Awards

The Game

WOMP! is a collaborative multiplayer game we are developing for Xbox Live’s Indie Games platform. The game’s goal is to bridge the gap between players with different levels of gaming experience, non-gamers and hard-core gamers, parents and their children, couples on a date, cats and dogs, you name it.

Players have to work together to move a crazy flying contraption, called the Wobblegong, through a whimsical world. Each player is responsible for a single function of the flying contraption (e.g., flapping a wing, rockets, an umbrella), and all interactions in the game are performed with only a single button on the controller.

Find out more.

My Role

I was the level designer on the project. I designed the flow, the level's challenges, and the geometry and how players encounter the obstacles in-game. It was my job to integrate all of the art assets into the levels, working closely with our artist. I iterated on my level design based on feedback provided by various playtesters. I also contributed to the game's UI design.

I designed and implemented several gameplay features including a flower that launches players, a blob that slows players down, a bouncy mushroom, an object that spun players out of control, and a penguin that sucks in the player's avatar, and spits it out.

What I Learned

I learned the importance of rapid prototyping, getting a working build up early, and running playtests with a diverse player base. The more feedback we received on the project, the more fun we were able to make it. I also learned how to design a intuitive user interface without relying on text.

Most importantly, I learned how to implement visually-rich and fun levels. This project allowed me to improve my own level design skills, as I was able to implement fun encounters, challenges, and flow based on game's mechanics.

Preview the game!