Atlacatl Trials

Some of the features implemented for this project are:

• Creation of a fledge out Game Design Document (GDD), describing the game puzzles, mechanics and its general layout.
• Recreation of a Mayan village using a combination of landscape, meshes, different foliage, and even Unreal Water plug-in. This was done with a heavy emphasis on optimization, for which different techniques, such as combining meshes and meshes instances were used.
• Information prompts. When the player gets close to an object or location, he can press a button to read further information about that object/place; this helps enhance the educational value of the game in a non-intrusive way.
• Task based UI. The UI clearly tells the player what he has to do next, and keeps track of his progress.
• Number puzzle, a 2D UI based puzzle, where the player has to find out the value that the different Mayan glyphs symbol represent.
• Calendar puzzle, the player must spin a Mayan calendar wheel, in order to get the correct day glyph to the correct position.
• Collecting items. In order to progress in the game, the player had to collect the required items, and offer them in the Mayan altar at the center of the village.
• Bow and arrow. The player can shoot arrows using  his bow. Depending on how long the bow is pulled (the time the button is pressed), the arrow will have different launch speeds. Once the arrow hit something, it will get stuck on that surface.
• Destructible meshes. When the player shoots a target, made of a destructible mesh, a radial force is applied to the mesh on the impact point, which force depends on the speed of the collision.
• Multiple post-process and visual enhancing effects, including particles systems,  height-based fog, and post-process volume for specific sections of the level.
• A cinematic sequence at the end of the game once the player has completed all tasks.