GAMES DEVELOPMENT / FINAL PROJECT

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CHIAH CAI JUN 0365352

Bachelor of Interactive Spatial Design / Taylor's University

Games Development / Sept 2025

Week 04 - Week 14

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Individual Tasks: 

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GROUP TASKS: GAME DESIGN DOCUMENT

Instructions
In this assignment, we are required to develop 2 Game Design Documents in groups. The games can be either the extended ideation from the individual tasks, which required each of us to propose a simple game idea, or a totally new game proposal. The game design document should be a detailed proposal that shows how we plan a game and describes the necessary game details, such as game assets, action events, progression, illustration, music, sound and interface. 

Development Stage
After Ron introduces the assignment brief, we immediately form groups and discuss some game ideas that we wish to propose. From the group discussion, we decided to extend the game ideas from our groupmates instead of developing 2 new games. Forsaken (Chinese horror escape) from Bryan and Bubble Dash (underwater running game) from me were chosen as the two game concepts that will be further expanded. In a group of 8, we were distributed into 2 small groups and started to work on it.

As the leader of Bubble Dash GDD, I took the role of distributing tasks among members. I focused more on the gameplay, game assets, action events, progression, illustrations and interface of the game, explaining the detailed flow of how the game will start from the very beginning, with different difficulty levels. By structuring the progression clearly and aligning the mechanics, visuals, and challenges with the core narrative, I was able to ensure that each stage builds logically on the previous one. This helped the team maintain a cohesive vision while developing individual components, and ensured that the final game concept feels immersive, balanced, and well-organised.

Figure 1 Forsaken & Bubble Dash Game Design Document

Reflection
Through the development of Bubble Dash GDD, I learned how important clear structure and communication are in game design, especially when working in a team. As the leader of the GDD, I gained experience in breaking down a large concept into manageable systems such as gameplay mechanics, progression, assets, and interface, while ensuring they all support a single narrative and design vision. I also learned that difficulty progression is not only about making the game harder, but about carefully adjusting mechanics, level design, hazards, and player feedback to create a balanced and engaging experience.

This assignment helped me better understand how visual design, environment storytelling, and gameplay systems must work together. Designing assets was not only about aesthetics, but about how each element communicates function, danger, or guidance to the player. I also developed stronger skills in documenting ideas clearly, using diagrams, references and structured explanations so that others could understand and build from the concept without confusion.

Moving forward into the final game development stage, even though I might be working on a different game, I can continue applying these skills by planning gameplay systems early, defining clear progression rules, and maintaining consistency between mechanics, visuals, and user experience. Overall, the experience from Bubble Dash has strengthened my foundation in game design thinking and will directly influence how I approach future interactive projects.

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FINAL PROJECT: STILL HOLLOW

Instructions & Introduction
In this assignment, we are required to develop a game based on the chosen Game Design Document using Godot Engine. The game should be fully functional and playable, while avoiding networked multiplayer game mechanics to prevent complexity. The game can be adopted in any visual style (3D assets in Blender or 2D assets in pixel art/HD art style).

After careful consideration, I decided to choose Still Hollow as the game that I wish to develop in the final project. Still Hollow is a stealth puzzle-platformer set in a dying forest where sound is both a tool and a threat. Players play as a small maintenance robot tasked with restoring a broken radio tower, one signal at a time. Every interaction towards objects and debris creates noise and the forest is listening.

Move carefully, manage movements to avoid shadowy creatures drawn to noise. As lost signals are restored, the world slowly comes back to life, transforming silence into hope. With minimalist visuals, atmospheric sound design and tension driven by stealth, Still Hollow offers a quiet yet haunting exploration of balance, decay and rediscovery.

Key features of the game:
  • Noise Dampener: Temporarily creates a field of silence, allowing players to cross noisy surfaces without attracting enemies.
  • Sound Meter: Visually tracks the noise you generate in real time. Every interaction matters; push the meter too far and monsters will awaken.
  • Energy Cell: Collectable resources required to restore broken transmitters and repair the radio tower. Each cell brings the world one step closer to life.
Figure 2.1 Still Hollow Game Design Document

Character Design
As soon as we formed a group, we started to distribute roles among the group members. I took the role in redesigning the game character and developing the character spritesheet in order to animate it in the game later on. As we are more into 2D-HD art style, I used Adobe Illustrator to draw the character. It's actually my second time using Illustrator to draw, and I almost forgotten how to use it. I watched YouTube tutorials and played around with the tools before designing to familiarise myself with the workspace.

Before starting to draw, I referred to the moodboard that the previous Still Hollow GDD team developed to gain some basic ideas on the game character, which is the robot's form. Since the game environment is being set in the forest, I also did my research on animals living in the forest to decide which animal form I could inspire from. Finally, I chose bear as my inspired animal because it has soft paws that reduce sound when hunting, which matches the robot's characteristics when the dampener is activated (similar concept, to reduce sound produced when passing by some areas).
Figure 2.2 Character Drawing Guidelines (without Dampener)

Figure 2.3 Character Drawing Guidelines (with Dampener)

I documented my character research and design process with some descriptions explaining my exploration and working progression in the slides below, which include:
  • Why bear as a chosen animal for our character robotic form
  • Moodboard & Inspiration
  • Bear Paw Detailed Research
  • Transformation from Bear Paw to Dampener
  • Early Sketches & Form Extraction
  • Drawing Guidelines & Colour Palette
  • Character Close-up Look
  • Design Process Screenshots
  • Character Spritesheet
Figure 2.3 Still Hollow Character Research & Design Progression Slides

Game Visuals
*Click here to play our game. Enjoy It !!!

Figure 2.4 Still Hollow Landing Page

Figure 2.5 Tutorials & Guidelines

Figure 2.6 Character Climbing Stairs

Figure 2.7 Dampener Activated

Figure 2.8 Remarks guiding players to pull the lever

Figure 2.9 Character Climbing Radio Tower

Figure 2.10 Achievement Page

Figure 2.11 Credits

Figure 2.12 Shut Down Game (exit)

Hyperlinks

Reflection
Developing the Robot Bear character in Still Hollow taught me that meaningful game design comes from bridging biological research with technical application. Initially, I focused on the visual appeal, but analysing the anatomy of a real bear paw, specifically how its fat pads and wide, flat surface area silence heavy steps, gave me the functional logic I needed: replacing organic tissue with mechanical bellows similar to a foot pump. 

Besides, I transformed my workflow in Illustrator, where I moved beyond simple drawing to vector shapes that visually communicate character movement frames across my spritesheets. By translating the bear’s natural stealth into the folded structure of the dampeners, I was able to evolve my character from a simple mascot into a grounded, mechanically believable "heavy stealth" unit, proving that understanding the "why" behind a design is just as vital as mastering the digital tools used to create it.

My other teammates took the lead on designing the game environment assets, UI, and coding, effectively making the initial proposal written in the game design document come alive. By having teamwork that united our different specialisms, we were able to ensure that the visual elements and technical systems functioned in harmony rather than in isolation. I am glad to work with them, as it was this shared dedication to our collective vision that truly transformed our concepts into a cohesive, playable reality!

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