Shipwrecked
Sept 2020 – Dec 2020
Video game
About the Project
Shipwrecked is a metroidvania-style side-scrolling game developed in RPG Maker MV, created as part of CMPUT 250, a university game development course. As project lead, I managed an interdisciplinary team of five members, including programmers, an artist, a musician, and a writer, while also contributing directly to the game's development through AI programming.
The project presented unique technical challenges, particularly in adapting RPG Maker MV—a tool traditionally designed for top-down RPGs—to create a side-scrolling experience. This required frequent innovative solutions to achieve our design vision within the engine's constraints.
The successful completion of Shipwrecked marked a personal milestone for me. Since I was a kid I have always wanted to build my own video game.
In addition to the technical and interpersonal skills I learned working on this project and as part of the team, I also learned first hand how hard it is to create something good. I will forever be proud of this project, but it is easy to see how not great the final product turned out. It's incredible to see how an initial concept can be compromised by necessary design decisions, ultimately resulting for better or worse in the final product. This project gave me an appreciation for each piece of entertainment I have consumed since.
What I Learned / Technologies Used
- Project management and team coordination.
- Using C# to develop enemy AI systems and behavior patterns.
- Effective scope management is crucial for maintaining team morale and project progress.
- Do not make a side scroller using RPG Maker; more seriously, tool selection is fundamental to project success. While creative solutions can overcome technical limitations, choosing the right framework for your project requirements saves significant development time and resources.