OVERVIEW
COMPANY
Academic Project
YEAR
2024
ROLE
Game Design
Game Development
TOOL
Javascript
p5.js
Adobe Photoshop
Big Dumb Dog: The Brave Scholar is a 2D platformer game developed using p5.js, centered on character movement, environmental interaction, and progression-based gameplay. The project explores how simple mechanics — such as jumping, collision, and item collection — can be structured into a cohesive and engaging player experience.
The focus was on building a responsive gameplay system that balances control precision, visual feedback, and level interaction while maintaining a clear and playful narrative tone.
THE CHALLENGE
The main challenge was designing a gameplay system that feels responsive, readable, and consistent across different interactions. Platformer mechanics require precise control over movement, gravity, and collision detection, where small inconsistencies can significantly impact player experience.
Additionally, managing multiple game elements — including player states, environmental obstacles, collectibles, and background systems — required a structured approach to code organization. Ensuring smooth interaction between these systems while maintaining performance and clarity was a key difficulty.
MY ROLE
As the sole designer and developer, I was responsible for the full development of the game, including gameplay design, interaction logic, visual implementation, and code structure.
DESIGN SYSTEM
The project established a consistent visual and interaction system to support gameplay clarity. This included defining character scale, environmental proportions, and visual contrast to ensure that interactive elements were easily distinguishable.
VARIANTS & GUIDELINES
Different gameplay states were defined and managed, including idle, movement, jumping, and interaction with objects. Conditional logic was used to handle transitions between these states, ensuring smooth and predictable behavior.
MAIN TAKEAWAYS
This project strengthened my ability to design and implement interactive systems where user input directly affects real-time feedback. I gained hands-on experience with game physics, collision systems, and state management within a structured programming environment.
Big Dumb Dog reinforced my understanding of how technical implementation and interaction design work together to shape player experience, highlighting the importance of precision, clarity, and system thinking in game development.
