This project was explicitly a game feel project where it focused on kinesthetic feeling. I started by deciding to make a first person fish game and I wanted it to be a passive relaxing experience. In this game, you are in a fish tank swimming around and looking up at the decor.
I decided mouse controls, specifically only left mouse click would be my whole control scheme. To make it feel like a fish swimming it has a slow start-up and slows to a stop and drifts a bit like fish physics. Since it was first person, I had to play with how the player saw the world and was able to get a camera fog working so it looks like the player is underwater.
I had made an audio manager for this project and made it so that different sounds would play depending on what is hit. I was able to make it have continuous sound as the player swims into the sand and stops as soon as they stop colliding with the sand. I personally find the little bonk sounds in the project to make it more charming.
I found some asset packs that had specific items that I wanted for a fish tank, a ship, bridge, rocks, and a mirror. The mirror was a big choice I felt necessary for the experience, I used a fish model for the character and it allowed them to not only see their shadows but see themselves as a fish. The mirror was received very well by playtesters, they loved it when they realized they could see themselves.
Special Thanks to my T.A. for the class Dimitar Dinkov who helped me a lot with my code and logic.
What is Koi Boi?
Koi Boi Gameplay
Due to classes and other projects, I didn't have the time to make the changes that I wanted. Some of the more broad changes that I wanted were to make a better quality of collision sounds, the current sounds work but could have been smoother and more coherent. I also would have made the outside environment better dressed and feel more like a house. Also adding the camera fog to the camera on the mirror because it has odd clarity compared to the rest of the view in the level.
If I had more time to play with it, I would have implemented more fish to swim around in the tank making it more populated. If I didn't have heavy collider restrictions with how I had to make the game, I would have made it so the player could push the pebbles around. It was also suggested to show marks in the sand where the player swam through it, but my technical skills are very basic.
I know there is much more that could have been better in this, but I am still happy that with as many limitations I had. I was able to make the game feel the way I wanted regardless of me not being as strong in programming.
What I could have done better
Brianna Cherise
UI & UX Designer
