GAME FEEL
Project Description:
I wanted to create a project focusing on game feel, so that I can make one attack/action as fun and satisfying as possible. Since playing soccer is one of my main hobbies, I decided on making kicking a soccer ball that action. I did not create all of the art/vfx/sound myself, as this project is mainly for showcasing my design thinking for games.
I had one main principle though, which is that all good “attacks”, which in this case is a kick, need to focus on both anticipation and impact. So here is how I designed every element of the game so that they all add to the satisfying feeling of kicking a ball:
Environment
A really satisfying kick of the ball needs to be so impactful that it affects the game world. Therefore, I used a dynamic grass asset pack from the unreal marketplace which gets trampled underneath the trajectory of the ball. I also decided on using unreal’s chaos system to make a destructible wall and adjusted its properties to make sure it is not too easy/hard for the player to destroy it. A benefit to using a static destructible object is that the wall is destroyed differently based on where you hit it/the power you hit it with, making every playthrough unique. At the end of the game, seeing the destroyed obstacle (Picture 1) as well as the trampled grass (Picture 2) makes the player feel like they have a real and permanent impact on the game world, which makes the kick of the ball even more satisfying as it has lasting consequences.
VFX
I wanted there to be a distinct visual effect for each phase of the kick. Initially (Picture 1), lightning strikes the ball, charging it like a special attack in an action game. Then, the charged ball glows more and physically distorts, as if it is getting ready to travel (Picture 2). When the ball is hit, a lightning trail follows the path of the ball to show how fast the ball is really travelling (Picture 3). Finally, when the ball hits the obstacle there is a burst of lightning as if all of the charged energy from pictures 1, 2, and 3 are being released. I also added some score points in the form of particle effects that get absorbed by the ball similar to how players get experience points or loot when they defeat an enemy in an action game.
Sound
Since my focus was game feel and not necessarily realism, I decided to use a thunder sound effect for the point of impact just to show how powerful the kick is. To pair well with this, I used wind and rain sound effects which are silenced just before the ball is kicked to add to both the anticipation and impact.
UI
I decided to use a diegetic UI because I found it to be more immersive for the cinematic look I was going for with the game. Since adding a bit of challenge makes games more rewarding, I decided to implement a timing meter (Picture 1) in the UI where you have to hit the ball at the right moment for the best accuracy. If done correctly, the player gets instantaneous feedback in the form of a success sound effect as well as particle effects (Picture 2) which get absorbed by the ball.
Post Processing
Initially, there is a filter that only colors the obstacle and the ball as those are the main focus of the game (Picture 1). This also adds to the anticipation of kicking the ball as it places all of the player focus on it. At the point of impact, this filter is removed as if the player’s kick literally breathes color into the world. This was done to make the kick feel as impactful as possible. Furthermore, speed lines are drawn during the flight of the ball to showcase just how fast the ball is travelling (Picture 2).
Camera
A lot of soccer games make the camera witness the flight of the ball from afar. I chose instead to make the camera follow the ball at all times so that impact of the kick as well as the collision of the ball with the obstacles are viewed as closely as possible. My reasoning was that the closer you view the impact, the more satisfying the kick feels as you see first-hand the destructive nature of the kick. I also added a subtle camera animation before the kick to build anticipation as well as a camera shake at the point of impact to emphasize the power of the kick.
Physics
I wanted the ball to follow a curved trajectory when aiming at the sides because those type of shots are the most satisfying. Therefore, I continuously fine-tuned the torque, impulse, and other physics attributes to consistently achieve this effect. Furthermore, I slowed down the in-game time when the ball is kicked and when the ball hits the obstacle since delaying the impact can make it feel more satisfying.
Next Steps
If I were to expand on this project, I would make it a multiplayer game where each player has to destroy the other player's base. Not only would this add to the challenge because you are competing against a real player, but it also adds to the impact of the kick as it affects another player's strategy.