Marupoyo: The Round Chick's Adventure
Role: Lead Level Designer / Technical Designer
Engine & Tech: Unity, Internal Grid-Based Level Tools
Target Audience: All ages (Casual to Precision Platforming)
OVERVIEW
Designed, prototyped, and implemented 120+ physics-based platforming levels and core gameplay mechanics for Marupoyo. Spearheaded the full level design pipeline, from initial movement prototyping and greybox layout to environmental dressing, artist collaboration, collectible logic, and QA balancing.
CORE MECHANICS & DESIGN
• Momentum & Physics-First Design: Player movement relies strictly on real-world kinetic physics. Success comes from understanding inertia, surface angles, and speed preservation rather than static tile-based platforming.
• Accessibility & Family Mode: To make physics platforming friendly across skill levels, Family Mode removes player death and level restarts, allowing players to practice momentum and problem-solving without punishment.
• Fun-First: Avoided frustrating the player via over-challenging sections, removing waiting time so the player is not sat around and levels that have a theme such as being chased or puzzle-like levels via the tilting blocks.
Level Design & Prototyping Workflow
Mechanics & Movement Prototyping
Physics Tuning: Prototyped core player movement controls, physics interactions, momentum feel, and collision logic in Unity to establish a tight platforming baseline.
Feature Testbeds: Built isolated test rooms to prototype and test new interactive gadgets, hazard types, and environmental mechanics prior to level production.
Unannounced Feature Integration: Implemented a major upcoming gameplay feature (currently unannounced) designed to add depth to core level interactions.
Level Blockout & Spatial Design
120+ Level Blockouts: Designed and constructed greybox geometry for over 120 levels, focusing on unique level themes, obstacle/enemy explorations and accessibility.
Level Progression & Pacing (120+ Levels):
Early Tier (Levels 1–30): Teaches momentum control and basic movement without complex hazards.
Mid Tier (Levels 31–80): Introduces more obstacles and with typically one main obstacle being explored
Expert Tier (Levels 81–120+): Precision platforming challenges testing split-second momentum shifts and using multiple types of obstacles in one level.
Collectibles Integration
Reward Placement: Positioned optional collectibles across levels to create high-skill alternative routes and reward player mastery.
Asset Dressing & Art Pipeline
Environment Dressing: Transformed greybox blockouts into finished levels using asset dressing and environmental props without compromising visual pathing or readability.
Artist Collaboration: Created clear art asset requests and worked closely with 3D artists to define environmental themes, visual hazards, and background elements.
Balancing, QA & Technical Documentation
Iterative Playtesting: Executed playtest passes to identify difficulty spikes, points of frustration and levels that do not meet standards.
Bug Fixing & Specs: Documented level metric standards, resolved geometry collision gaps, and fixed physics edge cases prior to launch.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
Inclusive Accessibility: Architected a zero-friction "Family Mode" that removes fail states and restarts, opening the game to younger and casual audiences without compromising core platforming design.
120+ Unique Levels: Designed, greyboxed, and playtested over 120 levels single-handedly, establishing a structured mechanics progression and smooth difficulty pacing across world themes.
Tuned Momentum Physics: Fine-tuned ball movement controllers, momentum values, and collision parameters to ensure platforming feel remains responsive, predictable, and satisfying.
Unannounced Content Expansion: Prototyped and implemented a major upcoming core feature (currently unannounced) designed to deepen gameplay mechanics and boost replay value.
