Dane Hildreth
Tales of Kogi
2D Platformer
​
"Deep in the spirit forest, a young kitsune named Kogi begins his trial to gain his tails. You must use your spiritual abilities to traverse across various terrains full of yokai, who all seem to be friendlier than you might think. After gaining all your tails and powers throughout the trials, the young kitsune can finally become a fully fledged guardian spirit."
​
My Work
For this game I was able to work on designing levels 2 and 3 as well as compose the music and SFX for the game. I started each design by imagining how Kogi's journey into becoming a kitsune would reflect in each level. We figured the trajectory of Kogi's path would "ramp up" with each level. Going from horizontal movement in the first level and ending with near vertical movement on the last.
Both of these levels I saw from initial concept stages to completion. I was also able to program my own mechanics into these levels and work on the particle effects as well.
As we neared the end I created various particle effects and implemented other technical aspects of the environemnt VFX such as water and lightning.
Lastly, I created three Illustrations for the in-game start menu that cycled randomly each time the screen was opened.
Level 2 Design
Level 2 Initial Design and Whitebox
Level 2 was focused on clearing the treetops and exploring Kogi's new "dash" ability and an introduction to the boulder mechanics. For this reason I incorporated longer jumps and a player trajectory that rose slightly more than the previous cave level that had been a single path straight forward. The boulder mechanic initially only popped once in the form of a mischievous tanuki NPC rolling the boulder-like yokai down a tree as you ran up it. I programmed and implemented this element into the game using C#.
Level 2 Feedback and Edits
Feedback showed that players liked the boulder yokai but initially did not understand how interactable it was. To make the this and the level transition more comprehensible I added a section at the beginning where the player is trapped in the cave and must push the boulder to get out. This gives the player time to understand how the boulder works while not being rushed by the rolling movement of the later boulder.
​
I also eliminated the branching paths to get wisps as the players were confused on their final destination and frequently missed the second wisp -- not allowing them to proceed to level 3.
Level 3 Design
Level 3 Concept and Initial Design
Level 3 was intended to be the most difficult part of the game as it was the last playable section before the ending. This level -- in a similar manner to the second level -- introduced a double jump ability and also a wind environmental hazard that could impede or boost Kogi in various directions. Both of these new additions allowed for a creative aerial playstyle that would set itself apart from the earlier sections of the game.
​
The culmination of airways, boulders, and enemies made for interesting predicaments the player could be placed in. However, this level was initially way to difficult compared to the earlier level of the game. Many game design decisions were made to adjust to player feedback such as a checkpoint system which was then implemented throughout all levels as well as an overall level structure that prohibited the player from falling off later platforms to the start of level -- forcing them to restart.
​
Menu Illustrations
VFX
Working on the VFX came later in the development process and was definitely a learning experience for me. I worked on creating and altering particle effects in Unity as well as implementing various environmental VFX such as reflective water and lighting with the help of my team.
Various particle effects and animations ended up being used such as: Rain, lighting, fireflies, waterfalls and water splashes, and even stalactite drips.
Reflection
This game was one of my favorite projects to work on. I loved being able to adjust small aspects of each level as well as mechanics that affected the game in much larger ways.
​
I learned so much working on this game such as the level design pipeline, agile development, and how to make soundtrack music and SFX.
Credits
Paul Toprac - Producer
Audrey Stein - Co-Producer
Soo Jung Aguilar - Character & UI Artist
Belle Avena - Environment Artist
Kasey Wu - Character Artist
Cristian Astorga - Programmer
Noah Kuhn - Programmer
Dane Hildreth - Game & Sound Designer
Yujie Tao - Level & Narrative Designer