Shadow
A visually illusion puzzle action platformer game based on contradicting space
01 /项目介绍 Introduction
Shadow是一款以黑白矛盾空间为核心机制的平台跳跃类游戏。玩家通过从黑白矛盾空间中进行切换，以及合理地利用每个章节和关卡的技能，躲避怪物障碍或开启机关，选择合理的路线到达终点。在项目中我作为唯一的设计师，负责核心机制设计及4个章节及32关卡的关卡设计。Shadow获得2014年微软创新杯中国区游戏组一等奖。现更名为《时空旅途》，获得Google Play的全球推荐。
Shadow is an adventurous and puzzle game, aiming to help people cultivate a new way of thinking. In this game, players need to constantly shift their perspectives on the barriers and passages based on the mechanic of the game, black and white terrains reversing, in order to find the right ways to destinations. Apart from good judgment on terrains, players also need to choose the opportune moments to move, as well as to avoid monsters and other obstacles.Shadow Recieved the First prize in the Microsoft Imagine Cup in Games, China.
职责
主游戏设计师
Lead Game Designer时间
2013.08 - 2014.03
《Shadow》的YouTube简介（需要vpn翻墙）
1 / 设计概念 Design Concept
矛盾空间
受埃舍尔和他的视错觉绘画艺术的影响，我们决定以矛盾空间作为游戏的核心机制。玩家能在黑白两个矛盾空间切换，将障碍和通路互相转换，从而打开不同的道路。通过不同的视角能看到不同的空间，以此也希望给玩家一种“换一种视角，换一个世界”的感受。
Inspired by M. C. Escher and his illusion art works, we were thinking of creating parallel universes that can be changed into each other from different perspectives in our game. By desinging this mechanics, we wanted players have a feeling of "another sight, another world".
冒险元素
为了增加游戏的趣味性和紧张感，我们也设计了各种各样的怪物、障碍物和机关。
We introduced thorns, monsters, lightning, switch and blockage to excite players, making it more entertaining and engaging.
2 / 关卡设计 Level Design
设计简述
游戏中一共设计了4个大的章节，每个章节设计了8个关卡。基于黑白矛盾空间的基础机制，每个大的章节都引入了新的机制和技能，以核心机制作为线索给玩家带来新的变化和挑战。在游戏中，玩家需要：正确判断地形和前进路线，抓住时机行动并且巧妙利用每个章节的机制
There are 4 fantastic chapters in the game, including 8 levels in each chapter. Each chapter has a unique gameplay mechanism and chapter skill. Players are required to have spatial imagination, seize the opportunity to move and also take advantages of chapter skills
章节1:黑白空间 Chapter1: Space Reversing
玩家通过基础的黑白矛盾切换机制，找到合适的路线到达终点。
Players use basic reversing function to switch between black and white worlds to find a right way.
章节2:重力颠倒 Chapter2: Gravity Flipping
在第二章中，玩家触发了重力翻转机制后，将有10秒钟时间整个空间的重力颠倒。玩家需要利用这个机制到达终点。
Players have ten seconds to change the direction of gravity once they get reversing items.
章节3:地形改造 Chapter3: Terrain Editing
在第三章里，玩家每关都有特定改造空间地形的数量额度。通过改造地形进行铺路、阻挡敌人甚至避免伤害。
Players are able to use limited cubes to build a suitable route to destination and avoid being hurt.
章节4:幻影分身 Chapter4: Replication
在第四章里，玩家通过在合适的时机与位置召唤分身，帮助他们打开机关或合理牺牲并到达终点。
Players are able to summon a replicated self to turn on the switches or control them to areas that cannot be reached by players.
关卡设计草图
首先会在草稿纸上进行基础的关卡草图绘制，在这一步主要是构思关卡概念、大致难度及设计通路。
I sketched rudimental ideas in papers in order to conceive the original concept, control basic diffculity and design routes for players.
标准化关卡设计 Standardized Design of Game levels
其次在Excel中进行标准化的关卡设计。根据基础的单位模板（如角色跳跃高度和距离）将游戏中不同的元素进行组合设计关卡。标准化关卡设计中，通过定义每关对玩家“游戏能力”的要求，来把控关卡由易至难的节奏。
I designed game levels in Excel since square units in Excel make designing standardized levels easier. A game level is typically represented by 29*29 units in a sheet of excel. I determined the amount of units that every element takes and the positions of a variety of adventurous elements. Different elements are represented by different colors in Excel.
可持续性的关卡设计 Sustainability
为了保证关卡的可持续性，我引入了玩家自定义关卡模式，设计了一种奖励机制来鼓励玩家设计关卡并分享给其他玩家挑战。我们的游戏系统会根据每个关卡的玩家挑战记录，自动计算关卡的通过率。如果关卡的通过率越低，则玩家通过这个关卡所获的的奖励越高，同时设计者也获得更高的奖励(当然设计者本身需要先通过自己设计的关卡)；反之越高通过率的关卡，玩家挑战和设计者的奖励则越低。通过这个机制，促进玩家挑战和关卡设计的循环。
Since designing and testing a game level consumes a lot of time and energy, I need to find out a sustainable way to enlarge the amounts of game levels. I designed a mechanic, the Edit Mode, using rewards to encourage players to design their unique game levels.Players are able to share their own levels and play the levels designed by others on our game platform. Our system will automatically calculate each level’s success rate of defense based on players' records. The higher the level’s success rate of defense, the more rewards players will get once they pass the level. Vice versa, the game players who design levels with higher success rate of defense also get more rewards.
