Bullet Hell
Bullet Hell is a weird genre mashup of 3rd person shooter crossed with simulated flying. Utilising ricochet and speed snapping to fly a bullet around the map, you must take out an entire room of enemies with a singular shot.
This project was the initial brief of my 3rd year at university. We were randomly split into teams and were competing to win the jam which was to be judged by industry professional; Gary Napper.
My team ended up winning the game jam despite initial concerns I had due to our focus on a polished design and appropriate scope.
Development Info
Project: UCLAN Game Jam
Start Date: June 2021
Team Size: 6
Role: Group Lead, UE4 Blueprinter, Producer
Project Length: 3 Weeks
Software Used: Unreal Engine 4, Maya, Zbrush, Substance Painter/Designer, Photoshop
Role/Responsibilities
I was a little concerned seeing my team for this brief, half of the group were notorious for not showing up to class at all and would submit all of their work in the 11th hour. Nobody else on the team was willing to Blueprint to get the game working so I took it upon myself as a challenge to give up 3D modelling for this brief and get hands on making the game work.
I had to do several meetings over this 3 week period with tutors to make sure that the team was on track and to report if my team were doing what was required of them.
We created posters to hang up for the Game Jam presentations
What Went Right
I was super happy with my team’s work ethic for this game jam. Each member showed up and gave their all to make this game.
I gained a lot of confidence in making design decisions for the team while bringing the mechanics to life.
We gave the game a strong coat of polish which is what came down to us winning the game jam over the team packed with really gifted artists.
What Went Wrong
We had 2 level designers drafted into our group and both were really keen to work on this project. By the end I had to make decisions on which levels to cut as we had far too many to put into the game. This could have been handled better by me if i’d have gotten them to keep polishing a few they’d made each.
What I Learned
Not to underestimate people based on past experiences. I made sure I was communicating with my team throughout the project and we had a ton of fun doing it.
A strong design can carry your game over pretty visuals and complex mechanics. I was surprised when our team won this game jam but Gary Napper noticed the polish we’d put into the game, ultimately citing the executable icon that only we did as the deciding factor.
Taking on extra burdens can actually lighten your load during a project. Having happy team members meant that they were able to help whenever I needed it.
Main Menu
Executable Icon
