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Crusade Game Desgin
The project, titled Crusade, was developed as a solo endeavour where I took on the role of lead developer. The tools that I utilizing are Unity and Photoshop, my primary goal was to create an engaging Action Role-Playing experience that emphasized key objectives, including multiplayer interaction and a seamless combat system. Throughout the project, I focused on overcoming challenges related to multiplayer implementation, ensuring smooth player interactions and consistent synchronization between the client and server to deliver a cohesive and immersive experience.
Role
Lead Developer
team size
1 person
development time
6 months
Game Engine
Unity
Genre
Action Role-Play (Souls Like)
Technologies used
Unity
C#
GIT
Photoshop
Audacity
Trello
Design Process
In developing The Crusade, I followed a five-step design process, which I will elaborate on throughout this portfolio piece. Each phase was crucial in shaping the game's mechanics, systems, and overall player experience.
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DESGIN DOCUMENT
prototyping
rought blockout/coding
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3
refinement of code and level design
4
passover and feedback
5
Design Document
The first step in my design process was creating the Game Design Document (GDD), where I organized all the initial ideas for The Crusade and planned out the key features to be included. In this document, I outlined the core gameplay mechanics, establishing a clear vision for how the game would function and what players could expect in terms of experience and interaction. This foundational step helped guide the subsequent phases of development.
link to game design doc : https://docs.google.com/document/d/1ndrFRtmu_ZA3SjvNHt5fQmK8QdQM9eJQ1tZDJ3C329k/edit?tab=t.0
Core Game Pillars
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A customisable player character
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Responsive AI
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​ruined world environment
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exploration
Gameplay Breakdown
The core gameplay loop involves the player exploring vast environments to discover ancient ruins. Once inside, they navigate labyrinthine layouts, searching for hidden items and battling enemies to grow stronger. As they progress and gain enough power, they take on challenging boss fights. After defeating the boss, the player returns to exploration, continuing the cycle of discovery, combat, and progression. This loop keeps the player engaged through a balance of exploration, combat, and strategic growth.
Explore Ruins
Find ancient artifacts
Fight enemy's
find loot
Second-to-Second gameplay :The player will explore both an expansive open world and the depths of ancient ruins. In the open world, they will search for new areas and hidden secrets, while in the ruins, they will navigate intricate, maze-like environments
Minute-to-Minute gameplay : The player will uncover hidden items and defeat enemies to grow in power, gradually enhancing their abilities and equipment. These elements of exploration and combat are key to the player's progression, allowing them to face increasingly difficult challenges as they advance through the game.
Hour-to-Hour gameplay : The player will face challenging bosses in order to unlock new zones and acquire ancient artifacts. Each boss fight serves as a major milestone, testing the player's skill and progression while rewarding them with access to new areas and powerful artifacts that enhance their abilities and deepen the game's lore.
Level Breakdown
Abandoned Dungeon (Tutorial Area) - Crusade
The Abandoned Dungeon (tutorial level) in Crusade is designed to introduce players to the game's core mechanics while setting a tone of tension and discovery. Starting in a confined space, players gradually move through a series of connected areas, each offering strategic choices and environmental storytelling. This level serves to teach basic combat, exploration, and decision-making while establishing the dark, foreboding atmosphere of the game world.
The Abandoned Dungeon (tutorial level) is designed to immerse the player through environmental storytelling and gradual skill acquisition. The initial confined room and narrow corridors create a sense of unease, while strategic item placements encourage exploration. The use of visual cues, like glowing objects and branching paths, guides the player without explicit prompts, fostering a sense of agency and curiosity.
Design Philosophy
Layout and Flow
The player begins in a small, confined room that leads into a narrow corridor. Along the way, they encounter three dead bodies, subtly hinting at an unknown threat lurking just out of sight. This design choice creates a sense of tension and unease, drawing players deeper into the environment as they anticipate the dangers that lie ahead.
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At the end of the corridor, the player discovers a glowing object, which, when picked up, provides them with a sword to aid in their survival. This weapon becomes a critical tool for the player moving forward. As they proceed, they spot another corridor ahead, where two undead enemies are revealed. The player now faces a choice: either engage the enemies in combat or try to evade them and continue exploring, adding an element of strategy and tension to the gameplay.
