We’ve had a number of internal discussions over which direction to take our game. After several weeks struggling to find the right design—not just on per level basis but also the environment and world itself—we decided to step back and, as the saying goes, see the forest for the trees.
Game design can be a tricky thing; full of stop-starts, negotiations, adjustments, and moments that lead right back to the drawing board. One has to balance various concerns and make hard decisions. And often enough that is good, because the chaos eventually gives way to progress.
Primarily, we wanted to make a game that is an ode to Marble Madness, but we also wanted to give it a modern spin. So, drawing on some inspiration from Lara Croft GO, we finally settled on a look and gameplay style.
Instead of a grid, we went with a checkered floor, bringing the feel of Marble Madness while providing an impression of speed when the ball rolls along. And to give life into the area, we added some bloom, glowing lights on the totems, and some colorful décor into the environment.
The design is still a work in progress and there’s yet a lot left to do. While the technical artist continue to work on the look of the game, the developers build the core game mechanics. Currently we’re finalizing the ball controls, which we plan to include several new features not in the original Marble Madness. For instance, we plan on adding controller buttons for instant braking, jumping, and zero friction.
So there we have it—a new look and direction to follow. Stay tuned for next week’s update where we’ll hear about more exciting developments!
