MICAH MATEO VARGAS

Game Developer

INFO

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Post-Launch Update
Unity
C#
PlasticSCM
5
Programmer
3 months

ABOUT

Rodent Rampage is a 2D endless runner featuring a squirrel with a leaf blower jetpack, traveling through procedurally generated environments. As part of MassDigi's DigiStudio internship, I collaborated with a multidisciplinary team to expand the published game, focusing on feature implementation and polish for a content update.

New Power-Ups

While Rodent Rampage included various power-ups, none altered the player's controls. I aimed to introduce new "higher-order" power-ups which introduce new control schemes to diversify gameplay, drawing inspiration from Jetpack Joyride’s unique mechanics. Since the original artist was unavailable, I focused on reusing existing assets for both power-ups described below:

• Jet Rush Power-Up: The squirrel shifts into a "superman" pose with one hand outstretched, accelerating significantly. The controls shift to a two-zone input, where tapping the top half ascends and the bottom half descends, emphasizing fast-paced acorn collection.


• Bird Ride Power-Up: The squirrel grabs onto a bird (an existing enemy from the suburbs area) and continues moving at normal speed. Controls shift to a "flap" mechanic, where tapping the screen causes the bird to beat its wings and ascend.

Polishing Game Feel

Through playtesting, I identified areas to improve gameplay responsiveness and fairness:

• Hang-time Adjustment: Reduced floatiness after ascent by refining the physics system for snappier control.
• Hitbox Refinement: Adjusted the player’s hitbox to exclude the leaf blower, preventing perceived unfair deaths.
• VFX Timing: Fine-tuned the leaf blower’s particle effects and visuals for better alignment with player input.

Intro Cutscene Integration

I implemented the game's intro cutscene on the main menu using Unity's Video Player component, enhancing the game's presentation with an animated opening sequence.