Attackers Vs. Defenders

The game was made with the help of Yilin Liu

This project was an amazing experience for me as we tackled how to work in a group environment through proper communication and having a streamlined idea of what the game would be. When I pitched the idea to my partner, Yilin, they were immediately onboard and excited about making this game. The idea behind the game was to make a strategy game with very accessible controls that make the 2 players weigh out their choices and how to get an upper hand during the rounds. We also pitched this idea because it felt the best considering our time constraints(2 weeks, extended to 3) and the level of polish we aspired the game to have. 

Most of the facial expressions of our 2 characters are based on how, typically, the anime industry draws the character's faces, with unreal and funny expressions, to give the players visual stimulation(amused by the crazy faces). The body languages were made in a way to portray modern memes to exemplify the “goofiness” of the game itself and were handmade by Yilin. The game has two pairs of controls, for each player, to make the players focus more on strategy and mind-game. 

The game itself consists of 5-second rounds where the attacker has a chance to change their attack from one side to another during a round but their inputs are shown on screen, While the defender’s inputs are hidden from the screen but they can only make a singular choice in the round. This decision was made to simulate the quick thinking that players in real-life sports need to make, the attacker choosing their form of attack while the defender analyzing the attacker’s actions to make their decision.  The game loop is time-based specifically to not give the players time to start to think about their next move and lead to an urgency to make choices. We wanted players to predominantly use their impulsive and unconscious mind, System 1, rather than making super conscious decisions. This approach was adopted from Daniel Kahneman’s 2 systems of human psychology. 

After showcasing the game. We found out that there needs to be more punishment for not pressing keys in the round and that needs to be fixed, also giving better and clearer instructions for first-time players. I am so happy with how the game turned out, as it helped me understand why I chose game design and how fun even the smallest of experiences can be.

I would like to thank Megan and Jasper and their global GameJam game, Improv Night, which made me understand how fun and addicting these short games can be. Check out their game here:- https://megkendev.itch.io/improv-night