Author: Tyler N Roman

 
The central idea of my project is that puzzles and problem solving are immensely helpful in developing the areas of critical thinking and planning and through the medium of video games there a myriad of ways to reiterate and improve upon this idea. My project then, t works with the successful ideas and missed opportunities of the past in order to create a new, diverse, video-game experience that is intuitive and time-tested and geared towards a larger audience due to its aesthetics, quality, and nostalgia while at the same time working to create a puzzle-solving experience that is complex, unique, and variable to truly get the most out of each level and each puzzle.
The project works well with younger audiences as the 2D-indie aspect of the game has been rising throughout the years with games such as Stardew Valley, and Undertale. While at the same time, the inspiration of the game, rooted in classic games such as Super Mario Bros, Kirby, and Pokemon, makes it reminiscent and connectable to a slightly older audience. Finally, while the game will increase in puzzle difficulty, the set up and formulation of the levels creates a learning curve suitable for a larger audience. The basics of computer gameplay are slowly introduced and retested in each level and the mechanics of the split and segmented into small, manageable segments to allow those unfamiliar and familiar with games to slowly adapt and make sure they have the controls down before moving on to more the game’s unique features.
An unexpected discovery over the course of this project that continues to make me think is the sheer complexity this game can achieve. In simple terms it’s a math problem, which I admit has never been my strong suit. There are 4 kinds of “main” slimes, of which only one can exist at any given time: null, fire, water, and grass (NFWG). There also “big” variations for each one so now there are 8 kinds of slimes. Then there are the follower slimes that are created when a “big” slime splits, 4 kinds of those as they too can gain elements and 4 more “big” ones too. That’s 16 kinds of slimes. A non-follower slime can use a follower of any kind as a platform to reach new locations so that’s 12 different interactions (1 for each kind minus the 3 other non-follower slimes), but then each kind of non-follower slime (FWG) has those same interactions for a total of 48 different kinds. But then a follower can become big and split into two followers instead of one non-follower and one follower, so then followers will be able to interact with other followers as well as the 4 non-follower slimes so 16 different interactions(can interact with another follower of the same exact kind)/each kind of follower slime for a grand total of 128 more interactions (8 kinds of followers x 16 slime varieties). That’s 176 different interactions with only 4 kinds of slimes to begin with. For every element, every kind of slime that gets added the number of interactions increases at an almost exponential rate and though that is exactly what this project sought to do, that idea will never cease to amaze, that there already so many interactions to be had and coded and yet each new addition adds so much more, the sheer possibility for complexity and ingenuity, something that is really exciting, surprising, and rewarding as it matches and exceeds my own expectations.
In terms of larger significance then, the previous exploration of this first prototype of complexity should make it abundantly clearer why this project works. The goal is to create an experience that weans non-gamers into video games, non-puzzlers into puzzles, puzzlers into video games, gamers into puzzles, and so on and so forth. That the gameplay should start off so accessible and simple and then slowly move forward to such complexity works perfectly when it comes to new and unique levels and puzzles, each different from the last, and working to make its audience think and plan more. To strategize and see what every level contains, before putting a plan to work. Having so many potential current and future interactions means that there will be enough similarity between levels so that the audience gains a better awareness of what to do, but also different enough so they are constantly being challenged as numerous different interaction intermingle to make a truly complex, captivating, and rewarding experience.