Indiana Sawyer

Genre: 2D Puzzle-Platformer

Engine: Unity

Team Size: 1 (Solo Developer / Chief Explorer)

Development Time: 48 Hours (Game Jam)

Indiana Sawyer is a brave explorer searching for the mythical "Blood Banana," a jewel too frightening for others to seek. Sawyer enters a perilous pyramid for what could be his last time. This 48-hour game jam project is a 2D puzzle-platformer focused on an innovative flashlight mechanic to solve environmental puzzles.

Design & Focus

Flashlight Mechanic: The primary puzzle-solving tool, requiring careful aiming and positioning.
Level Designs: Architecting complex, dark cave and pyramid environments that maximize the use of the limited light source.
Trap Enemies: Designing the placement and behavior of traps that are often only visible through the flashlight beam.
Puzzle Designs: Focused on puzzles that integrate light manipulation, timing, and object interaction.

Programming & Technical Magic

Movement System: Coded the responsive 2D player controller for fluid platforming.
Flashlight Mechanic: Engineered the light source to always point directly towards the player's mouse pointer, creating an intuitive system for aiming.
Death and Respawn System: Implemented checkpoints and a seamless respawn mechanism.
Signage System: Created a basic narrative system for storytelling.
Trap Mechanics: Programmed the physics and trigger logic for environmental hazards.
User Interface System: Developed the in-game HUD and menus.

Key Features - Systems in Action

Mouse-Driven Flashlight: The lead mechanic; the flashlight's movement is 1:1 with the mouse pointer, providing easy aiming while moving with keyboard controls.
Dynamic Lighting Puzzles: Traps, clues, and hidden mechanisms are revealed only by the flashlight, expanding the puzzle scope beyond simple platforming.
Rapid Prototyping: The entire game, including controller and interaction system, was designed and developed by myself in a 48-hour time limit.

The Exhibit

Lead Mechanic Showcase: The GIF demonstrates the core flashlight mechanic. The beam of light is directly controlled by the mouse, allowing the player to reveal hidden platforms, traps, or puzzle elements while navigating the dark environment.
Technical Detail: This system relies on vector math to calculate the rotation of the light source based on the mouse's screen position relative to the player character.

Original Level Blueprint: The initial drawing for the level design of the first half of level 1-1. This served as the guide for environmental complexity and trap placement.

In-Game Implementation: The final in-engine implementation of the first half of level 1-1, directly translating the design blueprint into gameplay space.