|CASH FORCE|
1970's VR Arcade FPS
STATUS: Complete
DEVELOPMENT TIME: September 2019 – May 2020
PLATFORM: Oculus Rift/Rift S/Steam VR
DEVELOPED WITH: Unreal Engine 4, Blueprint Scripting, C++, Blender, Ableton Live 10, Photoshop
TrailerS
GAMEPLAY TRAILER - MAY 2020
DEBUT TRAILER - NOVEMBER 2019
Concept
Cash Force is a high-octane arcade VR shooter where players take the role of a rogue former cop determined to take down a rival crime syndicate in a colorful 1970’s inspired setting. Lock, load, and take aim using stylish and flashy manually operated weapons to blast enemies in hot pursuit from the back of your getaway van. Carefully plan your route through various mission types that take place in procedurally generated city blocks!
Engage in frantic combat focused jobs: from taking out a specific enemy, surviving after a job gone wrong, or raising enough funds to skip town, dynamic difficulty for each mission challenges even the most skilled players. Battle a crew of groovy gangsters while tearing through city streets, fending off various types of vehicles and enemies which adapt in difficulty to match player skill. Earn cash from defeating enemies and completing missions, then use that cash to purchase new weapons and ammo! Remember, the higher the risk – the higher the reward. Lock n’ load, and welcome to the Cash Force!
Intent & features
Cash Force aims to provide an immersive and accessible arcade VR experience, with an emphasis on arcade style gameplay over detailed simulation. Players are able to load, cock, and shoot their weapons with ease thanks to the streamlined yet detailed gun operation mechanics. Players will experience frantic combat scenarios that emulate the excitement and tension of car chase scenes from 70’s crime films while the in-depth economy system ensures high skill and risk is met with high reward. Cash Force is an immersive, thrilling, and accessible shoot em’ up that strives to challenge players no matter their skill level!
A Unique Art Style
Rooted in the flashy design style of the 1970's, the art style of Cash Force embodies the word "groovy"
A Middle Ground
Two handed interactions of weapons provide a middle ground between the complex interactions in VR simulations and the grab-and-go style of pure arcade shooters
Style Meets Substance
Retro color palettes ripped straight from the 70's are merged with gameplay. Unique color profiles are assigned to different gameplay elements, assisting the player in easily identifying friend from foe in the heat of a fire fight
Choose Your Playstyle
From revolvers to rifles to shotguns, each weapon has its own unique role, recoil, and interactions! Mix and match your loadout by bringing up to four guns into battle!
Getaway & Earn Rewards
Play three unique missions and earn cash from defeating enemies and performing skillful actions, then use that cash on new weapons!
The Arsenal: my main contribution
Throughout the entire duration of the project, my primary owned features were the VR interaction system and the firearm interaction and gunplay system that goes hand in hand (pun intended) with it. From initial conception to final polish, I designed and implemented all of the functionality, logic, tools, and player feedback for the interaction and gun systems using UE4‘s Blueprint Scripting and Animation toolsets. From the basic grabbing code to modular grabbing points for each gun interaction all the way to loading, cocking, and shooting logic as well as the Contextual Recoil system, I was wholly responsible for the implementation of the gunplay and grabbing systems featured on each of our 7 unique firearms. Check them out in The Arsenal gallery below, as well as a video explanation of my main contribution!
GALLERY
1st Semester
2nd Semester
MY Roles
1st Semester
- Design and programming of main player interaction systems, ranging from object interaction, gunplay, and item purchasing with Unreal Engine 4 Blueprint scripting
- Design and implementation of basic economy system.
Create modular and reusable tools and components for gameplay features, such as ammunition and health/damage. - Create and implement player feedback effects, such as procedural recoil animations and bullet tracers.
Design and implement UI/UX elements, from damage pop up text to interaction highlights. - Script level events ranging from tutorials and menus to objectives and level transitions.
- Test and iterate upon player feedback, usability, game feel, and user interface elements.
- Modify and tweak gameplay features according to playtester feedback to meet the needs of the target audience.
- Create and implement unique sound effects for all game assets.
Write and maintain game design documentation. - Give and receive critique about current and future game systems and features.
- Communicate efficiently and frequently with team members within an agile environment to encourage team discussion and solve design problems efficiently
2nd Semester
Lead Designer
- Oversee a sub-team of 4 other designers along with a co-lead
- Work as a co-product owner to oversee the creative vision of the project and adjust scope/planned features according to changing time constraints and unforeseen consequences
- Facilitate design team meetings and directing the flow of design conversation within an agile environment to encourage discussion
- Lead Daily Scrum and design planning sessions for establishment of design tasks
- Liaise between the programmers, artists, and producers to ensure multi-disciplinary aspects and pipelines of features were successfully planned, implemented, tested, and iterated upon.
- Give and receive critique from sub team and other sub teams about current and planned game systems and features
- Adapt project scope and oversee transition of team meetings, work sessions, and production into a remote work scenario amidst the Global COVID-19 Pandemic of 2020.
Technical/Systems Designer/Programmer
- Fully redesign and reimplementat VR interaction and grabbing system to use a series of modular and easily adjustable grab points
- Continue design and programming of main player interaction systems, including gunplay, object interaction, player loadout, and item purchasing with Unreal Engine 4 Blueprint Scripting
- Design and implementation of major improvements to the gunplay system, including contextual recoil, improved interaction feel/animations, and a new physics-based bullet damage model
- Add new player feedback and immersion effects, mainly procedural hand animations and poses for using various guns and grab states
- Implementation of new UI/UX systems, including the gun purchasing catalog system, armor pop up system on guns, and remake of gun loading guiding interface
- Continue to test and iterate on player feedback, usability, game feel, and UI/UX
- Continue modifying and tweaking gameplay features according to playtester feedback to meet the needs of our target audience
- Create and implement new sound effects for game assets ranging from buttons, armor, new gun sounds, and more
- Update and maintain game design documentation to reflect project changes
Development Process
Read about the development process of Cash Force from my perspective below!
1st Semester
- Choosing a Starting Point (Weeks 1-3)
- Selecting a Concept (Weeks 4-8)
- Gunplay + Procedural Animations (Week 9)
- Improved Gunplay, Reloading, and Animation (Week 10)
- Defining the Core Experience (Week 11)
- Closing the Game Loop (Weeks 12-13)
- Polish, Presentation, Post-Mortem (Week 14)
2nd Semester
Team members
Production Team
Programming Team
Art Team
Adam Streeter - Lead Artist
Design Team
