We meet again 🙂 I am Amethyst the game designer of Ascender. As you might experience from our alpha, there are various type of puzzle or obstacle that is both compulsory or not in order to finish the alpha. It is indicated at the end of the alpha where you are given the information of how many task you finished or item you have.

Our friend can not collect all the item while testing

So, we had design some level with different type of puzzles using box, lever and light rope on Dolopo. We even have developed some level design for districts in Helion. We basically try to create a huge world consist of puzzle laying around the city to explore. But upon discussing with amber, chalcedony and garnet, we need to create a better way to expand the world (so you won’t easily bored) and create a more variative type of puzzle (not just FedEx Puzzle).

Puzzle Design

So, I go back to my game design guidelines and trying to implement more design on various problem rather than just put puzzle on the Alpha. We added the basic running task (The next level will include a surprise where the environment will change while you are competing with Nippytron), pattern puzzle which is figuring out when is Meowl will land, a simple fedex puzzle that has a night and day attribute, and also we implement jigsaw power up problem where you need to change up the rune in order to grab some item.

Meowl

Nippytron

Gnallo

Jiogsaw Rune

Some puzzle that are implemented in alpha

As I mentioned before, in the surface everything looks easy. There are complication when we change what we want to Implement. Dialogue changes, art improvement and I even need to change the level design several time.

That is all from me at the end of this year, I can’t believe that we are already passing the Alpha milestone. We are currently preparing ourselves for Greenlight Campaign. Wish us luck 🙂

Me and all my friend in the studio would wish all of you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year !!!

Regards,

Amethyst