Microtrans Action Game

Aims/Subject Matter: 

This is not a fun game! It is a critique of the current trends in the games industry to use micro transactions in free to play games. You pay in game currency to do everything from jumping to opening chests. 

So when you run out of coins the game is basically unplayable. Watch as a player empties their bank account just to enjoy the game as it is meant to be played, or don’t pay for anything and have a terrible and unfair time. 

We also address issues of consumerism and pollution through the use of throw away items. As you play, the game will become littered with your empty, useless weapons. We also address issues with rating systems and loans based on those ratings. 

Much like the NoseDive episode of Black Mirror, we created a world in which your rating dictates your financial standing. A low rating is almost impossible to come back from, and maintaining a high rating is essential to making enough money to stay alive.

Techniques and Technology: 

• This game runs on the Unity Engine and is accessible online through Itch.io. Code for the game was created in C#. Free commercial unity assets were downloaded from Itch.io
• Original Graphic Design assets Including logos, fonts, imagery, ect. were created in Adobe Photoshop and Adobe Illustrator. Free commercial assets were downloaded on Itch.io. 
• Background music and Sound Effects was created using Ableton Live 11

We wanted to separate the visual aesthetics between the game itself and the character you see who plays the game. Thus whilst the game has a pixelated aesthetic, everything else is more smoothed out.

As per 8 bit style design, music follows videogames to give motivation and go along with the video games emotions,win, lose, game over. This music was done in Ableton Live 11 to reproduce the 1980 sound.

Bio Lines:

Luke S (Game Design): I was the level designer and programmer for the game. I assembled all the assets and put the game together.

Caleb B (Graphic Design): I was the asset creator and UI Designer for the game. I created the visuals for the game. This ranges from Logos, Fonts, Backgrounds, Foreground, Buttons, ect.

Also created the mock ups of menu navigation through the game.

Javier R. I was the beatmaker for the videogame, also sounds for actions in the game as win coins lose coins and rating. I produce the song to make it comply with the 8 bit style.