Speed Boost System

Hey everyone, Ronan here. As the tech lead for Mobility, it is my job to create and implement new gameplay systems into the game. Because of our small team, sometimes my job crosses over with Kelly’s job (design lead), where through me playing the game as I put it together, I find some faults within the systems of the game. This leads me to come up with improvements and new systems for Mobility. For example, Mobility features a speed boost system, where the player gains a significant amount of speed. This system used to involve the player running over a certain area in order to gain that speed boost. 

I used to think this system was good, however recently I realised it left out the most important aspect of games: player control. Mobility is all about going as fast as you can through levels and completing it in the quickest time. Players want to be able to go as fast as they possibly can, so this means using speed boosts to their advantage. With the first iteration of a boost system, the player had to run over the boost pad that had been placed in a specific location by me. This obviously offered the player no agency as to when they want to use a boost in order to gain speed. This led to the system feeling no fun, as it was just a linear thing that the player couldn’t use; it was something that the player encountered whilst completing the level.

In order to change that, I came up with and implemented a classic boost system that allows the player to control where and when they use their boost. Now, when the player presses the “F” key, they use the speed boost up out of a boost metre. Once that metre has been used up, they run out of boost. The player is able to fill their boost metre back up by picking up boost pickups that are scattered throughout the level. The fill ups will be in places both easy and hard to reach, allowing players who have mastered the game feel like they are being rewarded for their mastery. This gives the player more control over where and when they want to use their boosts, making the game more fun to play. 

This is an example of the kind of work I do as the tech lead on Mobility; creating and implementing gameplay systems, and then tweaking them to make them just right. Hopefully when everyone plays it the new boost system adds to the game being really fun to play!