50% Shoot Em Up. 50% collectathon. 100% Ocean Conservation Adventure
Game Development
Specifications
Status
Prototype
Platform
PC
Tools
UnityC#
Specifications
Status
Prototype
Platform
PC
Engine
UnityC#
Overview
Aspirational Protagonist
Rosalia is the heart and soul of "Project Clean 'Em Up," an inspiring young Afro-Latina heroine who captures the essence of determination, intelligence, and a deep connection to the environment. Living on a vibrant Caribbean island with her supportive guardian, Tio Juan, Rosalia embodies the spirit of adventure and a relentless drive to make a difference.
After her island paradise is marred by an ominous ocean garbage patch, Rosalia embarks on a transformative journey. Driven by her compassion for the oceans and the desire to inspire change, she sets out to create a solution that addresses the global environmental crisis. Collaborating with Tio Juan, a seasoned inventor himself, she designs a remarkable aquatic robot capable of cleaning up the oceans and rallying other young minds to join the cause.Rosalia's story is one of empowerment and leadership. As she travels across diverse locations, battling pollution and raising awareness about the importance of environmental conservation, she becomes a beacon of hope for kids around the world. Her determination not only leads to tangible change in the game's world but also serves as an allegory for real-world environmental advocacy.
Eco-Friendly Robotics
Take control of a charming and highly customizable cleaning robot. Use its versatile abilities to tackle challenges, defeat enemies, and most importantly, collect various forms of oceanic trash to restore the marine ecosystems.
Design Overview
Rosalia's remarkable aquatic robot at the heart of "Project Clean 'Em Up," is a technological marvel that encapsulates innovation, compassion, and a deep connection to the ocean's beauty. Inspired by the graceful movements of sea turtles and the majesty of whales, its design seamlessly blends organic elements with a whimsical flair reminiscent of Saturday morning cartoons. This not only adds a touch of nostalgia to the game but also enhances the overall visual experience.
Customization Options
3D Model Viewer
Collection
At the heart of "Project Clean 'Em Up," the collection mechanic stands as the driving force of gameplay, intertwining strategy, risk, and reward. As players accompany Rosalia and her trusty robot on their mission to cleanse the oceans, their ability to collect marine debris takes center stage.
Collect for Progress
The Oceanic Harvesting mechanic serves as the core gameplay element, directly impacting progress and scores. Collecting marine debris is the primary objective, reflecting the game's core theme of environmental conservation.
Score Multiplier
Players are incentivized to collect as much debris as possible in one go. The score system is designed to reward larger collections with higher multipliers, encouraging players to strategize and plan their collection routes for maximum efficiency.
Proximity Indicators
An intuitive proximity indicator system guides players during collection. Green indicators signify safe collection proximity, while red indicates potential departure from the collection zone. Players must maintain proximity to maximize their haul.
Perimeter Drawing
To successfully collect debris, players draw a perimeter around the scattered items while staying within the designated proximity range. This dynamic mechanic adds an element of skillful coordination and timing, enhancing the gameplay experience.
Strategic Decision-Making
Choosing when to initiate a collection run and how to efficiently draw perimeters becomes paramount. Players must weigh the risks of pushing their boundaries for a larger collection versus ensuring a secure gathering process.
Packaging and Collection
Once a successful perimeter is drawn, the collected debris is skillfully packaged and sent to the surface. Rosalia, stationed above in her dedicated collection area, receives the packaged debris, further enhancing the immersive nature of the mechanic.
Collection Mechanic Concept
Blasting
Drawing inspiration from classic shoot 'em ups such as Cotton and Sky Force, and iconic side-scrolling shooters like Mega Man, the blasting mechanic in "Project Clean 'Em Up" delivers a thrilling and dynamic combat experience. Players are equipped with two distinct non lethal blasting modes that bring their environmental heroics to life. The first, the normal blast, provides swift and dependable shooting. For those seeking an extra edge, the charged blast presents a formidable option more potent and quicker, yet demanding patience as it charges. Upgrades take center stage as players can enhance the properties of their blasts, fortifying both damage potential and projectile speed.
Regular and Charged Blasting Mechanic Concept
Vortex Push
One of the robot's standout abilities is the creation of a vortex with a pushing force. This power comes in handy for gathering scattered garbage into compact clusters, facilitating efficient collection.
Vortex Push Mechanic Concept
Zip Dash
Agility is exemplified by its zip dash ability. With lightning-fast movements, it can zip around the environment, swiftly traversing obstacles and evading danger. This ability can also be upgraded for the maximum effect.
Zip Dash Mechanic Concept
Method by Mark Cerny
By adopting the Mark Cerny method as the guiding principle for "Project Clean 'Em Up's" development journey, the game-making process is defined by a relentless pursuit of fun and an unyielding dedication to crafting a shippable prototype. Embracing the wisdom of Mark Cerny, a renowned game designer, and his philosophy that game development should prioritize creating an enjoyable and compelling experience, every aspect of the game's design, mechanics, and narrative converges towards this singular goal. This methodology inspires a dynamic evolution as the game evolves, with each iteration refining and enhancing the gameplay experience, ultimately culminating in a prototype that encapsulates the heart and soul of the game. Just as Mark Cerny's approach advocates for an unwavering commitment to player engagement, "Project Clean 'Em Up" employs the same ethos, ensuring that the journey towards the shippable prototype is imbued with the essence of enjoyment, creativity, and the promise of an extraordinary gaming experience.
Collectibles
Rare
Mirroring the intrigue of blue coins in Mario and the curiosity sparked by the trivia found beneath Snapple caps, the first type of collectible beckons players with hidden surprises. Scattered more sparingly across each level, these Unique Treasures are a challenge to locate, rewarding players with knowledge, lore, and a sense of accomplishment akin to uncovering hidden gems.
Uncommon
The game's seascape is punctuated by Uncommon collectibles—large or peculiar marine debris that beckon to be cleaned up. Representing a higher point value, these relics extend an invitation to players to venture beyond the ordinary, promising greater rewards for their diligent pursuit of the unusual. In line with the game's theme, their unique nature is a testament to the beauty that can emerge from the cleanup effort.
Common
Embodying the most prevalent forms of marine garbage like platic bottles and straws, Common collectibles serve as a testament to the pervasive challenges of ocean pollution. This category, while frequent, remains no less significant; players who dedicate themselves to eradicating these commonplace items contribute to the larger mission of environmental restoration while building up their multipliers.
Educational Collectables
Each type of collectible fuels the system of upgrades, directly influencing gameplay and enhancing the player's experience. The uniqueness of each type translates into different upgrade avenues. From boosting the efficiency of abilities using Common and Uncommon Relics to unlocking a new cosmetic skin with Unique Treasures.In "Project Clean 'Em Up," the collectibles are weaved seamlessly into the game's narrative and its commitment to ocean conservation. As players gather marine treasures, they simultaneously fuel their journey of empowerment, education, and responsibility, aligning every discovery with the game's core purpose.
Common Collectable Concepts
What's Next?
Exploration
"Project Clean Em Up" is an evolving prototype that will continue to improve over time. It's a passion project for me and also provides a great canvas to try out new programming patterns and Unity features that I otherwise wouldn't have the opportunity to try. This space will be updated periodically with new developments as they arise.
