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TERMINUS: LOCKDOWN (2018)

Platform: Microsoft Windows 

Team: Yellow Chicken Conspiracy

A sci-fi survival horror, Terminus: Lockdown. Survive as a lone technician in a derelict spaceship, inhabited by parasitic plant-controlled droids. Your only weapon: A light emitter that could alter the growth of the plants. The game won the SEA Game Awards for "Best Student Game" in 2018.​

MY contributions

This was my final year project in my last year of college, and the goal was to develop a game within 2 semesters. I was primarily in charge of the writing and level design of the game but was also involved in defining the 3C and combat design. Additionally, I also did the audio of the game.

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This game was developed by a team of 6 within 8 months. We strived to push ourselves in this project and attempted to produce a game as close to the AAA benchmark as possible while learning Unreal Engine 4. ​​​​​

NARRATIVE

I worked on the narrative and designed the computer logs systems. I conveyed the story through the environments and logs found on computers.

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In the final area, players need the password to unlock the final door. The password can be found in a series of logs throughout the location, which would also contain lore information.​​

AUDIO Design​

Nobody in the team was familiar with audio design but we knew it was an important aspect of a horror game. So, I took on the role of Audio Designer to study more about audio in games and try something outside of my expertise.

 

I could not create the audio needed for the game so I searched for sound effects online and modified them. Through the ambience, I tried to convey the foreboding feel of a derelict ship, harbouring walls that echoed with a sense of eeriness. Games like Alien: Isolation and Dead Space were huge inspirations.​​​​

LEVEL DESIGN​

In this game, players are in a derelict ship where sentient mutated plants have taken over.​ The level was designed to give a sense of dread, a vibe of "something is wrong" as players pass strange growths in the narrow corridors. I started by prototyping the level using white boxes for testing and worked with the artists to provide them with asset references. After the assets were made, I implemented them into the level.

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Towards the end of development, I did environment polishing work such as lighting in certain areas, "dirtying" the locations, and many more things to bring the level closer to that of a plant-infested derelict station.

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We initially planned for a new unique gameplay mechanic for the final area but had to scrap it to time constraints. Thus, I resolved it by utilising the existing mechanics to build a new scenario. Players need to search the computers for the password to escape while trying to avoid the patrolling droids or attempt to defeat them with their limited resources.​​

3C and COMBAT GAMEPLAY

I worked with another Game Designer to define the combat. We went through many iterations of combat gameplay systems, playing with the concept of light as a stimulus to plants. I proposed and designed the light gun system, drawing inspiration from researches on how different light colours could influence plant growth.

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I also worked on the 3C aspects of the game. The main character was designed to be a handicap, and his movements would feel heavy and grounded. This added to the dread, steering players to be more cautious and tense, especially during combat. The camera was made close and compact, enhancing the claustrophobic feel, yet enough to not obscure too much view. It would also react to scenarios such as shaking upon being hit. When hacking a panel or viewing a computer, the camera goes into first-person view without pausing the environment. Players can look sideways, away from the panels to check if enemies are coming, fueling the paranoia and tension.​​

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