Bugs TDF was my first attempt to take a game idea and build it up from scratch all the way until publishing. I did this to get e better understanding of how to piece the different aspects of game together in a more seamless way, with a satisfying and enjoyable game at the end!

I utilised some asset packs for the art and music so that I could focus on designing a clean gameplay loop with a variety of ways to complete each respective level.

I was able to create several levels with different terrains and layouts to give some variety to the gameplay, along with increasing difficulties as you progressed through the levels. I implemented a scoring and star system to incentivise the players to replay different levels in case they let enemies get through.

A key design choice made in this project was how to de-couple the bullet functionality from the turret functionality. The damage and status effect information then gets transferred from the bullet ScriptableObject to the enemy instance on-collision.

This also required the implementation of object pooling when object instances of bullets, enemies and turrets were destroyed.

Planning and design choices made early on in the project can streamline the development process by tenfold if well thought out. Exploring each individual task you need to complete regarding the code, art, sound, and design in a hierarchical manner on a piece of paper helps to maintain a specific scope and keep you on track.

Implementing the gameplay loop with simple blocks and shapes can save a lot of hassle in spotting mistakes or missing information from your initial design.