Tales of Lemuria
Project Summary
Role: Game Designer & Programmer
Team Size: 3
Genre: 3D Action-Adventure
Engine: Unity
Duration: February 2024 - April 2024
Status: Completed
Overview
Tales of Lemuria is a 3D action-adventure prototype built in Unity, where players assume the role of the last guardian of a tribe during an alien invasion. The project was developed over the course of three months as a collaborative university assignment. Focusing on melee-based combat, environmental puzzles, and stylized visuals, Tales of Lemuria merges combat with exploration and progression. The art direction is characterized a minimalistic stylized tone.
Development Notes
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Co-developed with a 3D artist who handled all visual asset creation.
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Collaborated with a music/SFX artist to implement audio and environmental ambiance.
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Used Git and Trello for version control, task management, and milestone tracking.
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Designed all gameplay and combat mechanics, as well as all core gameplay systems.
My Role
Led the design and gameplay implementation for Tales of Lemuria, a second-year game prototype focused on deliberate, readable melee combat and methodical exploration.
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Owned core gameplay systems: built the combat behaviour, enemy AI, healing/damage, climbing/mantling, interaction prompts, and puzzle logic.
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Shaped the combat feel: tuned attack timing and windows, added hit reactions with subtle pushback, and blended animations to keep strikes weighty but fair.
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Designed encounter flow: crafted enemy patterns (patrol → detect → chase/attack → retreat) and arena pacing to reward positioning and patience.
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Built traversal & interaction: climbable volumes, ledge/mantle checks, and simple environmental interactable (levers, gates, doors) to manage combat beats.
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Scripted the demo’s finale puzzle: a three-node “core shutdown” sequence—eliminate specific enemies to shut down a core; disable all three cores to unlock the exit.
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Integrated audio & VFX: implemented SFX/music cues and combat feedback in-engine, iterating with a composer/SFX artist to support feeling and tone.
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Collaborated cross-discipline: partnered with a 3D artist and a Musician, used Git for version control and Trello for task tracking.
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Delivered a stable, showcaseable build in 3 months, balancing scope against polish and making cuts to protect the intended combat identity.
Exploring C#
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Scripted core gameplay systems including player combat, enemy AI, healing/damage logic, and interaction systems.
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Created a climbing mechanic for vertical traversal.
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Developed an interaction system for objects, puzzles, and combat targets.
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Implemented a puzzle sequence where the player must strategically defeat enemies to disable three energy cores to complete the level.
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Used Mixamo animations and Unity's animation tools for smooth blending, attack windups, and enemy hit reactions.
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Integrated all audio logic, ensuring environment sounds, VFX triggers, and music transitions worked in sync with gameplay.
Enemy Design & AI
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Designed all enemy archetypes and programmed their behaviours: Basic enemies with chase and attack logic. Larger enemies capable of guarding the cores.
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Implemented state-based AI (e.g., patrol, pursue, attack) with trigger-driven transitions.
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Balanced AI timing and damage windows to support a slower, more strategic combat style.
Player Mechanics & Combat
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Developed a deliberate combat system focused on anticipation, spacing, and clean animation feedback.
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Integrated stagger and pushback reactions for enemies, enhancing hit impact.
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Designed combat to feel readable and fair, rewarding player adaptability.
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Tuned animations for visual clarity during attacks, recovery frames, and hit confirmation.
UI & UX
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Designed minimalistic UI to match the stylized aesthetic.
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Implemented interactive prompts for puzzle and object interactions.
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Created visual indicators for damage taken, health recovery, and interaction availability.
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Handled in-engine logic for music and SFX cues, improving player immersion.
Full Gameplay
