Express: Polar
Runaway in the Train.
Game Specifications
| Catagory | Description |
|---|---|
| My Role | Solo Developer |
| Game Engine | Unreal Engine 5.1 (UE5) |
| Number of Players | 1-2 Player(s) |
| Genre | Speed Based, Intense Rythem Game, Multiplayer, Minigame |
| Online Subsystem | Epic Online Services (EOS) |
Express: Polar Gameplay Trailer
This is a gameplay demo video.
Bringing a Train to Life
Express Polar's hook was giving a multiplayer experience while combining the genres "Rhythm Game" and "Speed Running Game," resulting in an exhilarating fusion of music and competition. This unique blend allowed players to challenge their reflexes and coordination. Join me on this journey as I dive into the creative process, technical challenges, and design decisions that brought Express Polar to life in my portfolio.
How do I plan randomness?
In Express: Polar, I aimed to craft a distinct and engaging experience for every playthrough, all while adhering to the fundamental concept of speedrunning. To strike the right balance between challenge and predictability, a hallmark of speedrunning games, I employed several key strategies.
First and foremost, I leveraged template train assets, dynamically loading them in a cardinal direction. This approach eliminated any randomness that would lead to frustrating backtracking, enabling players to maintain a consistent sense of direction throughout their runs. To inject excitement and opportunities for skill expression, I introduced occasional turns in the game's path.
1. Talking Quick Time Events
Players often find it challenging to fully customize their gaming experience and adjust the difficulty level to their liking in the existing game.
To solved this problem by developing the C++ "Train Generator" that offers enhanced player agency. With this feature, players can tailor the difficulty level to their preference by customizing various aspects of the game. For example, in more challenging settings, the relentless train conductor's speed increases as time elapses, and the number of train segments grows. Additionally, the difficulty rating directly influences the frequency of turns encountered during gameplay, providing a dynamic and adaptable gaming experience that caters to individual player preferences.
2. Better Together
I wanted to strengthen the bonds with my friends through video games, and I realized that for this game, it needed to be cooperative. So I implemented the EOS SDK (Epic Online Services Software Development Kit) using “Buckets” to control different playable lobbies, enabling players to start the game together and collaborate to reach the end of the train. Additionally, I made this project templatable, allowing me to easily incorporate the static EOS files I created for this project into future games, instantly making them multiplayer-enabled.
3. Rythem Minigame
At times, train conductors interrupt your journey, necessitating participation in a Disney Sing-A-Long-inspired minigame. However, this minigame was initially limited to certain screen sizes, leading to an inconsistent user experience. To address this issue, I undertook two key initiatives. Firstly, I implemented precise calculations to dynamically reposition the bouncing ball above the text, ensuring compatibility with various screen sizes. Secondly, I introduced backend systems that accurately gauge your performance, measuring how closely you match the conductor's tempo. This solution enhances the minigame's accessibility and consistency across different devices, creating a more engaging user experience.
