Project Singularity

Game Overview

Project Singularity is a third-person action-adventure game where players control a soldier protecting a scientist from a space pirate invasion while gathering key parts and solving puzzles to escape the Earth!

In production terms, the game functions as a training-oriented vertical slice. The focus is on achieving polished "Game Feel," readable level design, and responsive combat systems before expanding into full production.

Core Design Intent

Mechanical Depth

Ensuring shooting, movement, and traversal feel right before creating larger missions.

Combat Readability

Enemies, sightlines, and arenas are designed for clarity and quick decision making.

Strong Game Feel

Fixing floaty movement by introducing responsive feedback, camera response, and hit reactions.

Collaborative Pipeline

Working with a programmer and artist to create a scalable workflow for future expansion.

The Mission Context

While the focus is mechanical, the narrative drives the gameplay objectives. The dynamic between the Soldier (Player) and the Scientist (NPC) dictates the pacing.

The Soldier: Provides combat capability and traversal tools (Teleportation).
The Scientist: Cannot fight, but is required to unlock doors and decipher the alien tech needed to escape.
The Threat: Space Pirates act as aggressive pressure, forcing the player to balance personal survival with protecting the objective.

Core Gameplay Loop

The gameplay is built on a "Combat-Puzzle-Escort" cycle. This ensures the player utilizes their full kit—shooting for defense, teleporting for traversal, and interaction for progression.

➔ Identify Threat: Scan area for Pirates.
➔ Engage & Eliminate: Use cover and Teleport flanking.
➔ Secure Area: Signal Scientist to advance.
➔ Solve Blockers: Gather parts/Interact with panels.
➔ Advance: Move to next sector.

Visualizing the flow between Combat, Exploration, and Protection.

Implemented Features

1. Teleportation Ability

A short-range traversal tool created to deepen combat movement and puzzle navigation.

Combat Utility: Designed for repositioning during firefights.
Balance: Cooldowns maintain tension; it is not free mobility.
Integration: Integrates into environmental design (gaps, hazards, verticality).

2. Level Design & Blockouts (≈50% Complete)

The blockout phase focuses on designing a clear, navigable combat space.

Vertical Arenas: Features flanking routes and vantage points.
Readable Sightlines: Designed to help players track threats instantly.
Pacing Beats: Alternates between tight corridors (tension) and broad arenas (release).
Environmental Storytelling: Uses layout hints and silhouette shapes.

Collaborative Workflow

1. Design & Layout

I define the mechanics and block out the level geometry (Grayboxing). I set the requirements for AI behavior and weapon stats.

2. Programming Implementation

The Programmer implements the modular systems for recoil and AI state machines based on my GDD specs, which I then tune in-engine.

3. Art & Polish

Once gameplay is validated, the Artist replaces blockouts with assets. We iterate to ensure art doesn't break player navigation or sightlines.

Design Responsibilities

Defined overall gameplay vision and mechanical goals.
Designed shooting feel, recoil behavior, and combat pacing.
Created level layouts focused on combat readability.

Directed iteration based on playtesting feedback.
Coordinated design decisions with programming and art pipelines.

Why This Project Matters

Project Singularity shows my approach to:

Building solid systems before expanding content.
Solving feel-related issues through mechanics, not just effects.
Designing clear, readable levels that support the combat style.
Working collaboratively in a small, agile team.
Delivering a vertical slice with polish instead of an unfinished wide scope.

This project is intentionally scoped to ensure clarity, iteration, and strong foundational gameplay before moving into full production.

Project Status

IN DEVELOPMENT

Current Focus: Training Section, Combat Feel Validation, Expanded Blockouts

Documentation

Documentation outlining the game's mechanics, AI behaviors, Story, design Pillars, game loop and many more.

Process: From Paper to Engine

Before entering the engine, the level flow, enemy placements, and save systems were planned on paper. These raw sketches show the early thinking process.