Makerking!

This was my first experience with the game "Makerking". It's a very creative 2D game. For me, the sensitivity of the game characters was a bit too high, so players would merely touch the control keys, yet the characters would perform actions beyond expectations. And in this game, which mainly features jumps, it will cause many troubles for the players. The appealing aspect of it is that it is highly creative and free. Players can freely unleash their boundless imagination. Moreover, it has an extremely rich power system, which brings even more fun. (I really want to incorporate it into the levels I designed. I'm still learning.

In the Makerking tutorial level, multiple key skills are introduced to gradually teach players how to interact with the game. The first is the basic movement skill. When players need to explore or move forward in the level, they control the character's movement through direction input and receive feedback when the character explores the environment and reaches a new area. This is closely related to the jumping skill element. When players encounter obstacles or gaps, they press the jump button, which either leads to successfully overcoming the obstacle or results in failure and falling. This immediate feedback helps players improve their timing and control abilities.

Another important skill element is puzzle-solving ability. When players encounter blocked paths or challenges that cannot be directly passed, they must observe the environment and try different strategies to unlock new paths or solutions. This helps to cultivate logical thinking and problem-solving skills. Similarly, item interaction also plays a key role. When players obtain or encounter available items, they will appropriately select and use them, resulting in effects such as changing the terrain or activating mechanisms. This complements the decryption mechanism; for example, at the tutorial level, a large number of discs and controller interactions are required, and players need to think through how to proceed smoothly. This teaches players how to strategically utilise resources in the game.

Finally, the concept of "hidden paths or shortcuts" is introduced. When players notice unusual or subtle elements in the environment, they will explore or test these areas and will be rewarded for obtaining shortcuts or hidden rewards. This skill element stimulates players' curiosity and desire to explore. This was a new experience I discovered after finding that the character could interact with the disc (by standing on it), which greatly increased the player's sense of achievement and was a sign of expert-level distinction. 

I want to apply the "Hidden Path" skill atom to my level design. As a hardcore gamer, I believe this design can reflect a player's gaming proficiency. It is a reward for experts and encouragement for beginners. At the same time, it can greatly enhance the game's depth, making players think more about how to complete the level rather than giving up after just one playthrough.

When I was designing the first level, I didn't intend to make it a very simple game. Drawing on many recent jump-and-run games, I designed it as an upward-jumping and level-advancing game. It also includes interactive props: the interaction between the water ball and the fan (the character can be blown to a higher place when in the water ball). There are also hidden paths that allow players to hone their skills, thereby greatly enhancing their achievements and increasing the game's playability. This includes a strict penalty mechanism: if one doesn't fall before reaching the save point, one has to start from the beginning. Since it's an upward-jumping game, there aren't many platforms to catch the falling characters!

（Sorry, I couldn't find the original hand-drawn sketches at that time, so I just took a picture of the design for the first level.）