Fastival

System Designer

Arcade Racing

Unreal Engine 5

Role:
Genre:
Engine:
Main Contribution:

Led 3-Person Team on Item System
Develop Item System Full Lifecycle
Designed 7 Unique Items
Balanced Items via Playtest
Established Design Principles and Parameters for All Tracks
Designed 1 Track

Summary

"Fastival" is an arcade racing game developed in Unreal Engine 5, where players compete using high-speed vehicles empowered by strategic item usage.

Players race across vibrant tracks while collecting and using unique items to gain advantages and disrupt opponents.

The game features a dynamic Item System designed to enhance gameplay variety, including 7 collectible items crafted for balance and strategy. As the designer, I led the system’s full development—from concept and documentation to implementation and tuning based on player feedback.

Track design is grounded in principles inspired by industry benchmarks, with my work focusing on establishing those design parameters and building the layout for a core racing track centered on flow and key player moments.

This project highlights my expertise in systemic design, cross-discipline collaboration, and creating engaging racing experiences with layered gameplay depth.

Design Goals

Strategic Item System:
Encourage players to use items skillfully for offensive and defensive maneuvers.

Meaningful Item Variety:
Provide a diverse item pool that supports multiple playstyles and strategic options.

Track-Item Synergy:
Design tracks that complement item functionality and promote dynamic in-race decision-making.

Memorable Racing Moments:
Craft tracks with distinct visual and gameplay beats that create lasting impressions.

Smooth Gameplay Flow:
Ensure track layouts support consistent pacing, thrilling turns, and engaging moment-to-moment play.

Competitive Fairness:
Balance item impact to reward skill while keeping races competitive and fun.

Core System

[ Item System ]

The item system in "Fastival" is designed to add a layer of strategic depth and excitement to the gameplay. As players race through the vibrant carnival tracks, they collect carnival tickets that transform into one of five unique items. These items can be used to gain advantages or disrupt opponents, creating dynamic and unpredictable races. For instance, the firecracker launches the player forward with temporary invincibility, while the water balloons can spin out rival racers. Each item is thoughtfully integrated into the game, ensuring that they enhance the overall experience by providing opportunities for clever plays and strategic decisions. This system encourages players to adapt their strategies on the fly, making each race a thrilling and engaging challenge.

Postmortem

What Went Well

1. Innovative Core

Mechanics:

2. Track Design:

3. Collaboration:

Successfully integrated the Magnusson Device to paralyze electronics, enhancing both combat and puzzle-solving elements.

Created three unique and engaging tracks, each with its own theme and challenges that were well-received by players.

Effective communication and teamwork across art, programming, design, and production teams ensured smooth development and timely task completion.

Challenges Faced:

1. Scope Manage:

2. Sightline Guide:

3. Aesthetic

Consistency:

The initial project scope was too ambitious, leading to a tight schedule and removing some extra planned items and mechanics.

Ensuring clear sightlines and guiding player focus required adjustments and posed a significant design challenge in a fast-paced racing game.

Maintaining a consistent and rational aesthetic for the level was difficult, affecting the overall thematic coherence and immersion.

Lessons Learned:

1. Better Scope Management:

2. Player Focus:

3. Player Initiative:

Plan for a slightly under-scoped amount of function and art assets needs to accommodate unexpected challenges and ensure a manageable development process.

Design critical moments and scenes to be noticeable without overwhelming players, using mandatory or semi-mandatory viewing points to highlight key elements.

Allow players to initiate the interaction between each other with items and multiple utilizing choices.