High Concept: Do You Love? is a single-player sidescrolling platformer in which the player assumes the role of a small robot and gains a friend in his search for a heart.

Built In: ZeroEngine

 

Development Cycle: September 2011 - October 2011 (5 weeks)

Core Mechanics: 

• Wall and platform-based traversal

• Interaction with companion AI 

Postmortem: Do You Love? was an exploratory game for me. I was learning how to use the ZeroEngine at the time, and stumbled upon the ball companion by chance; I had placed a few objects into the game, and it was strangely entertaining to push around another object. This eventually evolved into the companion. The experience was furthered by the inclusion of this mechanic, as the meaningful interaction between the player and the seemingly alive ball companion spoke to the construction of a friendship, in a game about searching for love. My goal in creating the companion AI was to make it feel like it had a life of its own, and the journey to find a heart became about interacting in a meaningful way with this companion.There are many kinds of love, not just romantic, and the player's experience with the ball companion helped communicate this sentiment.

The game itself was very basic, and if I'd had more time to work on the project, I definitely would have experimented more with the kinds of interactions between the player and the ball. At present, the player uses the ball to destroy barriers, kill enemies, and to float upwards on. The ball has potential for so much more than just these simple mechanics, and the opportunity to toy around inside the game would be incredible. At the very least, additional levels could extend the sensation and further the bond between the player and his companion.