C# Gameplay Programmer
Rogue-like Mechanics
A core part of the game were it's per-level rogue-like upgrade mechanics. I was responsible for implementing a system that allowed designers to quickly implement and test ideas for many different upgrade types. Each upgrade was able to synergize with every other, requiring a robust backend system.
Enemy Behaviours
As the player progressed through the game and selected more upgrades, the enemies they fought needed to get more complex as well. I was responsible for developing the AI behaviours for these enemies. Their behaviours could range from simply acting as a shield to firing lasers, homing missiles and exploding on death.
Wave Spawning
Another core aspect of the game was it's roots in arcade shoot-em-ups. To capture the feeling of those games, each wave in a level was given bespoke spawning functionality. This functionality was developed into a designer-friendly tool that allowed the creation of many spawning patterns.
The spawning patterns themselves had various types; from simply moving into position from offscreen, to spiralling in, to following specific paths through the screen.
UI & Menus
I was also responsible for implementing functionality for the various UI and menus within the game. These were fairly simple throughout, with the most notable menu being the level select screen. This screen showed the player's progression throughout the game and allowed for manual and automatic scrolling as they completed levels.
'Chomp' Mechanic
The 'Chomp' mechanic was the game's standout feature that helped tie it to Colossatron's core identity. I designed, developed and iterated on this mechanic for a long time. The core concept is simple, as the player destroys enemies they build up a charge meter visible on Colossatron's spine. When full, they were able to expend that charge to become invincible and zip across the screen, destroy any enemy the chomp connected with.
In essence this mechanic acts as a bomb to clear the screen of enemies. To really give it that 'chomp' flavour I iterated heavily on the visuals and game feel. The end result feels more impactful than simply clearing the screen, while giving the player an increased feeling of power whenever they trigger it.