LZR[X] E-Sports

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  LZR[X] - eSports

Inspiration

The core inspiration for LZR[X] - eSports stems from a blend of 80's futurism and the iconic aesthetics of Tron. This visual style, characterized by neon lights, geometric shapes, and a sleek, digital feel, heavily influenced the game's environment and overall atmosphere. The immersive nature of VR technology was a natural fit for this vision, aiming to transport players into a vibrant, high-energy virtual arena, however the focus was on mobile and desktop optimisation.

Initially, the concept leaned towards team sports, drawing parallels to fast-paced, competitive games like FIFA and Speedball. However, considering the unique dynamics and player engagement patterns on the Meta Horizon Worlds platform, the design pivoted to a Battle Royale format and a slant more akin to Rocket League. This shift allowed for a more dynamic and suitable gameplay experience within the platform's constraints and player preferences. The fast-paced, competitive nature of the game also played a role in shaping the game's accessibility and quick-session playability for mobile and desktop users.

What it does

LZR[X] is a high-energy Battle Royale game designed for the metaverse. It aims to transport players into a vibrant, sleek, and digital pinball-style arena, offering a fast-paced and accessible experience that offers challenging, progressive and instant replay value with plenty of competitive, shareable moments.

How we built it

The development of LZR[X] was an iterative process, focusing on core gameplay mechanics and player experience:

Initial Research and design: Extensive research was conducted into pitch and arena-based team sports to understand their flow, player roles, and competitive elements, even after the pivot to Battle Royale. Inspiration transitioned quite heavily to games like Rocket League for dynamic and intense competitive gameplay.

Aesthetic and Materials: Significant effort was invested in researching and implementing aesthetic and emission materials to achieve the desired 80's futurism/Tron-inspired visual style.

Gameplay Iteration: The feel of the game underwent continuous planning and iteration. A notable example was the transition from a "bouncy ball" mechanic to an "icy puck," which provided players with more precise control while maintaining the game's intensity and speed.

Progression and Leaderboards: A robust progression and points system was planned out, alongside the implementation of leaderboards to foster competition and long-term player engagement.

Power-ups and Testing: Various power-ups were designed and tested in isolation to assess their feasibility and impact within the Horizon Worlds environment. This included mechanics like speed boosts for players and "enemy power-downs" such as avatar scale manipulation to create dynamic gameplay shifts.

Challenges we ran into

As this is the first game I have developed for Meta Horizon Worlds, the learning journey of creating LZR[X] presented several significant challenges:

TypeScript and MHW API: Understanding and effectively applying TypeScript within the unique context of the Horizon Worlds API, navigating its specific nuances and differences from standard TypeScript environments and languages I am more familiar with.

Material Approaches in MHW: Grappling with the various approaches and complexities of materials within Horizon Worlds, which required experimentation to achieve the desired visual fidelity and performance. The Tron aesthetic was decided on after reviewing the various styles and approaches to creating materials such as MEO and BR.

Testing and Multiplayer: The inherent complexities of testing a multiplayer game as a sole developer, including coordinating friends and debugging interactions in a live environment - There is still a lot to learn.

Performance Optimisation: Continuously optimising the game's performance to ensure a smooth and responsive experience, a critical factor for the platform where frame rate directly impacts user comfort and script assignment to server or local requires thoughtful programming approaches.

Designing Meta Features and Progression: Conceptualising and implementing meta-features and progression systems that are engaging, rewarding, and align with the platform's capabilities and player expectations. These are on-going during live-ops and continuously improving.

Accomplishments that we're proud of

During the development of LZR[X], we achieved several milestones we are proud of:

Mastering Horizon Worlds Development: Gaining a comprehensive understanding of the optimal approaches and conventions for building experiences within Horizon Worlds, including understanding its development interface and streamlining workflows.

Refining Core Gameplay: Iterating on the game's feel which significantly improved player control while maintaining intensity.

Innovative Problem Solving: Adopting a "Nintendo-like" approach to embrace platform limitations as creative challenges, fostering innovative solutions within limitations.

What we learned

Developing LZR[X] provided a deep dive into the intricacies of game development within the Horizon Worlds ecosystem. Key learnings include:

Horizon Worlds Best Practices: Gaining a better understanding of the optimal approaches and conventions for building experiences within Horizon Worlds.

Interface and Processes: Mastering the Horizon Worlds development interface and streamlining the workflow for efficient creation spurring me on to create tutorial videos which I aim to find more time for as the game matures.

Quirks and Limitations: Identifying the unique characteristics and inherent limitations of the platform. Part of my philosophy is to adopt Gunpei Yokoi's (Nintendo) "lateral thinking with withered technology" approach of embracing limitations (not necessarily "withered" technology, but certainly inherent constarints) as creative challenges rather than roadblocks, fostering innovative solutions.

TypeScript: Deepening proficiency in TypeScript, which is integral to scripting within Horizon Worlds.

What's next for LZR[X] E-Sports

Moving forward, LZR[X] E-Sports will focus on continuing to refine gameplay and expand meta-features to enhance competitive play. We plan to explore further opportunities within the Horizon Worlds ecosystem to build a thriving community and integrate more advanced competitive structures, progression and events - We really want to make this the Rocket League of Meta Horizon Worlds. The goal is to continuously evolve the game, ensuring a dynamic and engaging experience for all players whilst developing new arenas and challenges.

Built With

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