Hello everyone,

I'm an artist/programmer and excited to participate in IGMC 2018! Here is the idea for my entry so far.

The Maze of Mezzlarus

(working title, subject to change)

SYNOPSIS:

The Maze of Mezzlarus is a 3D first-person action-adventure game where you play as Vera Goldsmith, an involuntary contestant on a deadly game show hosted by an eccentric monster named Mezzlarus Toro. Stuck within the twisting, turning corridors of a massive maze, the player must solve puzzles, avoid traps, and fight bizarre creatures in order to find a way out. Will you be the Grand Prize Winner or succumb to the dangers of the labyrinth like many unfortunate contestants before you?

Intended Rating: TEEN
Players: Single-Player 
Engine: Unity

CHARACTERS:

Vera Goldsmith

Role: Protagonist
Species: Human
Occupation: Treasure Hunter
Description: The player controls Vera, a young woman forced to be a contestant on Mezzlarus’ sinister show.

Mezzlarus Toro

Role: Antagonist
Species: Minotaur
Occupation: Game Show Host
Description: Mezzlarus traps unsuspecting humans in his maze for the enjoyment of his monstrous audience. Mezzlarus considers himself an extraordinary  entertainer and will do whatever it takes to boost his ratings. 

PLANNED FEATURES:

• Environmental hazards/traps
• First-person melee combat system
• Inventory system for items
• Locked doorways that require keys to open
• Game show themed puzzles

PROGRESS UPDATE #1:

I have made a simple test level in Unity with the first-person character controller moving through the environment. It’s just cubes for now.

I drew some concept art for the villain yesterday and for the maze today.

I will post more progress updates here as I continue to work on the game. I would really appreciate your feedback.

Thank you for viewing! :)

Sincerely,
Britney

PROGRESS UPDATE #2

Here are the things I’ve done since the last progress update:

• Modeled/textured some modular stone brick wall assets in Blender
• Began coding the main Game Manager
• Started work on Main Menu GUI/Inventory GUI
• Implemented very basic dummy enemies... (They are red cubes that can't hurt the player yet, lol)
• Implemented rudimentary crossbow for the player to use, since I decided I wanted to include ranged weaponry (pew pew!)
• Came up with ideas for two new types of characters:

Goblins

Role: Enemy
Occupation: Stage Crew
Description: These grinning gremlins assist Mezzlarus in the creation of his game show. They will travel in groups and attack the player when nearby. Goblins are the weakest enemies.

Harpies

Role: Enemy
Occupation: Showgirls
Description: These feathered foes add pizzazz to the show with their fancy plumage. They will flutter short distances and attack the player with their talon feet. Harpies are average strength enemies.

Mezzlarus the host is of course the strongest enemy. If he catches the player, it’s Game Over.

I plan to work on a sword weapon next and a system to switch between melee and ranged weapon types. Then I'll work on the traps (spikes, pits, flames, etc.)

Thanks for viewing! :D

PROGRESS UPDATE #3

I started blocking out the character models for the enemies in Blender 3D. From left to right is the Harpy, Goblin, and Minotaur. For reference, the Harpy is about the height of a human. (Mezzlarus is very tall, lol)

And I'm currently working on interacting with items in the environment. (It's dangerous to go alone! Take this...cube...?)

Thanks for stopping by! ^_^

PROGRESS UPDATE #4

I have come up with some puzzle concepts for the maze. A locked door blocks the exit and requires keys to open. These keys are obtained through doing the show's puzzles. These challenges are set up in special "Game Rooms" located in the maze.

Puzzle #1: Matching Cards

The player is presented with a 4x4 grid of cards. You must click on pairs of cards to match them. You will only have a certain number of turns to get all matches and clear the board. 

Upon Success: The player receives a key from a chest in the room. 

Upon Failure: A goblin will come out from a hidden door and attack. The puzzle will reset, and the player can try again.

Puzzle #2: Sliding Tiles

The player is presented with a 3x3 sliding puzzle. You must complete the puzzle before the timer runs out. 

Upon Success: The player receives a key from a chest in the room. 

Upon Failure: A flame thrower on the wall will activate and shoot fire at the player.  The puzzle will reset, and the player can try again.

Thanks for viewing! :)