Meddlesome Company

A narratively driven 2D side-scroller puzzle adventure game about 2 employees, Anthony and Theo, that were sent to infiltrate a rival company, Melon Corp. However, both believe to be working alone and are unaware of the other. The player plays as each character in their respective chapters, before playing as both in the final chapter. The goal of this project was adapting a script into an interactive medium.

Play the game↗ or check out the walkthrough!↗

Meddlesome Company main menu screen

Role

  • Game Designer
  • Game Developer
  • Environmental Artist
  • Script Writer

Team

  • Angela Shen - Character Artist, Script Editor
  • Keith Law - Puzzle/UI Artist, Environment Artist, Script Editor
  • Jillian Li - Game Designer, Game Developer, Map & UI Layout Designer, Script Writer

Tools

  • Unity & C#
  • Aseprite
  • Github

Timeframe

7 weeks [Oct 2024 - Dec 2024]

Focus + Role

My focus during this project was to create strong environmental storytelling through the use of map design, level design, and cutscenes. My goal was to ensure that it would immerse players into the story, communicate narrative details, and expand upon the existing world. I programmed and implemented a few of the player's interactions with the environment, created the dialogue system and cutscenes, and illustrated the environments to achieve this.

Environmental Design

There was a focus on creating environments that reflected on the game’s lore to increase the games's immersion into the story. The area I was responsible for is described as a high-tech controlling company, which was reflected through the use of colour, props, and NPC interactions. Security cameras are generously placed throughout the building, except for the people in power. Additionally, interactable props were used as hints for the puzzles players needed to solve.

The office workspace, a drab grey room with individual desks, and covered in security cameras
The office workspace. Oppressive company communicated with the company motto, separated desks, and numerous security cameras.
The manager's office. Contains trophies, a love work banner, and flowers. The player character has interacted with the flowers saying: There's a tag on the flowers. To the best dad in the world. From Nicole.
The manager's office. The props are a representation of the love they have for their kid, as well as a hint to get the computer's password.
Meddlesome Company main menu screen
The research lab. High-tech and oppressing atmosphere created by using blue-grey, device props, and a high security camera presence.

Storytelling Through Puzzles

Gameplay was designed to be related to the player character’s task to communicate to the player what was happening in the narrative and indicate challenges the characters were facing. It served to show the character's different approaches to problems: Anthony's charisma and social skills versus Theo's technological and hacking skills. I programmed the following 2 puzzles to reflect this: an NPC deduction puzzle where the player has to pickpocket an NPC for a keycard, and a circuit puzzle where the player has to connect two ends of a circuit to create a distraction. Both puzzles were designed to be solved through the character's approach to problems.

Meddlesome Company main menu screen
This NPC deduction puzzle conveys Anthony’s (Ch1 player) approach. The player deducts the correct dialogue option based on the NPC’s appearance and dialogue as Anthony relies on social skills.
Meddlesome Company main menu screen
This circuit puzzle focused on conveying Theo’s (Ch2 player) approach. The player connects the two ends of the circuit. The purpose was to create a distraction by connecting the sewage vent to the lab room as Theo relies on tech skills.

Dialogue and Cutscenes

I created the dialogue system to included profile pictures, variable text size, and colour to make moments more memorable and give more character to the NPCs. NPC dialogue changed depending on story progression to increase immersion and reward players for exploration. Dialogue focused on conveying the workplace atmosphere and reactions to story beats. Since Chapter 1 and Chapter 2 takes place simultaneosly, dialogue reflected changes from both sides of the story.

Meddlesome Company main menu screen
Dialogue 1: The NPC's initial dialogue before the events of the story during Chapter 1, using default font size.
Meddlesome Company main menu screen
Dialogue 2: The NPC's dialogue in Chapter 1 after the power goes out due to the actions of Chapter 2 player character. With increased font size to communicate panic.

Reflection

Through working on this project, I’ve improved my skills in Unity development and environmental art. I’ve learned more about designing meaningful interactions, environments, and narratives in video games.

I’ve learned to tell the story effectively and maintain player engagement by having gameplay intertwine with the character’s skillsets and narrative beats. By doing so, players were able to learn the story we wanted to tell without compromising engagement. Our game was well received during the class showcase

In the future, I would introduce our game’s hook earlier in the game. Currently, it starts with a cutscene to walking to cutscene which wasn’t that fun to the player. Introducing an interaction prior to going to the rival company would help deliver background information as well as increase player engagement.