Screenshots
An action-packed, Unity-developed arena shooter game.
Launcher Hijinx is an action-packed, Unity-developed arena shooter game inspired by fast-paced games like Super Smash Bros and Gun Mayhem 2. With a unique blend of controlled yet unpredictable movement, it offers an engaging gameplay experience that's both challenging and rewarding. This game provides customization options for characters and different weapon options, maintaining the element of surprise in every game. Its fast-paced nature, coupled with responsive controls, ensures an adrenaline-fueled experience in every encounter. Available now online in WEBGL format, Launcher Hijinx is accessible on most modern web browsers, making it a versatile gaming choice. Since its launch on June 4, 2023, the game has received a positive response, achieving a rating of 4.6/5 according to player feedback. Infused with an array of interactions and scenarios, Launcher Hijinx stands out as a game that brings together skill, strategy, and split-second decision-making in a thrilling display of gameplay, promising an unforgettable journey for all players.
Nour:
Week 1 (April 9): Began brainstorming on the game concept, considering aspects like group
responsibilities, project scope, and potential gameplay features.
Week 2 (April 16): Detailed the design and structure of the game's menus, identifying
which ones would be essential for gameplay.
Week 3 (April 23): Explored possible implementations for button functionality and life
systems within the game.
Week 4 (April 30): Developed a prototype for the life system where players lose a life
when they go out of bounds.
Week 5 (May 7): Created non-functional menu UI elements and integrated them into the
game.
Week 6 (May 14): Added interactive features to the menu buttons, including restart, end
game, and settings.
Week 7 (May 21): Constructed the Start Menu and Settings Menu, introducing the ability
for players to customize their in-game characters.
Week 8 (May 28): Adjusted the positions of menu buttons to accommodate the newly
introduced moving camera feature. Produced a game trailer.
Ibrahim:
Week 1 (April 9): Considered multiple game ideas/genres/concepts I wanted to add to our
game
Week 2 (April 16): Looked at and played multiple different games similar to our ideas for
inspiration. Took notes of multiple things that made theses games “feel” professional
Week 3 (April 23): Created a basic script for movement and jumping, as well as springs for
players to jump on
Week 4 (April 30): Further improved upon movement in order to add physics and make it feel
like a professional game, implemented double jump
Week 5 (May 7): Administered testers to play our game to find out information about our
game from a players standpoint (Bugs, Playstyle, Learning curve, etc)
Week 6 (May 14): Implemented platform functionality which includes dropping through and
jump up platforms
Week 7 (May 21): Managed and created the level design of the game using Kirby’s sprites,
tested to make sure increased scale didn’t break anything (it broke death hitboxes which we fixed)
Week 8 (May 28): Fixed multiple bugs related to collision and physics to make gameplay less
glitchy
Kirby:
Week 1: Brainstormed with the team about possible game ideas.
Week 2: Began prototyping/elaborating on game mechanics that we wanted to implement into
the main gameplay.
Week 3: Implemented a simple implementation for a basic launcher, the Slingshot.
Week 4: Began to fine tune the bullet behavior and implemented the loadout system, allowing
the player to swap between a selection of weapons. Implemented the Air Cannon launcher.
Week 5: Added the Shotgun launcher, which fires multiple projectiles in a spread.
Week 6: Implemented player sprites, replacing the placeholder sprites we had used up until
this point.
Week 7: Updated sprites used for all menus, as well as the bullet sprite
Week 8: Added a fire rate to each weapon. Fine tuned cannon projectile.
Playtest 1: Issues Identified: Inconsistent movement feel and awkward key bind positions. Action Taken: Improved player movement dynamics for faster acceleration and deceleration. Reconfigured keybinds to align with natural hand positioning on the keyboard. Playtest 2: Issues Identified: Inconsiderate key bind positions for smaller keyboards, invisible but clickable menu buttons during gameplay, and absence of game instructions at the start. Action Taken: Adjusted keybinds to accommodate 60% keyboards. Disabled the menu's hit box when it's not active. Integrated a start menu that displays the keybinds and provides initial game instructions. Playtest 3: Issues Identified: A bug causing camera glitches and instant player deaths when both characters perished simultaneously. Action Taken: Implemented minimum and maximum bounds to the camera movement to prevent glitches.
Nour:
Developed all menu functionalities, including the start menu, pause menu, winner screen, and settings menu.
Produced the game trailer.
Implemented the game's life system.
Managed 'Game Over' scenarios.
Enabled 'Restart Game' and 'End Game' functions.
Ibrahim:
Gathered information to test and improve our game from other games, unity tutorials, and playtesters
Implemented movement and double jump
Created dropdown and jump through platforms
Created the map
Added camera feature that follows both players and spreads out accordingly
Made springs and wrote the code for the physics behind them
Kirby:
Launcher implementation
Bullet and knockback behavior
Menu sprites
Logo design
Player sprites
Red Pop Up: Red Pop Up Link Blue Pop Up: Blue Pop Up Link Platform: Platform Background: Background
Trailer: Launcher Hijinx Trailer
Postmortem: Postmortem Game Presentation: Game Presentation
Reflecting on the development of Launcher Hijinx, we feel a strong sense of accomplishment and growth. From the initial brainstorming stages to the final implementation, each step was a learning process. We overcame challenges such as sharing our code, balancing the controlled yet unpredictable movement, creating an intuitive and convenient key binding system, and introducing an effective life mechanism. Our commitment to receiving and applying feedback was important to refining the game, and we saw firsthand how crucial playtesting is for uncovering and addressing potential issues. One of the most enriching aspects of this project was how our team collaborated. Each member brought unique ideas and skills to the table, and this diverse input was critical in shaping Launcher Hijinx. While we are proud of our achievement, we also acknowledge that the process was just as important as the outcome. The experience taught us valuable lessons in planning, collaboration, resilience, and the art of game design. Looking forward, we are excited to apply these learnings to future projects, always striving to create engaging and enjoyable gaming experiences.