3
At the end of the corridor, the player enters a small room with a single enemy, prompting a decision to either fight or flee. After clearing the room, the player ascends a staircase that opens into a courtyard. In the center of the courtyard, there is a small fire pit, which acts as a save point, restoring the player's health upon interaction. From here, the player is presented with three distinct paths. One leads to valuable armor, another to a challenging boss fight, and the third reveals a hidden corridor for further exploration. These options provide both strategic and immersive depth, giving the player control over how they advance through the game.
4
In this breakdown, after acquiring the armor, the player chooses to explore the hidden path. As they proceed, they soon realize that the hidden path opens up, revealing even more to discover. This new area presents three additional paths. One leads up a set of stairs, another takes the player toward an enemy, and the last is a small room with a corridor leading further into the unknown. These branching paths expand the player's sense of exploration, creating intrigue and encouraging further discovery as they decide which direction to take next.
5
In this breakdown, the player weighs their options, picks up another item, and heads up the stairs. Moving through a corridor, they eventually uncover one of the possible ways to end the level: a shining portal at the top of a mountain. As the player walks along a narrow pathway, they spot an opening that reveals a wind to the boss room. From there, they proceed into another corridor, building anticipation as they inch closer to the level's final challenge. This sequence offers a sense of discovery and choice, while also guiding the player toward critical encounters and the level's conclusion.
6
The player follows the corridor around, discovering another item and encountering an enemy along the way. After dealing with this, they peer down the final corridor, which leads into even more winding passageways. However, deciding not to continue exploring, the player turns back and retraces their steps to the courtyard, ready to face the boss and take on the challenge that awaits. This decision to return to the central area builds tension, as the player prepares for the pivotal encounter in the game.
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Once the player faces the boss, this is where the tutorial concludes, as the boss ultimately defeats the player. However, if the player had managed to win the battle, they would have been able to proceed to the portal, which would have revealed more of the world, marking the end of the tutorial and the beginning of the larger adventure. This outcome teases the vastness of the game’s universe, setting up the narrative and gameplay to come while also reinforcing the difficulty and challenge the player will face throughout the game.
Game Mechanics Breakdown
In Crusade, I led the design and implementation of several core gameplay systems that form the backbone of the player's combat and progression experience. This breakdown highlights the underlying mechanics that drive player agency, buildcrafting, and moment-to-moment gameplay.
My approach focused on creating mechanics that are not only responsive and satisfying to use but also deeply interconnected—encouraging strategic thinking and long-term player investment. From stamina-based combat and weapon customization to armor scaling and exploration-driven rewards, each system was carefully tuned to support a fair, transparent, and engaging gameplay loop.
The following sections detail the functionality, design rationale, and impact of the key systems I developed, supported by examples and insights into the iteration process that shaped them.
Buildcrafting & Class Preset System
At the beginning of the game, players enter the character creation process. This is where the buildcrafting system is introduced. Players select a starting class/pre-set that determines their initial stats, weapons, and armor.
Key Mechanics:
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Class Presets: Each preset includes predefined stats that affect weapon scaling and armor effectiveness.
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Initial Loadout: Players are given a weapon and armor set appropriate to their class.
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Impact on Gameplay: This choice impacts early playstyle and progression strategies.
Stat-Based Progression (Rune Levelling)
Progression is tied to defeating enemies and earning a currency called "Runes." Runes are used to level up various player stats.
Key Mechanics:
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Runes: Dropped by enemies and used as a leveling currency.
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Stat Menu: Players can access this menu at designated locations.
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Custom Builds: Levelling allows customization of the player's build and combat efficiency.
Weapon Slot System
The player has three weapon slots for each hand, allowing for flexible combat strategies.
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Slot Management: Equip up to 3 weapons in each hand.
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Switching: Players can swap weapons in real time.
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Strategic Loadouts: Encourages situational planning.
Stamina Management System
Player actions like attacking, sprinting, and dodging consume stamina. The stamina system introduces resource management during combat.
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Key Mechanics:
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Stamina Pool: Finite resource that regenerates over time.
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Action Cost: Each weapon attack has a unique stamina cost.
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Decision-Making: Players must balance offense and defense.
Armor System & Damage Reduction
Armor protects the player by reducing incoming damage based on type and value. This provides depth to buildcrafting
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Key Mechanics:
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Four Armor Slots: Helmet, Chest, Legs, and Boots.
