"Happy Feet" Prototype 3 - Design Journal Inspiration & Question

The game has a similar task to my first and second prototype. However, the stories, mechanics and environment are different. I wanted to experiment and learn about Unity UI elements, because I did not implement them in my first two prototypes. The question I want to address is: Did implementing more UI features enhanced the player's experience?

Implemented Features

Press Spacebar to jump
WASD to move the character
Mouse to look around
A Score Counter
Rocks to collect
A minimap to relocate the player
A mute/unmute toggle button
Respawn mechanic

Features to implement

Add a prize or when the player collects all the rocks, let them know the game ends there.
Add Levels (more obstacle or harder to reach)
Option to increase the player's speed

Questions for play tester:

What is your first impression of the game?
How difficult is the game?
How would your story go, if you could come up with your own narrative for this game?
What aspect of the game do you find the most interesting?
Was there any option you wanted to do that you could not?
What kind of task would you enjoy doing in this type of environment?
How did you feel when you were playing this game?

Background music: www.youtube.com/watch?v=3u43yUcB8uY&ab_channel=Prod.Riddiman

Notes from the Play tests

Issues: Some had difficulties finding all the rocks because they did not know how to move from one iceberg to another without falling into the water. There was an issue with the jumping mechanism (spacebar) which propels the player at a high speed. I presume that most of the time, it is due to the contact with the fences.

Suggestions: The game can begin with a story that explains why all the icebergs are separated and the player can save their penguin friends instead of picking up rocks. Then, to make it clear, I would add signs next to the fences to remind the players that there is a shortcut to the other icebergs. Someone suggested that I could transform the stones into a magical element like a crystal to create a mysterious adventure. The player could also collect objects that represent a piece of themselves and it could motivate them to explore the area even more. To add more variety in the task, it would be interesting to let the player swim in the water, fly in the sky or even personalize the penguin’s habitat (with more trees and other objects).

Reflection on result of playtest

Many play testers had a great first impression of the game. The environment, the ambience and the music combined give a relaxing feeling. It gave a play tester the impression of being on a “peaceful island during [their] vacation”. The instructions were straightforward, although it would have been better if there was an obvious sign that the fences are invisible paths to other icebergs. Half of the play testers had difficulties moving from one iceberg to the other, but the controls were easy to grasp. I realized that some of my play test questions were repetitive, but all the feedback I received are helpful. All the play testers came up with unique suggestions and I found potential stories to tie this game with. It encourages me to pursue this prototype as my final project.

"Happy Feet" Prototype 3 - by Carole Chao screenshots