No More Work! (2024)
Unity 2D Game Project
Technique: Unity 2D, Midjourney, Aseprite, Stable Diffusion, Adobe Photoshop, Prompt Engineering, Level Design
Note: Parts of artwork generated by Midjourney.
"No More Work" is my first independently developed game project (demo). It is a 2D platformer with a pixel art style, created using Unity. In the game, players take on the role of an exhausted office worker who becomes trapped in his nightmares. These nightmares turn everyday office scenes into terrifying challenges. The player must navigate these nightmares, avoid work-related monsters, and ultimately wake up from the dream.
My goal is to offer a critical reflection on work pressure and mental health issues in contemporary society.
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Workplace stress is a pervasive issue in today’s society, affecting countless individuals across various industries. As work demands continue to grow, the pressure to meet deadlines, exceed expectations, and maintain professional relationships can take a toll on one’s mental health. This persistent stress not only affects workplace productivity but also has long-term consequences on personal well-being. It is this very issue that inspired me to develop my game, No More Work, a project that explores the emotional and psychological effects of workplace stress, with the ultimate goal of encouraging players to reflect on their own mental health and find ways to balance work and rest more effectively.
The central theme of No More Work is to highlight the overwhelming pressure many people face in their work environments. Through the game, I aim to provide a symbolic representation of these challenges. The main character, an exhausted office worker trapped in his nightmares, faces monstrous representations of everyday office tasks—such as overwhelming workloads and tense interactions. These nightmarish obstacles serve as metaphors for the stress and anxiety many professionals experience on a daily basis.
By immersing players in this surreal world, I hope to create a space where they can recognize the tangible effects of work-related stress. While players navigate the character’s challenges, they are also encouraged to think about how these difficulties mirror their own lives. The transitions between dreamlike scenarios and real-world office scenes in the game further reinforce the connection between the subconscious effects of stress and its manifestation in reality. This design choice emphasizes the psychological depth of workplace stress, which often lingers even after office hours.
I aims to prompt players to take proactive steps in managing their mental health. The game is not only about overcoming in-game obstacles but also about understanding that workplace stress is an issue that can be addressed in real life. By guiding the character through their journey of confronting fears and escaping the nightmare, I hope to impart a message that encourages players to assess their own work habits. Striking a balance between professional responsibilities and personal well-being is critical in today’s fast-paced work culture, where burnout is increasingly common.
In designing this game, I wanted to go beyond entertainment and provide a critical reflection on contemporary societal issues. The fast-moving pace of modern life often leaves little room for individuals to process the effects of constant work pressure. My goal with No More Work is to provide not just a fun and engaging gaming experience, but also a thoughtful commentary on how unchecked stress can have serious consequences. It is my hope that players, upon completing the game, will take a moment to reflect on how they manage their own work-life balance and seek ways to alleviate unnecessary pressure.
Below are some Coding Process Examples:
These scripts manage the movement and jumping mechanics for a 2D player character in Unity, developed using C#. It includes fundamental controls such as left and right movement, jumping, and double-jumping while in mid-air. The script listens for player input, moves the character accordingly, and ensures the character faces the correct direction. Additionally, it resets the double-jump ability once the character lands on the ground.
To detect whether the player is grounded, the script defines a detection zone beneath the character. It continuously checks if this area overlaps with the ground layer using a circular collider, updating the isGround status each frame. This status is then used to determine if the player can jump. A visual representation of the detection area is provided in the Unity editor to facilitate debugging.
The script also handles the player character's animations using Unity's Animator component. It dynamically updates animation parameters, such as horizontal and vertical velocity, and checks the grounded status. These parameters are passed to the Animator to ensure smooth transitions between different animations, matching the character’s movement and actions during gameplay.
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The Animator Controller begins with the "Mainplayer" idle state, switching to "Maincharacter_run" when the player character starts running. A Blend Tree controls the jumping and falling animations, ensuring seamless transitions. The "Any State" node allows for rapid changes between actions such as running and jumping, based on player input.
Week 1
Brainstorm project ideas and finalize project proposal
Week 4
Implement basic character movement in Unity and draw more enemies and scene elements in Aseprite.
Week 7
Debug game code for better performance and add more detail to the game scene.
Week 2
Install and start learning Unity and Aseprite basic
Week 5
Add basic game logic, add enemy attack methods and behaviors in Unity, start develop level design.
Week 8
Start designing the start menu, gameplay, and game-over screen.
Week 3
Deepen knowledge of Unity and Aseprite and begin drawing the main character and basic enemies in Aseprite.
Week 6
Found sound effects and background music from the Unity Asset Store and other online resources. Add music and sound effects in the game.
Week 9
Complete the project. Conduct a final comprehensive test of the game to ensure the release version is able to work.