ClƩment Demaret
Level Designer
Hexaplanet
Context :
Hexaplanet is a school projet create with Unity 3D.
Genre :
Strategy Game.
Pitch :
The player must preserve the integrity of a planet,
and protect it against different threats.
Target :
Strategy game players.
Support :
Tablet.
My work for Hexaplanet
My role :
For Hexaplanet I was the graphic designer, in charge of 2D and 3D graphics, Animations ans User interface.
I have chosen an artistic direction based on the differents contraints specific to this game category.
Responsible for finding solutions for the diffenrents feedbacks, prototyping it with particles and animations. Using Shuriken particles system and Animator of Unity 5.
For my work, I have used 3DS Max, Unity, Photoshop, Illustrator and Microsoft office.
Artistic Direction :
From the very beginning we have been lucid about the challenge that represents the choice of Artsitic Direction for Strategy games.
There are 2 key words to define our choice : Clarity and Lisibility. On the top of constrains inherent to Strategy game we also had constraints from tablet support, precisely the tactil interaction and the technical containts.
UI :
There are a lot of information to give to the player. The HUD have a great importance into Hexaplanet, so I have created several icons.
Menus :
I have also created few menus for the game.
More About Hexaplanet
Reminder : Hexaplanet is a turn based Strategy game for Tablet where the player must protect a planet against different threats.
The planet is composed by a lot of tiles from 3 different environments:
- Water,
- Desert,
- Forest.
At each end of turn, some tiles will grow up on others.
This grow up is based on a Shi-Fu-Mi system.
So we have :
- Water grows up on Desert,
- Desert grows up on Forest,
- Forest grows up on Water.
(Refer to the schema on the right)
Not all the tiles will grow up at the end of the turn.
First, Only one of the 3 environments will grow up. We have called this, the "Cycle".
The current cycle is shown by the pale frame behind the corresponding icon. The number under indicate the duration of this cycle. In our exemple we are in a Water cycle and it will take 3 turn.
Secondly, only a certain amount of tiles will grow up during its cycle.
Example : If we are in a Water cycle, only 15% of water tiles will grow up at the end of the turn.
Action points :
The player have a limited number of actions allowed during a turn.
He earns 3 actions at each end of turn and may increase his actions points allowance up to 6 per tour.
Change a tile :
The player can change a tile type into another by clicking on it.
It cost one action point and is the main interaction of the player.
(Refer to the video on the right)
The black matter :
The black matter is the threat of Hexaplanet.
It falls under the planet, brouhgt by a meteor.
New black matters arrives during the game.
The black matter have a specific color which corresponds to the the type of the tile where the meteor has fallen.
The black matter will grow up at each end of turn but only on the tiles with the same type.
(Refer to the video on the left)
Defeat :
When the black matter grows up, the red circle on the top right of the screen fills in.
Whenever the circle is fully red the player loose the game.
(Refer to the video on the right)
Victory :
The player must survive to all the black matter waves and destroy all of them to win.
Tower :
The Tower is a building that the player may build.
There are 3 types of towers which correspond
to the 3 environments.
It cost 3 Action point and take 2 turns to build a tower.
Power of Towers :
Whenever a black matter reaches a tile next to a tower with the same type, this black matter is entirely cleaned up.
However, if a black matter reaches a Tower before its construction the tower is destroyed.
(Refer to the video on the left)
Strategy :
There are 3 steps to destroying a black matter :
- Identify is type,
- Build a tower with the same type,
- Lead the black matter to the tower.
How to lead the black matter :
To lead a Black matter somewhere, the player must use the mechanic of changing the type of a tile.
Since the black matter can only grow up on tiles with the same type, the player may change the type of tiles around and block the black matter.
(Refer to the video on the right)