Pre-Production
We were given the theme of classic arcade games during the game jam. Quickly our team decided that SHMAT BALL would be about pinball. With that in mind, we searched references for different pinball types and brainstormed how far we could modify the classic game.
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SHMAT BALL needed to be a 1v1 multiplayer game that would mix pinball, air hockey, and football elements. Each player would control one side of the pinball table and have the main objective to score the ball in the opponent's "goal." For defence, each player could control the goal flipper bats and have a pawn that could be moved in their part of the field.
Pillars
Arcade
Multiplayer
Fast-paced
Development
How to make a single-player game engaging for two
In SHMAT BALL first prototype, we realized that using an environment with a map divided in the middle brought problems to the game. Because while one player handled the ball on one side, the other had no agency in the game.
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To solve this problem, we placed extra pawns at 4 points on the map and more obstacles, ensuring that players would have more confrontation opportunities and no player would be without playing.
Results
A fast paced and challenging game
SHMAT BALL has turned out to be an exciting game, and I am very proud that our team developed this project in such a short time.
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Being an easy game to start and difficult to master, SHMAT BALL proved to be a game with a lot of potential to be explored, and that could become something big with more development.