aim for Dash:
- I implemented an auto-aim AI for the dash ability to help players aim more effectively at enemy robots.
- This feature was fine-tuned through playtesting to obtain a balance between helpful and not too permissive, resolving the initial perspective challenges while making dash feel nicer.

Core Game Design

Core Loop: I designed the core loop of the game, ensuring that the mechanics, collectibles, and abilities all worked together to create a satisfying and engaging experience for the player.
Movement Abilities: I designed the player’s movement abilities (including jumps, double-jumps, and dash) to give players precise control while navigating in the air inside the levels of the game.
Enemy Mechanics: I designed the enemy robots and their behaviors, ensuring they offered a challenge to the player while also sinergizing with the core mechanics.

Programming

Game Logic: I was responsible for coding the entire game logic using C#, including the player and enemy movements.
Integration: I integrated all gameplay mechanics, like the jump stacking, dash, and collectibles, into the game, ensuring that the design and code worked seamlessly together.

Samuele Guerrini

Creative Director & Game Designer