Content

  • Concept

    As this project was created for the Brackeys game jam 2024.1 "What's Behind the Door?" I had two goals for this game. Make it as polished as I possibly could in one week and learn how to maintain proper project architecture while expanding a game. I prototyped two different ideas but settled on this final one because I knew I could deliver a polished experience within the given timeframe.

  • Challenges

    The main challenge was obviously set by the strict timeframe of the jam. At first, I wanted to do multiple levels, each increasing in difficulty and slowly introducing new gameplay concepts one by one. After the first two levels were completed, I decided to scrap that idea and instead concentrate on making a single level with more defined puzzles.

  • What I learned

    I learned the importance of good project planning and how much of a difference a strict deadline makes. I was also able to maintain an organized and clean architecture regarding the code and also the project structure inside of Unity. On a technical level, I also learned a lot about how to properly set up and handle audio and scene switching (although it's barely used in the final version).

Itch.io

Puzzles

To craft an engaging game within a tight timeframe, I opted to add some randomness to key systems to enhance replayability. I began by focusing on the placement of keys, aligning it with the theme of "What's behind the door?"

However, due to time constraints, I couldn't implement randomization for the other puzzles. Regrettably, I had to hard code them to minimize the need for extensive playtesting and bug fixing. While I felt a bit disappointed initially, in hindsight, it was definitely the right call.

Game feel

From the beginning, I made the polish of the game a top priority. I understood the importance of game feel, especially in a game jam, as many developers tend to overlook this aspect, making polished games stand out even more. I aimed not just to create a vertical slice or prototype but to complete a project from start to finish within the given timeframe.

To achieve this, I ensured that nearly everything in the game was interactable: lights, doors, closets, drawers, even the toilet and washing machine. This approach aimed to immerse players and create a sense that potential hidden objects could be found anywhere.

Next, I added sounds to every interaction to heighten immersion and elevate the overall polish of the game. The attention to detail in this aspect garnered positive feedback from players, confirming that the effort was worthwhile.

Finally, I made adjustments to audio settings and mouse sensitivity to optimize the player experience. Setting audio levels to 50% upon first launch and providing a medium mouse sensitivity aimed to cater to the majority of players, minimizing the need for manual adjustments in the settings menu.