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Damage Mitigation: Armor absorbs specific damage types.
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Consistency: Enemies use the same damage system as the player.
Item Drop & Exploration System
Items are dropped by enemies or found in the environment. Some are themed after bosses, encouraging exploration and combat.
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Key Mechanics:
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Drop Chance: % chance of obtaining items.
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Themed Loot: Bosses drop matching armor/weapon sets.
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Exploration Incentive: Rewards players for exploring and engaging with enemies.
Armor, Weapons and levelling Breakdown
Designing the armor and weapons systems in Crusade, I was responsible for driving the long-term vision of these core gameplay pillars, ensuring they aligned with the game’s overarching creative direction and evolving player experience goals. My work focused on crafting high-impact content—ranging from unique weapons and armor to implementing reward system—that not only felt satisfying to use but also empowered players with meaningful, strategic choices.
I designed and led the development of a cohesive buildcrafting ecosystem that supports diverse playstyles and encourages deep player expression. This system begins at the character creation stage, where players choose from a variety of starting classes or presets. Each preset offers a distinct combination of starting stats, weapons, and armor, giving players a meaningful choice in how they want to approach the game from the outset. This foundation empowers players to engage with the buildcrafting system early on and tailor their gameplay experience as they progress.
These values directly influence gameplay: weapon stats determine how much damage the player can deal to the enemy ai and whether a player can wield a weapon to its full potential, while armor values play a crucial role in mitigating damage from enemies. Enemy AI uses the same damage values available to players, ensuring a consistent and transparent combat system. This design choice helps players better understand how damage scaling works, reinforcing a fair and intuitive gameplay loop that rewards strategic choices.
Players also have access to a dual-handed weapon system, featuring three weapon slots for both the left and right hands. This setup offers a high degree of flexibility and encourages strategic planning, allowing players to equip a variety of weapon combinations to suit different encounters.
In addition to weapons, players have access to four armor slots, allowing them to further tailor their builds to match their preferred playstyle. Each piece of armor contributes specific defensive values, directly affecting how much damage the player takes from enemy AI. Since the AI operates on the same damage model as the player, this system not only reinforces fairness and clarity but also deepens the strategic layer of buildcrafting by encouraging players to make thoughtful decisions about their defensive setup.
Players also have the ability to customize their bow loadouts by selecting different types of projectiles. This feature gives players greater control over their combat approach, allowing them to adapt their tactics based on the situation
Within the weapon system, I implemented a flexible framework that allows for fine-tuning individual weapons to create a unique feel and combat identity beyond just raw player stats. Each weapon can be adjusted using a variety of parameters, including attack modifiers, stamina costs, and block absorption values. Attack modifiers, for instance, allow me to control how much damage a weapon deals at its base level by multiplying its base damage with custom scaling values. These modifiers can be individually defined per weapon, enabling precise balance and variety across the arsenal. This system ensures that every weapon feels distinct and supports a wide range of playstyles.
Stamina cost is another key parameter I designed to enhance the weapon system. It determines how much stamina (a custom resource shared between combat and movement) is consumed when a weapon is used. Each attack type can have a different stamina cost, allowing for fine-tuned balancing across light, heavy, and special attacks. This system encourages players to think critically about their actions, weighing the risk and reward of each move, and managing their stamina carefully in both offensive and defensive scenarios.
The item system encourages exploration by allowing players to discover unique gear hidden throughout the world or dropped from enemy AI at a percentage-based chance. Each item is designed with a distinct thematic identity, adding to its visual and gameplay appeal. For example, defeating a boss may reward the player with a weapon or armor set that mirrors the boss’s design and abilities. This creates a strong incentive for players to explore the world thoroughly, seek out hidden encounters, and engage with high-stakes challenges in pursuit of powerful, visually striking rewards.
Players can also strengthen their character by leveling up stats using runes—a form of in-game currency earned by defeating enemies. These runes can be spent to improve specific attributes, such as vigor, mind, endurance and more directly impacting the player's effectiveness in combat. This system provides a clear sense of progression and growth, enabling players to overcome increasingly difficult challenges and tailor their character to match their preferred playstyle.
​From the foundational stat systems to the minute tuning of individual weapons, my work on Crusade focused on creating a flexible, rewarding, and fair sandbox where every build choice matters and every item earned feels meaningful.
