Blog Post 5: First Playable
Finals are just around the corner, and for my final project in Intro to Game Studies, I decided to change not only my project—but also my role. I wanted to experience the creative process from a different perspective, so I transitioned from being a developer to taking on the role of an artist.
I also joined a new team that includes my former teammate (who has now switched from artist to developer). Our group now consists of two developers and two artists, and the game we’re working on—A Spooky Steroid—was already in development when I joined.
The game is a chase-style space shooter where the player controls an astronaut floating through space while fighting off spider-like monsters. The player uses the arrow keys to move and the spacebar to shoot. While the game is fun and fast-paced, we quickly realized there was room for improvement.
To gather feedback, we ran three playtests. Across all of them, we heard consistent suggestions:
Turning mechanics: Players found that the astronaut’s turning felt too slow and curved—almost like making a U-turn—which made it difficult to react quickly and shoot enemies.
Expanded play area: Testers suggested expanding the screen or allowing more movement range, which could add excitement and reduce repetitiveness.
Ending scene and final boss: Right now, the game simply fades out while enemies keep spawning. Many players said they wanted a more satisfying conclusion, such as a final boss or a dramatic visual cue signaling the end.
As a team, we’ve taken this feedback seriously. My focus as an artist is now on designing the final boss and creating a death animation for the astronaut. Meanwhile, the developers are working on improving the turning responsiveness and adjusting the spawn rate of the spiders.
By implementing these changes, we hope to make A Spooky Steroid not only more playable but also more engaging and visually compelling. It's been an exciting challenge to switch roles, and this experience has given me a better understanding of game development from both the artistic and technical sides.
