Role: Game Design Lead, Game Developer
Team Size: 4
Duration: 48 hours

The journey of a barren planet to become habitable by collecting resources. This game was created in 48 hours during the MEGA game jam at USC. The theme was "Boundless". Our team won the prize for Best Audio.

Contributions

  • Designed orbit mechanic, game map, and overall gameplay
  • Developed inventory system, planet randomizer, and black holes

Design Process

We started by collectively brainstorming game ideas. I came up with the mechanic idea of orbital slingshot, where the player flings itself through space by attaching and detaching from the gravitational field of other objects.

Design Choices

  • The start screen, "Press <space> to launch", instantly teaches the player the only mechanic (pressing space) from the very start by making it part of the game.
  • There is only one mechanic, but the player must get the timing right to launch to the correct planet. The same mechanic is also used to escape black holes by mashing the button.
  • The game sometimes calls for a quick reaction to detach from the orbit to avoid green toxic planets.
  • The goal of the game is to collect the resources by exploring the boundless space. The player cannot see very far, and is encouraged to throw themselves into space to see what happens.

Download

Next Up

Blob Battle