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Flash or Die

My Role

For this project I was one of two designers on the Free Sheep Studio team. I was responsible for designing the tutorial level as well as levels 2 & 4. I was also responsible for creating all of the sound effects for the game.

Game Summary

Flash or Die is a 2D top down action puzzle game where players use their flashlight to ward off vampires and rescue their missing sheep.
flashordie_poster_1920x1080.png
Engine:
Unity
Platform:
Android
Development Time:
4 months
Team Size:
5 team members

Design Goals

Non-linear Progression

Most of the game is linear with the goal of the player being to collect their sheep. For the second level I wanted to deviate from this and give explorer-type players an opportunity to have discovery.

Sense of Tension

The majority of puzzles and enemy placement within the game are meant to arouse a sense of tension within the player. 

Non-linear Progression

LevelTwo.png

Using collectibles to incentivize exploration

Player's aren't forced to collect all the sheep to proceed, however, it will affect the final ending screen they receive. I intentionally moved these sheep off the critical path for exploring players to find them.

Sense of Tension

SenseofTensionOne_FoD.gif

Sheep in Danger

By placing objectives behind enemies and hazards I was able to achieve a feeling of unease within the player in my levels.
SenseofTensionTwo_FoD.gif

Initial Concept

LevelTwo_Sketch.png
Iteration
The general flow of this level remained the same from early sketches. During production, however, there were many iterations of placement for spike traps, batteries, and enemy paths.

Postmortem

What Went Well

  • The team was overall passionate and bought into the idea of the game early
  • My early designs for the second and fourth levels felt fun and introduced new mechancis that added depth
     

What Went Wrong

  • I often had lots of new ideas for the game, but was unable to implement them all in time.
  • Splitting one level between two designers often got hectic as we both began to step on one another's toes when building the level in engine.
     

What I Learned

  • How to work with a new team and execute a unique vision.
  • How to scope appropriately and improvise when things aren't working.
  • I learned a lot of new software during the development of this project such as Adobe Audition and Photoshop.

Gallery

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