Game Dev Tycoon is a creator map for Fortnite made using UEFN. The player earns cash by selling games, allowing them to buy upgrades to increase earnings. The game was made in a team of 5 over a 2 week period and was published to Fortnite.
My Tasks Included:
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Designing the main tycoon plot and progression order
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Concepting overall game design
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Level design for two of the three mini games (zombie survival and racing)
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Extensive playtesting and iteration
Level Design Breakdown
Main Plot
Before designing the main plot, I looked at multiple other tycoon maps to see the standard format. Based on the research and target audience, I focussed less on a realistic functioning studio and more on a fun area for the player to unlock. The floors get more advanced as the player progresses, going from a standard office, to a high tech floor, and then finally a gold floor. This aligns with current trends within the genres, meeting players expectations at a core level.
The biggest challenge was creating enough unlockable features to keep the player engaged, while still staying within the very limited memory budget. This required lots of testing and iterating as the project progressed, resulting in us opening up the space to make the interior feel less restricted whilst also saving memory.
Zombie Minigame
For the zombie minigame, I started by designing a central area for the players to spawn and exit, allowing them to have a short distance to leave once they were finished. I added larger structures on each side on the centre, with smaller points of interest in each corner, adding variety and multiple areas for the player to explore. The plan was to have a few hidden areas within these structures to hide powerful weapons, adding more reason for the players to spend time exploring the map.
By combining larger, open areas with smaller enclosed spaces, it caters to different playstyles. Additionally, having obstacles around the map gives the player room to escape the chaos and reload, without being isolated from the action.
Racing Minigame
Due to time and memory restrictions, the racing minigame needed to be simple and easy to play. I created a basic looped circuit with some jumps and split roads to add some variety, while also utilizing established gameplay mechanics such as the car's boost. The multiple routes also allows players to use these to their advantage to overtake or collide with other players.
