Arcade Shooter
Arcade Shooter is a third-person, top-down shooter prototype developed at the University of the Witwatersrand. Inspired by the theme of growth as a negative experience, the game reframes progress as something fragile and easily disrupted by escalating problems.
The player must balance fast-paced combat with system repair, creating constant tension between staying safe and making progress. The game is intended to simulate the frustration and distraction of dealing with problems, utilizing an arcade-like atmosphere supported by music, visual effects, and animations to communicate the game state.
Year:
2019
Collaborators:
Rugare Ponde
Industry:
Game Design & Development
Role:
Level designer, Interaction designer & Game Developer
Client:
University of the Witwatersrand
Project Duration:
3-4 weeks
Problem
How do you translate the frustration of growth (distractions, pressure, and lost time) into interactive gameplay?
Solution
I designed a multitasking gameplay loop where progress and survival compete for the player’s attention.
Players stand on a moving progression platform to repair the system.
At the same time, they must defend three critical zones from virus-like enemies.
Enemies grow, divide, and multiply if ignored, increasing pressure over time.
Damaged zones slow overall progress, forcing constant prioritization.
Growth becomes the threat rather than the reward.
Core Mechanics
Movement & Combat: WASD movement with mouse-aimed shooting for fast, precise control
Dynamic Objectives: A moving progression platform forces constant repositioning.
Enemy Behaviour: Viruses grow stronger and multiply if left unchecked.
Repair System: Players can restore damaged zones if they act before total failure.
Living Environment: Moving walls and shifting obstacles disrupt player strategies.
Challenge
Several design challenges shaped the final experience:
Balancing difficulty: Early versions were either overwhelming or too predictable.
UI clarity: Progress bars and collision feedback were refined for better readability.
Player communication: Visual effects, sound cues, and text were added to better explain enemy behaviour and system states.
Process
The project evolved through multiple iterations:
1. Prototype: Tested movement and shooting fundamentals
2. Iteration 1: Defined rules, objectives, and win conditions.
3. Iteration 2: Focused on level design and environmental pressure.
4. Iteration 3: Improved game feel, added repair mechanics, and reduced over-pressure.
Playtesting feedback guided balancing and clarity improvements throughout development.
Tools Stack
Outcome & Learnings
The final prototype delivers a cohesive arcade experience that uses motion, sound, and visual feedback to communicate pressure and urgency.
Key takeaways:
Strong interaction between combat, movement, and progression systems.
Improved technical execution of enemy growth and multiplication mechanics.
Recognition that complexity required better onboarding, such as a tutorial level.
This project was a valuable learning experience in translating abstract emotional themes into functional gameplay systems.
