MakerKing

I enjoy solving puzzles in games, such as triggering switches to progress; I don’t like jumping challenges, because I never manage to clear them.

Firstly, the Atom character has basic movement abilities: moving left, right and jumping upwards, with the direction determined by the terrain and level layout.

Utilising the properties of power-ups can help you complete the level. For example, a mushroom power-up allows you to jump higher, whilst an air current lets you drift to places you cannot reach by jumping.

There is also interaction with power-ups, such as using a switch to control machinery, picking up an umbrella to utilise an air current, or picking up a key to open a door.

You must visually identify dangers within the level and avoid lethal obstacles; for instance, you must not touch spikes, and you cannot pass through areas with electric currents.

Finally, you must judge distance and timing. For instance, if you need to jump over spikes but the path lies between two spikes, you cannot jump too far – this requires precise control. Timing refers to situations such as fans that switch on and off alternately; when one is on, the other is off, so you must act at the right moment. All of these demand precision.

My idea was to have the player jump back and forth—jumping up to the left and up to the right—but with spikes placed in the middle of the jumping platforms, requiring precise distance control.

When creating levels in the game editor, I had to consider how to position props logically so that players could progress smoothly. The most memorable part was when I designed a two-tiered level, but the lower tier would bump into the blocks above when jumping, preventing the player from reaching the target distance and completing the level normally. I had to go back and forth revising this section many times. Also, I wanted players to experience the power-ups more fully rather than deliberately making things difficult for them, so I designed levels with a variety of types that could still be completed with ease.

I believe my levels should cultivate players’ interaction with props and their sense of precision, as the game features numerous ‘hazards’. Players need to control their running distance and speed, as well as their jumping distance, to avoid these dangers. At the same time, in some areas where hazards must be avoided, I’ve placed props such as ‘fans’, alongside ‘umbrellas’. Players need to pick up the umbrella and use the airflow to dodge the danger. The same principle applies to the electrical switches.

The feedback I’ve received suggests that my game is rather simple. Although my original intention was to let players experience the items more fully, I did indeed overlook the players’ desire for a more challenging experience. Therefore, if I were to improve upon the original design, I would introduce more modes that require precision. Also, when players use items, perhaps I could place them further away, making them harder to reach?