• Swordless is a non traditional FPS, in which you depend on the bullets that are shot are you for combat and puzzle solving. Holding the shield up makes your movement speed slower.

  • A tool for anyone who finds themself too close to comfort with an enemy. You can bash them away, this will deal minimal damage (to discourage the player using this as a main source of damage, but also to prevent the player from it feeling not powerful).

    This shield bash doubles as a parry, if you time it right, you can bash projectiles to return them to the enemies with a significantly faster speed. Which is why you will be left vulnerable for a small moment after performing the shield bash (to punish the player for missing a parry).

  • Drinking rage potions and kill enemies to fuel your rage bar. While on Rage, you receive no penalty of movement for holding your shield up. Your shield bash does more damage and its cooldown is reduced, and any projectile parried in this state will deal double the damage.

  • There are pillars that will rotate once shield bashed, these pillars also reflect projectiles, this is to be able to hit targets on tricky or impossible angles.

Systems

There are 3 main systems that tie the mechanics together:

  • Health: a classic health point system, if you take too much damage you will die restart from your last checkpoint, you can drink health potions to recover health.

  • Rage: Power up system, a reward for defeating enemies and exploring your surroundings. You can use the rage when fully charged to get out of dangerous situations.

  • Keys and levers: some doors are locked or require the player to hit a lever to be open. Find the key or solve the trick shot puzzle to advance.

Gameplay loop

In this game you are escaping a castle. I want you to reach the next room and the next floor, but there is always some tinkering that you will need to do to get the doors open, be it a puzzle with traps, or a puzzle with enemies.

Level Design

I was responsible of making level 2, which required a lot of changes due to how difficult I made it at first. During playtesting, most of the players couldnt get pass this level. I lowered the difficulty by giving more breathing and safe spaces for the player.

There was the introduction of the Mage Enemy which was way too overtuned and the players would get overwhelmed and not be able to get pass the first one.

Level Design

I was responsible of making level 2, which required a lot of changes due to how difficult I made it at first. During playtesting, most of the players couldnt get pass this level. I lowered the difficulty by giving more breathing and safe spaces for the player.

There was the introduction of the Mage Enemy which was way too overtuned and the players would get overwhelmed and not be able to get pass the first one.

Enemies

  • In game Slime: a patrolling menace that cant be eliminated by projectiles. You need to bash it before it sees you, or else, it will stick to your shield and make you unable to reflect incoming damage. Bash repeatedly once its on the shield to make it go away.

  • Slime Original Concept: I wanted to make an enemy that hides on objects and spooks the player when they walk close to that object. Sliming and debuffing them.

  • The archer: the basic enemy of the game, he will shoot arrows at you and run to hide after finishing his attack. Model and animations made by Mitch Sybers

  • The wizard and crystal: the wizard is inmortal and teleports while shooting fireballs that phase through bars. He will revive after being defeated and there is always a hidden crystal thats the source of his life. The wizard model is made by Mariana Wong.

  • The Orc: he walks slowly, but his punch hits like a truck, he is always accompanied by an enemy that throws projectiles for the player to defeat it at distance. Model and animations made by Wyatt Rickwood.

I couldnt have made swordless alone as it was brought together with the collaboration of the following talented individuals: