Counter Punch
Fighting Game on Mobile Devices
Roles
Tools
Duration
Creator
Unity / TVPaint
1 Year
Creating the Core Gameplay Loop
Fighting games have an inherent connection to Rock-Paper-Scissor. In many cases these interactions come down to Strike-Grab-Block. To further expand the interactions I added Unblockable Attacks, Dodging, and Counter Moves to give the players an option to choose moves that are higher risks with higher rewards.
Tekken inspired Combo System
Within the combo system of Counter Punch, their is a constant increase of the pushback of each attack. This pushback makes it difficult to continue a combo after a few hits. Though each character has a way to close the gap within combos. The player must use these tools to fight the combo system in order to make the most of each situation.
Designing Characters
The design process for creating fighting game characters starts with Game Feel. What can this character bring to the table that other characters cannot? How do I want the player to feel when playing the character? From there, I find inspiration from media and real life to inspire the look and story for each character.
3rd Strike inspired Pixel Art
Underneath is the process each character must go through in order to bring to life.
Taro's Trailer
Each character is given a unique songs that represents their personality and their journey within the game. Once the song is created and the gameplay refined, each character receives a combo trailer that showcases the complex combo system within the game
Designing for Two Players on the same Device
The biggest challenge when designing the game was designing the UI to accommodate both players facing each other. I had to design a mirrored UI that looked interesting, didn’t feel cluttered, but was informative to the player
Future Plans
Online Multiplayer is a necessity for any fighting game in this day and age and a good netcode is a must. Learning to implement Rollback Netcode is the next step to make this project feel complete.
Takeaway
Creating fighting games has always been a lifelong dream. I’ve spent a large portion of my life competing in games like Marvel vs Capcom, Skullgirls, and Dragonball FighterZ. When designing a game, I want the player to be able to express themselves through their character choice and gameplay. In order to do that, you have to keep freedom in mind when designing rather than restrictions.
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