Go Back Home

Inspiration

"Our journey began with a vision to merge classic space exploration themes with intricate gameplay mechanics. Inspired by the enduring appeal of space operas and the real-world advancements in space technology, we wanted to create a game that not only entertains but also educates players about resilience and strategic planning in adverse conditions."

What it does

"'Go Back Home' is a strategy-adventure game where players step into the shoes of Evan, a skilled astronaut and scientist, tasked with saving his home planet, A-601, from a severe energy crisis. Players navigate through dangerous galaxies, face various alien creatures, and solve complex puzzles to collect essential energy crystals needed to sustain their planet."

How we built it

Our development work is mainly divided into three parts: story and plot design, UI/UX design and development, and final testing and optimization."

Part 1: Story and Plot Design (led by Yuki) Yuki was in charge of the story and plot design. After brainstorming, we decided on the characters and levels, designing four levels in total. The first three levels each last 30 seconds, while the final level is a 60-second ultimate challenge where players need to defeat the final boss to win. Each level has different monsters to increase the difficulty and make the game more engaging.

Part 2: UI Art Design and Development (Claire, Kim, and Joseph) As the main UI designer, I (Claire) took care of the overall visual design of the game, including the development of the start and end screens. I used Figma to design each screen and adjusted the monsters and key elements for different levels according to the storyline. The monsters evolve from level to level, and the background changes for each level as well. These elements were then incorporated into the start and end screens.

Kim and Joseph were in charge of the main game development. They will explain this part in more detail.

Part 3: Debugging and Optimization Finally, Yuki was responsible for adjusting the game’s difficulty and ensuring smooth gameplay. She will introduce this part for us.

Challenges we ran into

"Among the challenges were optimizing the AI for enemy encounters to make them challenging yet fair, ensuring the game ran smoothly on various devices, and creating intuitive gameplay that balances difficulty and enjoyment. Additionally, designing puzzles that are thought-provoking without being overly frustrating was a complex task."

Accomplishments that we're proud of

"We are particularly proud of the game's narrative depth and visual fidelity. Successfully integrating the storyline with the gameplay to create a cohesive and immersive experience was a significant achievement. Moreover, the positive feedback from early testers about the game's engaging mechanics and educational value has been tremendously affirming."

What we learned

"Throughout the development process, we've gained insights into advanced game design techniques, particularly in AI and interactive storytelling. We've also improved our skills in cross-functional collaboration, learning to blend art, technology, and narrative into a unified product effectively."

What's Next for Go Back Home

"Looking forward, we plan to expand the game with additional levels and story arcs, exploring further the universe we've created. We are considering developing a multiplayer mode to enhance engagement and planning to introduce VR components to provide a more immersive experience. Additionally, community-driven content and continuous updates will be pivotal in maintaining the game’s relevance and expanding its audience."

Built With

• gdscript