I have been working alongside Professor Chris Barney, operating as Executive Producer for undergraduate groups of up to 40 students for the past 8 months. During this time the studio has been improved dramatically, with the game receiving a large visual overhaul as well as significant code refactoring and design overhauls.
In addition to operating as Executive Producer, I have also been designing and creating the second boss of the game, the OrbServer. He is a massive eyeball that traps the player, directing them to help it regain its power and influence over a facility it was disconnected from. As you play through the narrative boss, it becomes clear that the depowering of the OrbServer was for good reason - he is unstable and potentially violent.
What Remains of Me is a puzzle platformer where you awaken as Atlas, a reactivated robot in the depths of an abandoned, high-tech facility. As you explore the remnants of a post-apocalyptic world, you'll upgrade your abilities to navigate the desolate landscape, outmaneuver hostile AI, and piece together the truth behind the lab’s downfall - and your reawakening.
I designed this boss from concept to its current state. Working alongside some talented artists, the design of the Orbserver truly came to life. I implemented a masking system that allowed for the ‘eye’ to track the player and follow along on the circular ‘tracks,’ without any rotation of the pixels, thus maintaining the pixel art illusion.
The first level of the game. Working with a team of 5 students, the level was rebuilt to feature breakaway concrete tilesets, multiple parallax piping behind, and a separate parrallax office space to establish the space as a destroyed factory.
The first boss of the game, Vox - he received a complete visual and design overhaul. I designed a flowchart of the intended play experience and the art, sound, and development implementation teams came together to give him a significant improvement to all aspects of the boss encounter.