Galgo!

We proposed a range of appropriate game concepts to Greyhounds in Need and after consideration it was decided that we construct a simple 2D platformer. This platformer included several unlockable levels and multiple playable characters. These characters consisted of different coloured Galgos, each with a unique name and bandana to give them personality. Each level was set in an environment related to owning a dog such as a dog park, a town centre and a veterinary clinic. In order for users to select their playable character and the level they wish to play, we implemented a character and level select screen. We also implemented translations for Spanish so that the game could appeal to a wider audience.

We implemented a traditional platforming control scheme that allowed the player to jump over obstacles and move left and right across the screen. To make this possible for mobile, we created a simple user interface that contained the necessary buttons. To make the game engaging, we built a series of levels based around the different environments. This provided opportunities to implement different layouts and obstacles. For instance, the dog park level allowed us to include bounce pads in the form of large mushrooms that when stepped on, would boost the player upwards towards harder to reach platforms.

To add a level of challenge and re-playability, we positioned a number of enemies and collectibles throughout each stage. As the game was tailored towards a younger audience, the enemies could not harm the player but instead acted as mobile bounce pads. This meant that players could use the enemies to reach higher platforms but had to watch out as they would be bounced backwards if touched. This provided the opportunity to position platforms and collectibles in harder to reach places. Each level contained ten dog bones and five information bubbles. Information bubbles were positioned in easy to reach places to ensure they wouldn’t be missed. When the level had been completed, the player could see how many collectables had been missed, helping to incentivise re-playability as players attempted to get 100% completion.

Each time the player collected an information bubble, an in-game popup would appear that displayed a fact about Greyhounds and Galgo. At the end of each level, the player would be presented with a quiz containing questions related to the facts they’d learned. The score the player receives from this quiz would then contribute to their overall completion percentage for the level. This further incentivised learning as players would need to go back and find the answers to the questions to achieve a 100% completion for the level.