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TinyToyfare_Logo.png

Platform:

Windows PC

Tools:

Unreal Engine 4, Photoshop, Excel

Completion:

2017

Role:

Level Designer

Systems Designer

Click to download documentation

In the comfort of their home, two young siblings challenge each other to a toy battle. One controls a collection of dinosaurs while the other controls an army of stuffed animals. As they begin to play, their imagination takes over and the toys come to life. The battle ensues as the animals and dinosaurs struggle to defeat one another, moving all around the house to gain the advantage. In the end, only one side will prevail and achieve sweet victory. Tiny Toyfare is a Tower Defense/FPS hybrid with a focus on strategic calm followed by twitch action.

Free to play on Steam!

Duties

  • Worked with another Designer to create the 2D layouts for the game's three levels

  • Created the 3D whitebox for "The City" and "The Graveyard"

  • Worked on environment art for "The Graveyard"

  • Concepted and documented numerous systems, including the squad system, tower upgrades, and Tower Mode

  • Documented and balanced ally and enemy unit stats

  • Worked with artists to make sure our visual style stayed cohesive 

Level Design

Each map has multiple choke-points that the player can fortify, with towers in between to help thin out enemy health and numbers before the next choke-point. At each choke-point are two towers and squad spaces that can both hit an enemy at the same time, allowing the player to combine tower attacks for even more effective strategies. The first choke-point is at the start of the map, allowing player to test towers and upgrade combinations while still having plenty of room left to react if anything gets by. The second choke-point is at the midway point of the maps, allowing players to use the successful strategies or set up more defenses to catch the stragglers from the first choke-point. The final choke-point is located at the end of the lane near the goal, this is for last stands if you have been overwhelmed. The tower in between these points can be used to cut down stragglers or to decimate a wave using Tower Mode. Every level adds a new lane which makes the player have to adapt to new enemy entrances instead of just relying on a single strategy.

The Graveyard

The graveyard is set in the children's basement, a place widely known to children, and some adults, as a dark and foreboding place. I wanted to bring that sense of darkness in a way that still felt lighthearted. So, I created the Toy Graveyard, a place where broken toys go to rest. The map is also peppered with small silly scenes that lighten the mood while still fitting the darker tone of the level. These provide small rewards for players and give them something to do in the event that they are overachieving and there is a lull in the gameplay. 

Systems  Design

In Tower Mode the player takes direct control of the tower. The tower stats are tripled, allowing the player to thin out a large part of the current wave if used effectively. This mechanic allows the player to take an active role in the fight instead of just placing towers and waiting, as well as giving them a burst of adrenaline as the fire/bombs/snowballs fly and the enemies who were just about to get away, fall. 

*All videos and screenshots show the work of the entire team

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