Project Introduction

At this stage in production (including the build submitted), multiple pillars are missing. These include Narrative, Visual Art, Sound & some gameplay (Bossfights). So, let's go over what is implemented.

Trapped on the FlipSide is a 3rd person Puzzle Platformer where you play as a Spherical Robot.

The game focuses on teaching the player everything through exploration, trial & error and curiosity using various game & level design philosophies. In other words, the player starts with nothing and must learn the mechanics fluidly as they play.

The player character uses ball physics to move and can "absorb" colours on contact with their liquid substance. One of four colours can be absorbed at a time, White, Red, Green or Blue. By touching Magenta, the player takes damage.

The player will practice their movement through various platforming challenges involving, angled surfaces, narrow "tight rope" strips, momentum management, timing & more. The environmental design is inviting for progression, yet hostile for those seeking a challenge.

Connecting to Power Totems with their required colour(s) will activate that colour, increasing the player's score & potentially opening locked doors. Most Totems are locked behind engaging, puzzling & ability based challenges.

With certain amounts of Colour Score, the player can progress to larger areas. Each area is themed around one of the colours and will contain an ability unlock to be discovered & obtained. Challenges are also designed around the colour's purpose, with offensive, deffencive or mobility based challenges.

By finding the abilities within each area, the player can revisit challenging or impossible obstacles to reach the Totem upon completion. In this build, the Red, Green & Blue areas contain the Blast, Dash & Shield abilities respectively.

Blast releases an explosion around the player, the radius growing as the player holds the input. This is good for damaging/breaking walls/platforms that may or may not regenerate. It can also stun laser firing turrets.

Dash warps the player a distance in the direction they are moving. This allows traversal through instant kill obstacles & across impossible gaps.

Shield projects a holographic square in the direction the player is looking. This will block any laser that it come in contact with. It is useful against multiple turret challenges & against static constant lasers.

Through progressively complex challenges & areas, the player can energize all the totems, find all the hidden secrets or stop whenever they please. With a save system already in place, the player can come back to the game any time without losing their progress.

The game is compatible with a game pad.

3.5 of the 4 intended explorable areas are implemented (with construction zones defined where things are unfinished). This is the perfect build to experience what polished gameplay is like when the game is still in it's Greybox phase.

About Developer

For this specific build, I (Tim) was the sole in engine developer. I have had some assistance from one of my team's artists (Lucidwinds) for some last minute art additions.

With a plethora of game jams under my belt and had just published a large scale game (Orphan Tome) I set out with a new concept, Trapped on the FlipSide (previously called Colour of the Colloss-Orb). This was an attempt to improve on one of our game jam games (Just Desserts) that didn't hit quite right.

I am currently a Game Production teacher at the same college I graduated from, teaching that same program. I fell in love with problem solving both on the technical side (Programming) and on the psychological side (Design & UX).

Being the only in engine developer is not a new work flow for me & my team. I've adapted to this team structure through multiple game jams. This led me to meeting & working with many very talented artists! I plan to keep this structure with TotFS, working with some of my previous art team mates to bring life to this project.

As a fan of heavy bass music & EDM (like Dubstep & Electro) I reached out to some musicians, some of which I know personally, in order to create a soundtrack for the game as production continues. This is very important to me as it's the first time that I can integrate the music that I love into a fully completed project.

With Montreal being a huge scene for game studios (and dubstep!), I am looking forward to expand & work towards an industry that is so close to me.

- Timothe Lafond