Role: Level Designer Time: 26~ Hours
Team Size: 5 Engine: Unity
Project Icarus was a game conceived and developed for the 2018 Indie Galactic Space Jam. The game won first place (A prize of $2,500 dollars). The event was sponsored by organizations like NASA, SpaceX, Space Florida and Indienomicon.
Solar Modules would allow the spacecraft to recharge its boosters over large distances
Some modules were hidden in hard to find areas, in order to promote exploration
Icarus was developed with an intention of promoting real world space science: Solar Sails. While unrealistic in other aspects, these solar sails would allow for ships like The Icarus to recharge their systems via the sun's radiation. Our game imagined a system where the solar system was dotted with these charging stations. Players explored and discovered charging modules that would open up new areas as they made their way back to Earth.
The game's visual splendor comes from a wireframe shader that made rapid prototyping and large levels achievable over the weekend.
Solar Sails would point in the direction of a node the player is charging at
Players were required to land in Cape Canaveral in order to complete their journey
The game features 5 distinct areas, including a starting area, three nodes, and a final planetary descent sequence, effectively creating a potential 15 minute experience for most of our testers. Showcasing the joy of semi-realistic spaceflight was a big push towards the larger levels.
