Unity: Lerpz Maze game development process.


This electronic document covers information about how the maze game was developed and how features were planned. It includes screenshots of keypoints and features in the game that identify the game criteria.


Planning and game design.

A plan of the game was drawn out and illustrated game features and how the game would generally work. This considered what features would need to be included in the game and it what way in order to match it's criteria.


Initial studies on how to develop the game.

From sketching the layout of the game, development tasks were split into modules making it easier to develop to the game. For instance, creating the maze would be a module while implementing the GUI would be another. Since the game had a lot of features to implement, a project managent tool was used in order to document it's development progress.



Trello was used to document and keep track of progress while developing the game.


Building the maze.

One of the key parts of the game is a maze that Lerpz needs to go into and retrieve the CODE device to fix his spaceship. After researching a few mazes, it was decided that the maze should not be too complex to the point it would extend gamplay to more than 10 minutes as system that would hinder player from reaching the center would be added later. With this in mind a texture was added to the terrain and the maze was created from it.


Creating a maze from a texture applied to a terrain in Unity.

While creating the maze it helped naming each wall and grouping each section into one object. Textures were added and adjusted to make the walls look more natural. When the maze was completed it was added to a prefab, this allowed to scale and moved all the walls proportionally.


A photo of the maze in it's final stages.

After completing the maze, the terrain was textured rescaled in order to improve performance. Additionally a skybox and water was added.

Creating a maze from a texture applied to a terrain in Unity.


Maze map using top down camera.

Another criteria of the game is getting Lerpz to completing a task before reveling the maze. After considering how to do this, an additional camera was setup pointing down at the maze. A camera overlay was set up and a plane was added in front it, keeping the player from seeing the whole maze before completing the task.


Camera positioned on top of the maze with a place in front of it.

Althought the camera that reveals the maze was set up, Lerpz needs to complete a task in order to reveal the maze. As a task, Lerpz should pick up at least four batteries in order to be able to see the whole maze. The plane that covers the top down camera would then move and be destroyed, revealing the maze.


The top camera view can be seen on the bottom right corner in play mode once Lerpz picks up four batteries.

Additionally, a texture to the plane was added, making it look like it's malfunctioning until Lerpz picks up enough batteries and multiple batteries were placed across the maze. Futhermore another plane with a bright material was attached to the player as a visibility aid.


The bright green plane works a visibility aid when using the map for navigation.


Creating a main menu.

The main menu was created on a new scene. After following a Unity tutorial on UI, it was easier to set up a menu using the Unity Sample UI package. The menu includes a Start button that redirects to the maze scene and allows the player to control Lerpz. It also includes buttons to access information about the story and references on downloaded packages.


Creating the main menu requires a canvas object with nested elements.

Screenshot of the final menu in play mode.

References in one of the options in the menu that displays text along with Story and Controls.


Updating player's progress.

In order to let the player know of progress current objective of the game a canvas with a text object was used. This text object is updated based on events such as item collection.


Creating a canvas object and positioning it on the screen.

The text updates when Lerpz collects the code device and when it bring's it back to the Spaceship.


The text on the top left corner updates player on it's progress.

The text updates when Lerpz completes an objective.

Additionally, a texture to the plane was added, making it look like it's malfunctioning until Lerpz picks up enough batteries and multiple batteries were places across the maze.



Placing traps.

Traps where placed around the maze to stop Leprz from reaching the center. These traps teleport the Lerpz to a random area of the maze. The player then needs to find it's way back and may collect any batteries along the way in order to progress in revealing the map.


Placing traps arround the maze (red circle).

A single trap in detail.

Decorative elements were placed around the area like columns, trees, tiles and rocks in order to improve immersion and game level.


Splash screen.

Upon completion of all game objectives a new scene will be loaded displaying a congratulative message along with a menu with a restart and a quit button (the latter is not available on webGL).


The splash screen shows an appropriate message to the player with the option to restart the game.

Play the game.

Play the webGL version of the game.