Cartoon Network Journeys VR
A VR experience on the Steam marketplace developed using Unity.
Role: Lead Designer/Programmer
Trailer
About the project
Cartoon Network brought in prominent individuals to brainstorm and prototype out-of-the-box VR concepts.
Working with top creative talent from CN’s history was an incredible experience. As the sole developer, it was up to me to take raw creative energy and funnel it into a feasible project that could be made quickly and run well in VR without sacrificing our momentum.
During brainstorming there were wacky ideas all across the board. From being a forest god – slamming your own trees into your attackers – to performing heists with extendable arms, there was no lack of fresh concepts.
In the end, the jester concept made us laugh the most, and its design is open enough that we could incorporate some of our favorite other ideas within this game’s puzzles. A complete win-win.
Challenges & Solutions
VR Throwing
It's a known fact that hand throwing in VR stinks, but a jester's gotta be able to juggle and toss like the best of them.
💡 I designed and implemented a set of prediction systems that lead to more accurate throwing than other VR experiences.
Unorthodox dev cycle
We used an experimental tool to allow traditional 2d artists to draw and animate in a VR space. The results were amazing for them, but led to non-traditional assets.
💡 I invented new workflows on the fly so the game would still run great and the artists could keep having fun using these creative tools.
Puzzle iteration
Too many players were getting stumped at various spots, and VR headsets are uncomfortable for many.
💡 I made the call that we need to help players feel smart quickly. This involved countless subtle effects, extra voice lines, and more than one solution for some puzzles. Others had to be redesigned and programmed from scratch to make them work.
YouTuber CaptainSauce plays through the main story mode.
"This is the very first video I've made where I played through the whole thing… It was just really fluid and fun and I would love to play more!"
Post-Release: King Mode
Jest to Impress was well received, considered the best game of the Journeys VR bundle. I was contracted to elaborate on it, so I added an arcade-style endless mode that takes place (SPOILERS!) after you become the new king. It was fun to let loose and flex my skills.
Featuring:
• A ton of interactive items. Some repurposed from story mode, some brand new ones.
• Several enemy types, each with their own attack pattern.
• A juggling system where thrown items can be caught again and reused, making you really feel like a jester king.
• Musical timing. All enemy actions and item spawning goes to the beat of the music, giving this mode a fun, groovy flow.
A sneak peek of King Mode
An extended session of the fully featured arcade-style action game that was later added to the project.
