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Stellar Survivor is an online multiplayer survival game with tower defense elements. Stranded on an alien planet, you must defend your Power Core. Use your weapons and strategically use traps to fight off hordes of aliens!
My tasks on this project included:
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The game is currently in early access on Steam.
PROCESS
Perfectly balanced, as all things should be
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On Stellar Survivor I was responsible for not only UI/UX feedback for player abilities and guns to make them feel powerful, but also for having them actually be powerful. Through balancing, I made sure the weapons were equal in terms of strength while all being good in different scenarios: The sniper at long ranges, the assault rifle at medium ranges, and the shotgun close-up.
In addition to tweaking raw damage numbers... The firing speed, overheating cooldown time, the health of enemies and their speed, and so on all played a role in getting combat encounters to feel good. |
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Designing the tutorial
A big responsibility was designing the tutorial level. The basic structure for a tutorial had been set up, but it lacked clarity, polish and had gotten outdated. I improved the tutorial and used a player-objective system to introduce the player to the most important game mechanics.
To plan the tutorial structure, I made a flow diagram with all important information the player must be taught in order to be able to play the game. I sequenced these goals for the player based on importance, and researched reference games to see their approach.
To plan the tutorial structure, I made a flow diagram with all important information the player must be taught in order to be able to play the game. I sequenced these goals for the player based on importance, and researched reference games to see their approach.
Based on the sequencing of these objectives, I designed the level layout for the tutorial. There would be a gameplay space which aligns with each goal. As such, one of the first obstacles the player encounters is a big rock which the player has to jump over, followed by an archway where the player needs to crouch to reach the next area. Through many playtests I was able to streamline the tutorial.
Environment art
On Stellar Survivor, there was a clearly established art direction. The main level used for all missions followed this direction closely. Using the materials provided to me, I did multiple art passes (landscaping, foliage painting, set dressing, lighting) on the tutorial level I designed to make it resemble the main level.
Using lighting, I was able to clarify where the player needed to go. Volumetric fog and lighting also made the level much more pleasing from an artistic standpoint. Below you can find the iterations on the starting area of the level.
Using lighting, I was able to clarify where the player needed to go. Volumetric fog and lighting also made the level much more pleasing from an artistic standpoint. Below you can find the iterations on the starting area of the level.
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Get In Touch
As a developer and an individual I like to be challenged and am always on the lookout for new ways to provide players with unforgettable and meaningful experiences. If you are interested in how I can help you out, please do not hesitate to contact me;
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© Martijn de Bie
All content and trademarks property of their respective owners.
All content and trademarks property of their respective owners.
