New Game - Chowder Rump-a-Thump
Chowder is a new show that will air on Cartoon Network in a couple of months. Chowder is a little kid who lives in a fantastical world and wants to be a chef.
Chowder Rump-a-Thump
Kernal of Idea
I thought it would be funny if Chowder prepared food by strapping tools to his butt and jumping on stuff. I got the idea in my head it would be interesting to have a cut tool and attempt to cut right in the center of items. The more to the center you cut the more points you get. I told Noel, our animator, about this. He drew an awesome concept sketch so then I was totally confident in the idea.
Developed Idea
With this game I wanted to take a familiar mechanic and add a bit to it. We make games for kids so I want to keep it simple and familiar but I also want to do something new. So I took the common mechanic of the butt-bounce (double-jump style) and added the layers of horizontal accuracy (cut things in half), vertical accuracy (butt-bounce from max height) and timing (hit food at certain time or release interaction at certain time).
Design Details
3 different tools you can strap to your butt: cut, pound and stir. Use the tools to cut food in half, pound it flat, pound at a certain time and stir for a certain time. All food items have 3 steps of achivement (i.e. how close to the center you cut, etc.).
2 step items in later levels (you have to use to stir tools to unscrew a shell and then pound or cut) to add some variety.
Each level is a "dish" that requires a certain number of food items. These required foods items can be different each time though they always equal the same amount of points. This way the game is always different.
The player plays a short game (15-20 minutes) and receives a star chef ranking. Play again to try to be a 5-star chef.
Result
The team did an amazing job. Art, programming and sound were so well done. Our new artist and game designer did a great. While GDD was done and very detailed, I was out with my injury during most of development. I could review stuff from home and when I got back the game was in a good place. Luckily we got extra time to polish things up. I am super ahppy with the game.
My High Score
22200
Chowder Rump-a-Thump
Kernal of Idea
I thought it would be funny if Chowder prepared food by strapping tools to his butt and jumping on stuff. I got the idea in my head it would be interesting to have a cut tool and attempt to cut right in the center of items. The more to the center you cut the more points you get. I told Noel, our animator, about this. He drew an awesome concept sketch so then I was totally confident in the idea.
Developed Idea
With this game I wanted to take a familiar mechanic and add a bit to it. We make games for kids so I want to keep it simple and familiar but I also want to do something new. So I took the common mechanic of the butt-bounce (double-jump style) and added the layers of horizontal accuracy (cut things in half), vertical accuracy (butt-bounce from max height) and timing (hit food at certain time or release interaction at certain time).
Design Details
3 different tools you can strap to your butt: cut, pound and stir. Use the tools to cut food in half, pound it flat, pound at a certain time and stir for a certain time. All food items have 3 steps of achivement (i.e. how close to the center you cut, etc.).
2 step items in later levels (you have to use to stir tools to unscrew a shell and then pound or cut) to add some variety.
Each level is a "dish" that requires a certain number of food items. These required foods items can be different each time though they always equal the same amount of points. This way the game is always different.
The player plays a short game (15-20 minutes) and receives a star chef ranking. Play again to try to be a 5-star chef.
Result
The team did an amazing job. Art, programming and sound were so well done. Our new artist and game designer did a great. While GDD was done and very detailed, I was out with my injury during most of development. I could review stuff from home and when I got back the game was in a good place. Luckily we got extra time to polish things up. I am super ahppy with the game.
My High Score
22200
posted by Brad Merritt at 9:23 AM
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