Game Design For Ghost Maze

Joined the the godot wild jam 52 for the second time

Decided that this time, I will take what I learned in my previous projects and apply them here.

Will actually focus on game design and not add something too complicated.

Had an idea where you're trying to escape a maze, but with limited vision, after thinking some time on how to add the theme, I thought

of pac-man.

Made a basic maze using the tileset from 0x72 on itch.io. Then added canvas modulate then dark it down. I did this because it would severely limit

the players vision. Usually looking at the maze from the top down makes it easy to navigate, but with the limited vision

it makes traveling through a bit more difficult.

Changed the camera zoom level to be more far out to see more darkness.

If the camera was close, it would look like you have a lot of vision to see, however, making the camera zoom out forces the

player to remind themselves that there is darkness, in there, is a ghost that is chasing them. Always looming in the players

mind as they navigate through the maze.

Made Blinky. Translucent and goes through walls, it's a ghost. Simply make it follow the player

Since the only way to see is the light on you, I made a flicker function where the light would randomly decide to turn off

at random interval, causing the players to go blind. Made sure the not make it too often on will make certain players dizzy.

Remembered that in some movies with flickering lights that, on lights on, the ghost suddenly appeared. So I added that

capability to Blinky as well.

Not to often, less the magic disappears but often enough to scare you.

As for Blinky, made it's movement speed to be your movement speed but just a little bit less so that
it can catch up to you if you ever stop. Made it make a sound where it is near.

it seems it would be boring that it would only follow directly, since the player would naturally assume he is

in the back, as such, I made it when the player goes too far, Blinky would update his global position in random radius to

the player. Now when you think you outran him, there is a chance for him to suddenly appear on your front and you have

to go the other way and I think that's pretty scary when it happens

Spikes are added to make you stop moving temporarily so the ghost can catch up. You can take the chance to take damage instead.

Made sure that you can take around 7 spike hits before you die.

Speaking of which, made the health equal to your total saturation. I wanted to reduce the amount of ui the player is seeing,

to be more immersed. It looks good, especially with the spikes burst of damage.

After a few play test to feel the atmosphere, it was quite a bad feeling if the players only way to get out is to
randomly guess where it is. I like it initially since that sense of confusion is great for immersion, but not for too long
less they get annoyed and quit instead. Made signs with dialogic(great addon) to know where to go and a landmark to orient yourself in the maze.

Decided that the landmark is another ghost. Also wanted to add a auditory sense to itso I made the ghost cry. So when the player

hears the ghost cry, they know they're near. Like the witch in left 4 dead. Named the ghost Inky

Add lights to all signs, Inky and the exit so the player can be interested with them.

Add cool effects to the menu and start.

And that's the game design for Ghost Maze. I hope you can enjoy it.