Flickerbound

Created for the GMTK 2024 Game Jam under the theme “Built to Scale”. So taking that into consideration I created an endless runner where the player must built the platforms and navigate them at the same time.

This was solo developed over 4 days, and I made a personal challenge to myself to stray away from 2-D development and try to work within a 3-D space.

About the Game

To introduce a sense of strategy to the player’s choices, the game prevents them from simply creating a straightforward path forward. I approached this challenge in two ways:

A ) Randomized Build Cards: Players are dealt “build cards,” each offering different shapes and challenges to keep gameplay dynamic and unpredictable.

B ) Environmental Obstacles: Along the path, various obstacles force players to make more complex and tactical decisions about their routes.

Narratively, the game took on a surreal, Greek-myth-inspired aesthetic. While brainstorming ideas around scaling and climbing, my thoughts drifted from mountain goats to satyrs and finally to the mythical figure Pan. This evolved into a world steeped in mythological mystery. I leaned into this aesthetic with plugins, heavy post-processing effects, and stylized visuals. However, in hindsight, the visuals may have been pushed a little too far, resulting in a cluttered look at times.

The IK (Inverse Kinematics) leg animations stood out as a highlight, adding fluidity and an organic feel to the character controller. This allowed the game’s goat-like character to feel alive and responsive without compromising gameplay.

Overall, Flickerbound was a good learning experience, even if its ambitious scope led to some bugs and design shortcomings. The transition to 3D significantly expanded the game’s complexity, which in turn strained the limited time frame of the jam.

Key Features

• Card-Based Building: The core mechanic, enabling players to build their path with satisfying flexibility. However, limited development time resulted in occasional errors with platform placement and a lack of variety in available builds.
• Responsive 3D Platforming: Featuring refined jump and dash mechanics, the platforming felt tight but was sometimes at odds with the forward-facing endless runner camera, which restricted precision.
• Fully 3D Character with IK: Despite challenges in Blender, the 3D character and its animations turned out to be the most polished aspect of the game, adding an impressive layer of polish and personality.
• Greek Mythological Aesthetic: The unique visuals brought a mysterious and otherworldly feel to the game. However, the endless runner mechanics sometimes clashed with the thematic depth of the setting.