Aletheia: Defenders of Tomorrow

Unai Rodríguez Ferrández

Tower Defense

January 27, 2023

Introduction

Aletheia is a paramount online multiplayer tower defense game meticulously developed on the distinguished Crayta platform. It is a hub renowned for its specialization in user-generated games. Drawing inspiration from the dynamic gameplay of titles like “Orcs Must Die,” Aletheia emerged victoriously at a game jam, earning accolades for its innovation and engaging gameplay mechanics.

This triumph wasn’t the culmination but a commencement, sparking a passion to elevate the game’s caliber by integrating sophisticated in-game elements such as intricate trap placements and an elaborate player progression system. The game’s unprecedented reception was a catalyst, propelling continuous enhancement and refinement to deliver a gaming experience that is both immersive and intellectually stimulating.

The unwavering commitment to innovation and excellence in Aletheia is not merely a reflection of creative passion but a testament to the limitless possibilities within user-generated game development, pushing the boundaries of interactive entertainment and showcasing the potential residing within the Crayta platform.

Note: This game was initially hosted on Crayta, a platform that has since been discontinued. The following sections provide detailed information and media to showcase the project.

Role & Contributions

Serving as the Lead Developer for Aletheia, I played a crucial role in shaping the project from its inception to its execution, ensuring a symbiotic integration of advanced gameplay mechanics and a responsive, user-friendly interface. My mastery in Lua allowed me to craft intricate gameplay dynamics, providing a balanced and engaging environment for the players. At the same time, my proficiency in Lua, HTML, JavaScript, and CSS was pivotal in developing an intuitive and aesthetically appealing user interface. My leadership enabled seamless coordination among diverse teams, fostering a collaborative atmosphere conducive to creative exchange and innovation. The ongoing enhancement and introduction of sophisticated in-game elements, guided by my commitment to excellence and innovation, continually elevated the player experience, manifesting in the game’s recognition at a game jam and its subsequent well-received status on the Crayta platform.

Gameplay Trailer

Gameplay

Tech Stack & Tools

Engine: Crayta (Built on Unreal Engine 4)
UI Engine: Coherent Gameface (Compatible with Unity)
Programming Languages: Lua, HTML, JavaScript, CSS
Version Control: Git
Project Management: Trello and a custom file-sharing platform
Design Tools: Photoshop, Figma

Game Features

Traps Placement

Players can strategically place traps on a grid system throughout the map. This system allows for real-time adjustments and includes trap removal and status indicators.

Synergy Damage

Weapons and traps have distinct damage types that interact differently with various enemy elements. For example, fire weapons are less effective against water enemies, while acid-based traps inflict damage over time.

Player Progression

As players progress through waves, they earn in-game currency they can use to upgrade traps and unlock additional equipment slots, as well as various active and passive abilities.

Adaptive Waves

The game dynamically adjusts the difficulty of enemy waves based on the number of active players, ensuring a balanced and engaging experience.

Enemy AI

Enemy movements are guided by a network of interconnected nodes throughout the map, resulting in unpredictable pathing strategies.

Dynamic World

The game environment includes aesthetic and functional dynamic elements that range from buildings materializing upon wave clearance to introducing new enemy spawn points and particular wave types.

Challenges & Solutions

Limited Player Data Size

The platform imposed a 1KB data limit per player, challenging us to efficiently store player progression metrics like equipment levels and gameplay statistics. I optimized our data structures to store information like equipment levels and gameplay statistics efficiently.

Object Count Limit

The Crayta platform limited the number of spawnable objects. We employed Object Pooling to efficiently manage and recycle game assets, ensuring seamless gameplay across multiple devices.

Transferable Skills

UI Development: Extensive experience with Coherent Gameface for UI design, a tool also used in Unity, showcasing the direct applicability of my UI/UX skills to Unity projects.
Game Logic and Mechanics: Designed intricate game mechanics such as trap placement, synergy damage, and adaptive waves. The foundational understanding and design skills behind complex game logic apply to Unity development.
Scalability and Performance Optimization: Implemented Object Pooling to manage object counts, essential for ensuring smooth gameplay across various devices. This experience in performance optimization is transferable to Unity, which offers similar pooling techniques for efficiency.
Player Progression Systems: Created an elaborate player progression system involving leveling up traps and abilities, showcasing a deep understanding of player engagement and retention strategies that apply to Unity projects.
Dynamic World Design: Incorporated dynamic world elements such as adaptive enemy spawns and changing map states, demonstrating skills in level design and environmental storytelling applicable to Unity projects.
Cross-language Implementation: Managed gameplay mechanics and UI through the use of Lua, HTML, JavaScript & CSS.
Version Control and Project Management: Utilized Git for version control and Trello for project management. Familiarity with these tools benefits any collaborative development.