UI/UX Breakdown
I was designing and implementing the user interface to enhance player immersion and accessibility because crusade is a third-person action RPG that challenges players to navigate dark dungeons and combat relentless enemies while managing health, stamina, and inventory efficiently. My goal was to create a clean, intuitive, and responsive UI that complements the game's gritty atmosphere while delivering essential information seamlessly.
Through a combination of C++ and C# programming, I developed a modular, high-performance UI system that dynamically updates based on player interactions and combat states. This breakdown highlights the key UI elements I created and the technical challenges I overcame to ensure a consistent and engaging user experience.
Technologies used
Unity
C#
Photoshop
UI Elements and Design Philosophy
Health and Stamina Bars (Top Left)
The Health, Stamina, and Mana Bars in Crusade were designed to provide players with real-time updates on vital stats while maintaining a clean and uncluttered screen. To achieve this, I implemented a color-coded bar system that differentiates between health, stamina, and mana for quick recognition, using a minimalistic design to ensure that essential information remains visible without being intrusive. Positioned at the top left of the screen, these bars are easily accessible through peripheral vision, allowing players to stay focused on the action. The bars update dynamically during combat and exploration, with each bar changing color to black when the stat vale is changed (such as health turning back when lowerd) to alert the player effectively. The system was built using C# scripts within Unity and integrated with the game’s combat and stamina management systems, utilizing efficient event-driven updates to minimize performance impact, even during intensive gameplay sequences.
Inventory Quick Slots (Bottom Left)
The Inventory Quick Slots in Crusade are designed to display equipped items and consumables in a clear, icon-based format that enhances usability during gameplay. Positioned at the bottom left of the screen, the quick slots provide easy access without obstructing the player's view. To maintain a consistent and cohesive look, I utilized custom UI elements tailored to the game’s aesthetic. This approach not only ensures clarity but also keeps the interface visually appealing and functionally efficient.
Currency/Points Display (Bottom Right)
The Inventory Quick Slots in Crusade are designed to display equipped items and consumables in a clear, icon-based format that enhances usability during gameplay. Positioned at the bottom left of the screen, the quick slots provide easy access without obstructing the player's view. To maintain a consistent and cohesive look, I utilized custom UI elements tailored to the game’s aesthetic. This approach not only ensures clarity but also keeps the interface visually appealing and functionally efficient.
UX Considerations
Player Readability
To enhance player readability in Crusade, I strategically grouped essential stats in intuitive screen locations to minimize visual clutter. By placing critical information, such as health, stamina, mana, inventory slots, and currency, in consistent and easily accessible areas, players can quickly gather necessary details without breaking immersion. Additionally, I used high-contrast colors to ensure that UI elements remain visible and legible against the game’s varied environments, maintaining clarity during both intense combat and exploration scenarios.
Minimal Distraction
To enhance player readability in Crusade, I strategically grouped essential stats in intuitive screen locations to minimize visual clutter. By placing critical information, such as health, stamina, mana, inventory slots, and currency, in consistent and easily accessible areas, players can quickly gather necessary details without breaking immersion. Additionally, I used high-contrast colors to ensure that UI elements remain visible and legible against the game’s varied environments, maintaining clarity during both intense combat and exploration scenarios.
To ensure consistency in Crusade, I utilized uniform iconography and a cohesive color scheme across all UI elements. This approach maintains a consistent visual language throughout the game, making it easier for players to quickly recognize and understand different interface components. By standardizing icons and colors, the UI remains intuitive and visually appealing, reinforcing the game’s aesthetic while enhancing usability.
Technical Implementation
Dynamic UI System
The Dynamic UI System was developed using C# scripts within Unity, designed with modular components to facilitate easy updates and adjustments. This modular approach ensures that individual UI elements can be modified or expanded without affecting the entire system, allowing for quick iterations and improvements throughout development. By structuring the UI in this way, I ensured both flexibility and maintainability, streamlining the process of implementing new features or optimizing existing ones.
Performance Optimization
To optimize performance, I implemented efficient update loops that minimize frame drops during dynamic UI changes, such as health bar depletion. By prioritizing event-driven updates and reducing unnecessary calculations, the UI system maintains smooth performance even during intense gameplay scenarios. This approach ensures that critical elements like health, stamina, and inventory updates are handled efficiently, preserving both responsiveness and frame rate stability.
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