Pimenton

Unity Engine

Brackeys Game Jam 2022.1

Developed over 7 days

Pimenton was my submission for Brackeys Game Jam 2022. This was my the first gam jam I participated in so I really wanted to target the theme – which was “this is not real.” For this project I was responsible for all aspects of the project. I had recently watched Paprika, so I was inspired to make the world feel surreal and have loose rules.

Design Goals

  1. Polished platformer with wall jumping

  2. Narrative gameplay that captures the theme

  3. Surreal level design by using fake walls, fake platforms, and collapsing levels

Improving Game Feel

The core gameplay loop of Pimenton was quite simple and movement was the majority of it. To ensure that the gameplay never felt unresponsive, coyote time was a key feature of the movement script. This provided a tiny window for players to jump after exiting a ledge, so that they wouldn’t immediately drop like a brick near edges.

Communicating with Environmental Design

My favorite example of communicating with game design was in a "fake" platform section. All the previous platforming logic was no longer applicable. Instead, players had to utilize the spatial clues I placed in the level. That "aha" moment I saw from players was what I was chasing.

Post-Jam Evaluation

What went well?

  • Pimenton ended up beingthe 3rd most played game in a jam with over 1.6k entries

  • The gameplay was quite simple, but enjoyable and polished

  • Charm and narrative improved gameplay experience

  • I learned a tremendous amount in 7 days

What went wrong?

  • Many players felt that the game was too simple

  • No background music

  • No menu or proper UI

  • Bland level design

  • Restarting the game after beating results in a camera bug