I was brought on to the Booklet team halfway through it’s development. It had been green lit to continue into a second semester by our college’s faculty, but it’s character controller needed some work. Barvos Studio’s product owner Clark gave me almost total control over that part of the game, which was a big responsibility.

My first decision on the team was to cut the character’s double jump, which it did not need as it had a glide as well fulfilling a similar role. This streamlined the character and made it easier to pick up and play. Soon after came the addition of air friction, a common feature in the genre that made platforming much less frustrating.

As for the camera system, I implemented a slew of new behaviors designed to reduce player frustration. My philosophy was that the job of a camera in a game of this genre was to: Show the player character, where it is, and where it is going. The camera now moved out of the way when backed into objects, used probes to detect obstacles to avoid clipping issues, and re-positioned itself to aid the player when platforming. To accommodate for more cramped spaces, I developed a tool for level designers to use that could change camera attributes within certain areas.

By working with my team, I was able to significantly improve the player experience and make the game accessible and fun.