Product Release - Game Maker v9
The Sandbox - November 2023
As part of the Product Team as a newly appointed Gameplay Product Owner, I designed and oversaw production of new key features for our game engine. This also involved meeting and assessing needs from different stakeholders, creators and community, designing the specs in coordination with the tech department, and supervising implementation. Leading a team of 15 people, we introduced several new features with immediate reception by creators.
Gameplay
When I took on the role of Product Owner, my main goal was to enhance the existing gameplay of our system while improving upon existing ones, adding functionalities and pushing the quality of our product. Here are some examples:
Advanced Platform
A platform that can be set to different consecutive waypoints, with customizable distances and speed. For this to work we had to particularly work on avatar dragging and movement while on the platform, in collaboration with 3Cs devs.
Travel Systems
In this version I focused on better transport systems inside an experience. We developed two unique ways to travel and return to certain areas through the use of the Teleport and Checkpoint Systems. Both can return the player to a specific place within the level through a dedicated UI.
The Teleport system takes an avatar from one place to another. The Checkpoints restores a position after death.
Buff and Debuff System
In collaboration with the 3C team, we worked on implementation of five different types of Buffs that can grant players advantages while playing. These are Speed, Damage Resistance, Attack, Oxygen (along with an oxygen system that works on underwater terrains) and Health. It is possible to either increase or decrease the percentages of each stat through messages.
Along with this system we also introduced a Power Up component to tie them together, where a collectable item might grant you these effects. Each one comes with its own VFX.
And many more! Watch the full list of released features for gameplay:
