GENRE
PLATFORM
ENGINE
DURATION
Action Party
Playstation 4
Unity
9 Weeks (Full Time)
13 Developers
TEAM SIZE
Download a PC version of the game
Game Description
With Power Golf Arena, we at Artillery Green wanted to bring players an action-filled rush by having the player utilize an arsenal of different items which all have one thing in common, chaos!
The idea behind Power Golf Arena was to create a sports game that neatly balances the core golfing experience with party game action. We want to offer players an enjoyable time with friends while they form new rivalries over a good old game of golf!
Power Golf Arena is a third-person action party game developed by Artillery Green as a part of Game Project 2 at Playgroundsquad.
Power Golf Arena can be described in two words,
Golf Deathmatch. You compete as one of the top performers in this futuristic extreme golf event. Fighting for your chance to be crowned the best!
Hover for Info
Game project website: https://portal.playgroundsquad.com/spelprojekt/artillery-green/
Contribution Summary
UI/UX Designer
Throughout the development of Power Golf Arena, I was the one responsible for putting together the UI. I Concepted the early stages of the UI, both menu and in-game. Then I talk with the artists about feedback on the visuals as well as how feasible it was. I made sure to work closely with the programmers to get the functionality right, and with the artists to make the style coherent.
While designing the UI, the hardest feature to nail was the readability of individual player information. Keeping it clean and clear while not overtly distracting. After different iterations and playtest feedback we created UI that was well-received by the players.
UI/UX Design
Futuristic Extreme Sports
Power Golf Arena at its core is a game focused on elevating the traditional golfing experience to somewhat of a futuristic extreme sport. We realized that SCIENCE FICTION would our main source of inspiration, alongside looking into motion graphics for real-life sports events to emulate the feeling.
As a game of this nature didn't exist we had a lot of creative FREEDOM when sculpting the UI. Due to the game's action pace, this freedom became both a blessing and a curse. We needed to keep the UI minimalistic to give players as much sight as possible and not break any immersion. On top of that, balancing the UX showing of point gain, item pick-ups, and general player feedback all together made for a heavy feat to tackle.
Development Process
Click a number for that section
Ideation
Blockout
Art Implementation
Ideation
To begin with, we researched how traditional golfing games as well as sci-fi-inspired games styled their UI. We started discussing the UX layout and functionality with the GDD as a base.
We came to the decision that I should create a digital mockup to capture my envisioned idea.
This mockup became the starting ground for the HUD and its inspirations became the main inspiration for the game's UI style.
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Together with the digital mockup, I created some simple paper sketches to discuss practicality and functionality.
The Idea behind the UI/UX was to offer the player as much screen space as possible. This was why ideas such as a minimap were on the fence throughout development. We wanted a minimalistic UI that would immerse the player yet. This process required a lot of collaboration on all fronts.
UI/UX Conceptiulizing
The number of unique UI assets needed in Power Golf Arena created borders for what could be achieved in time. These borders also acted as a guiding plan to keep the UI minimalistic.
I prefer to create mockups of the UX design to be able to easily convey my ideas. I account for readability, cognitive load, and keeping a similar style to the design when producing concepts. I start with several choices and then discuss them with designers and the art team about potential problems.
After the designers and the art team have voiced their concerns, I go back to the drawing board and look for more inspiration to refine the concept. Working closely with the art team allowed me to receive constant feedback on style and feel. All these factors combined made for an agile workflow that highlights the rapid iteration of the concept.
Blockout
The creation of the first in-game UI required a lot of collaboration between designers and programmers. Decisions of how the placeholder blockout should look to give the desired feeling created loads of back-and-forth discussion between programmers and designers.
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The iteration process of creating the UI for the game continued to require close collaboration between designers and programmers throughout the game's development. This was not only the case for the 2D HUD and menu elements but also the case for the in-game display of UI in the form of the aiming arch and player beacons, here the art team contributed as well.
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Art Implementation
Implementing the different UI elements happened steadily throughout the game's development. It, like much else, required lots of collaborations between programming, design, and art.
I implemented most of the 2D UI elements such as HUD and menus.
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Level Design
Futuristic Action Party Environment
The level at which Power Golf Arena takes place is one built to elevate the game's different items and possible playstyles. Our goal was to create a level that felt fitting of the image of the extreme sport. We created and iterated upon designs with one shared goal in mind, putting an emphasis on ITEMS and giving the player different ways to use them.
The level design was constructed with close collaborations with the environment artist to assure an AESTHETICALLY PLEASING and FUNCTIONAL level.
Development Process
Click a number to that section
Ideation
Blockout
Set Dressing
Paper Concept
Ideation
The fundamental idea of how the level layouts should be was the hurdles we fell into right at the start of development. The original concept had more of a traditional golf take on level design. However, we decided to lean more into extreme sports to create a more dynamic and player-centric experience. A lot of inspiration was taken from real-life sports to try and find a balance between open play space and a deathmatch feeling.
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Paper Concept
Level Iteration
The level design for Power Golf Arena was filled with concepts exploring every detail the environment could offer. This lead to levels of varying complexity and stature.
I prefer sketching out my levels ahead of time to have a starting guide which I later iterate upon. I believe it allows me to quickly realize what type of levels would work and which don't.
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The main inspiration behind my design came from the competitive sport World Chase Tag. I found the sport to offer a great understanding of having different angles and obstacles could interact with the player. It together with the openness of traditional golf courses created the exact feeling we were aiming for.
Power Golf Arena was originally set to have three playable levels. Each was to offer the player unique interactions with reused assets. This idea was the backbone of the level design in Power Golf Arena.
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Blockout
Since the original idea was to have three levels, I made some blockouts using Autodesk Maya. I started by making more traditional golf levels but after feedback started iterating on the base concept of the levels. After iterating on the idea and concepts together with the environment artist I created a testing area more suited to the envisioned style of levels.
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Due to misunderstandings and unclear communication, the level which is in the game wasn't prototyped or iterated on by a level designer, but rather created by the environment artist without design iteration.
I created a blockout of a potential second level, the concept of which was discussed with the environment artist, and assets such as the looping ramps were added to the game's level.
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Click to enlarge
Set Dressing
I worked closely with the art team to determine how to implement different elements into the level, everything from barriers to the jumbotron.
Knowing the concept and acting out of the position I was put in I divided the level into sections to diversify the environment and gameplay while still keeping the death match feeling.
Lead Game Designer
Power Golf Arena was originally a concept created by my co-designer Carl-Henric Ehn-Hjältman. The lead game designer role had me take his original concept and elevate it to become something unique. The path of which I took concept was one neither golf nor party games had gone down, that of a union.
Instead of being focused on creating a golf simulation or a high pace action PVP I wanted the two elements to mix. Having the player battle in a never seen setting while still keeping true to the logistics of the golfing sport. The team and I decided that striking up a balance would not only make for diverse gameplay but also a game that encourages competitiveness in a light-hearted way.
Along with reshaping the core concept, I also took care of and prepared almost all documentation regarding the game and its different parts. This meant I was the one to inform the sound designers appointed to our group of all that they needed to know. All of this on top of being responsible for most items in the game and tweaking their gameplay impact made the role of lead game designer a tough challenge, however, I overcame it with the team's help.
I was the one responsible for fixing gameplay elements such as a navmesh to keep the player from reaching points on the level they shouldn't be able to. As well as adjust the collision of all player interactable objects to optimize the game and performance.
Project Manager
The role of the Project Manager was appointed to me since I was the one who kept track of all documentation and was in charge of the team's daily standups. I, furthermore, kept track of the team's Trello board. I was the one to oversee all parts of production to make sure that we were meeting our goals.
I was also the one to hold our weekly sprint and milestone reviews. The weekly sprint reviews were a part of the agile workflow aimed to keep the team making progress on a steady basis. The milestone reviews acted as key points in the development cycle, points where we presented the game in its entirety to pitch it and the changes made.
Development Team
Programmers
Julius Ervardsson
Pontus Westerfors
Daniel Westman
Game Designers
Artists
Sound Designers
Hugo Wassén
Carl-Henric Ehn-Hjältman
Maija Eriksson Kukkonen
Rebekah Landfeldt
Eddie Cyrillus
Andreas Olsson
Elisabeth Lindberg
Andreas Hultgren
Sebastian Hedlund
Jibril Ibrahim
Artillery Green