Original Game Development Project:
Color Swap
Game Concept | Character Design | Gameplay Systems | Visual Development
Color Swap is an original side-scrolling platform game concept in which changing colors transforms the world and unlocks new gameplay possibilities. Developed through sketchbook exploration, animation studies, pixel art, branding, and promotional artwork, the project documents an iterative game design process from early ideas to final presentation.
Pictured left, is the game cover / poster.
Concept Exploration: States of Matter
Early Gameplay Exploration
Initial character concepts explored using changes in states of matter as the game’s central mechanic. As development progressed, the team shifted toward a color-based system that offered clearer visual communication and more flexible level design.
Character Development & Gameplay Animation
From Paint Roller to Paint Brush
Sketchbook studies exploring the evolution of the game’s main character through turnarounds, animation planning, and gameplay interactions. These iterative drawings investigate movement, readability, and visual storytelling while developing animations for respawning, color swapping, and player actions.
Run Cycle Animation
Frame-by-frame pixel animation created to explore character movement, timing, and visual readability within a side-scrolling game environment.
Designing the Player Experience
Gameplay Flow | Cutscene Development
Sketchbook studies exploring how players are introduced to gameplay through animated cutscenes, power-up sequences, and visual feedback. These early storyboards investigate pacing, transitions, and player communication while developing the game’s color-based mechanics.
Building the Game World
Visual Identity and Audio Direction
Sketchbook explorations developing the game’s visual identity through branding, environmental texture studies, and sound planning. These early concepts examine how graphics, materials, and audio cues combine to create a cohesive player experience.
Initial Character Concept
Main Character and Villain Concept Development
Sketchbook explorations documenting the earliest development of the game’s main characters. These concept sketches examine silhouette, costume, and personality while establishing the visual direction for both the protagonist and antagonist.
Developing the Visual Identity
Poster Concepts and Logo Exploration
Early poster concepts exploring different approaches to composition, character emphasis, logo design, and visual storytelling. Through iterative sketches and digital refinement, these studies established the game’s branding and promotional identity while communicating its core gameplay concept.
Color Swap Gameplay
A more descriptive sub heading.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer adipiscing elit. Aenean commodo ligula eget dolor. Aenean massa. Cum sociis natoque penatibus et magnis dis parturient montes, nascetur ridiculus mus. Donec quam felis, ultricies nec, pellentesque eu, pretium quis, sem. Nulla consequat massa quis enim.