Red Hot Ball

Role: Solo Developer

Platform: Android

Tools Used: Unity

Overview

Red Hot Ball is a physics-based puzzle game inspired by the viral fascination with red-hot balls melting through objects. The game challenges players to strategically heat a ball and navigate obstacles to progress through uniquely designed levels. This project not only marked my first self-released game but also served as a foundation for creating a robust game development pipeline that significantly accelerates the production of future casual games.

My Contributions

• Game Design:

  • Personally designed every level, using principles from game design experts such as GMTK to ensure engaging and balanced challenges.

  • Created a progression curve that gradually introduces new mechanics, keeping players intrigued and improving their mastery over time.

• Development:

  • Built the entire game architecture, including the physics-driven core mechanic, level progression system, and reward mechanics (star-based scoring).

  • Integrated Google Play Services for achievements and leaderboards, fostering player engagement and competition.

  • Designed an efficient modular codebase, enabling rapid iteration and seamless addition of new levels or mechanics.

• Pipeline Innovation:

  • Developed a streamlined pipeline for hyper-casual game development by leveraging task prioritization, asset workflow automation, and modular templates for UI and mechanics.

  • Built custom tools within Unity to automate repetitive tasks such as texture optimization and prefab generation, significantly reducing development time.

• Optimization:

  • Utilized advanced physics tweaking and resource management to ensure smooth performance across a variety of Android devices, including low-end models.

  • Applied dynamic level loading and object pooling techniques to enhance memory usage and reduce loading times.

Unique Features

• A one-of-a-kind heating mechanic that combines real-world physics concepts with engaging gameplay.

• Carefully crafted levels that encourage creative problem-solving and reward precision.

• A scalable level system with modular design, enabling rapid expansion of content.

Marketing and Release

• Released as an invite-only early access game to generate excitement and gather valuable user feedback for future updates.

• Created a dedicated player testing group, leveraging user feedback to refine gameplay mechanics and identify areas for improvement.

Results and Impact

• Laid the foundation for a hyper-casual game development pipeline that has streamlined my future projects.

• Garnered positive feedback during early access for its innovative mechanic and intuitive gameplay.

• Positioned the game as a strong example of creative and technical innovation in the casual gaming market.

play.google.com

Melt ice with a red-hot ball in this fun physics puzzle! Master the heat!