CINNAROLL REVERSAL
ROLE
Gameplay Designer
DESCRIPTION
Cinnaroll Reversal is a game made for the GMTK Game Jam 2023 this July. The theme of the jam was "Rolls Reversed" and so we took that theme literally, with cinnamon rolls that reverse, allowing you to have a greater control over the level and giving a unique way to progress in a platformer. This was our first jam and we managed to get into the top 12% of nearly 7000 submissions.
DESIGN
The theme for the jam was "Role Reversal". So we took that in the literal sense with cinnamon roles that can spin in reverse at the press of a button. We use this mechanic to make interesting interactive levels that require quick thinking in order to progress. This core mechanic also allows for tons of innovation for new ideas. Some of which we explored in our future levels.
The biggest problem with converting to virtual reality is the raw feedback that smashing or hitting something gives. Haptic feedbacks in a controller can only do so much and a lot of the satisfaction comes from doing it with your own bare hands. We can subsidize this by doing the best we can to properly immerse the player in the experience. If they believe that they are there, their brain will do most of the work for the actual physical feedback. This can be done through making sure things look how they should in the real world. Making sure hands line up correctly when holding a tool/weapon, objects crash and break in realistic ways following the laws of physics that we understand. We can take some creative liberties, but keeping the player immersed is the #1 goal.
The advantage that we have in virtual reality is that in theory, our imagination is the limit. You aren't held back by being unable to source an ancient battle axe or unable to make a profit from letting people destroy things on the moon. The freedom players will have by being able to choose what they want to destroy, with whichever weapon they choose, wherever in the universe they want, is the true strength of the medium.
In it's current state, the game has a very solid framework built around it. Given that these projects were made in only a couple months while also balancing other classes, not much time was able to be allocated. If I were to continue on this project, expanding would be my goal. Adding a larger variety of weapons, as well as creating a ton of different environments for the player to choose from would be top priority. Adding a large selection of music varying from multiple genres is also something very important to me. Music can vastly effect our mood and playing a game like this with the correct music in the background is a near essential thing that must be included.
DESIGN
Rage rooms in real life give people an opportunity that they regularly wouldn't be able to do in their typical daily lives without repercussions, destroy things. The purpose of this is that it's an effective way to get out any pent up frustrations that one might accumulate through the stress of their regular lives. Some of the challenges and advantages of transferring that experience into virtual reality will be discussed here.
The biggest problem with converting to virtual reality is the raw feedback that smashing or hitting something gives. Haptic feedbacks in a controller can only do so much and a lot of the satisfaction comes from doing it with your own bare hands. We can subsidize this by doing the best we can to properly immerse the player in the experience. If they believe that they are there, their brain will do most of the work for the actual physical feedback. This can be done through making sure things look how they should in the real world. Making sure hands line up correctly when holding a tool/weapon, objects crash and break in realistic ways following the laws of physics that we understand. We can take some creative liberties, but keeping the player immersed is the #1 goal.
