Spear Project
Spear Project
Embedded Files
A 2D Metroidvania built around a single versatile tool: a throwable and recallable spear connecting combat and movement.
Overview
Overview
Platform: PC.
Tools Used: Unity, Figma, Google Docs & Sheets.
Team Size: 1.
Duration: 6 Months (ongoing).
Spear Project is a 2D Metroidvania centered around a throwable and recallable spear that acts as the player's main tool, connecting combat, exploration, and progression through a single interconnected system.
Design Goal
Create a combat and exploration system where depth emerges from the interaction between mechanics rather than the number of available tools.
My Role
My Role
Solo Developer (Game Design and Programming)
Solo Developer (Game Design and Programming)
Managed the complete development pipeline from prototype to playable milestones, including optimization and polish phases.
Designed and programmed core gameplay mechanics, including spear throwing, spear retrieval, and player movement.
Developed modular C# systems and reusable components, reducing iteration time through inspector-based workflows and scalable architecture.
Implemented gameplay logic, debugging tools and structured testing workflows to identify and resolve technical issues.
Created technical documentation covering systems, workflows and design decisions.
Design Pillars
Design Pillars
Interconnected Combat and Movement
Combat and traversal are built around the same core mechanics.
Every ability should expand the player's options in multiple ways: opening new paths, improving mobility, and creating new combat opportunities.
Progression through Possibilities
Progression should reward curiosity.
Previously unreachable locations should become future opportunities, encouraging players to remember explored environments and return with new abilities.
Movement Mastery
Abilities deepen the player's control over movement.
Skilled players can combine different mechanics to create faster, more efficient, and more creative movement solutions.
The Spear System
The Spear System
The spear is the core mechanic of Spear Project. It is not only a weapon, but a tool that connects combat and movement, the core elements of the game.
By throwing, recalling, and upgrading the spear, players unlock new ways to fight enemies, navigate the world, and master movement.
Combat
Combat
Players can throw the Spear to damage enemies, but doing so temporarily removes their main weapon from their hands.
This creates a risk-reward decision: players must decide when to recall the spear, balancing offensive opportunities with maintaining control over their actions.
Movement
Movement
Movement abilities are designed to expand player expression rather than simply unlock blocked paths.
As players gain new spear upgrades, they discover new ways to navigate environments and combine abilities to create faster and more creative movement options.
Design Challenges
Design Challenges
The first iteration of Spear Wander was built around three separate spears. Players could throw each spear individually, using them both as weapons and as traversal tools by attaching them to surfaces. This system caused various problems:
Problem Identified
Solution Applied
1 - Slow and repetitive traversal
Using multiple spears for climbing created friction during exploration.
Players had to repeatedly throw and retrieve individual spears, making vertical movement feel slow rather than rewarding.
2 - Unclear spear management
Having multiple spears introduced unnecessary complexity.
When several spears were placed around the environment, players had to understand which spear would be recalled and how to manage their positions.
3 - Weak risk-reward in combat
With multiple spears available, throwing a spear did not create a meaningful commitment.
Players could continue fighting even after losing access to one spear.
1 - Rope ability
The addition of the rope upgrade transformed vertical movement into a more fluid interaction.
Players can attach the spear to surfaces and climb by holding upward, making traversal faster and more intuitive.
2 - Clearer player understanding
With only one spear, the player's relationship with the mechanic becomes immediately readable.
There is always one tool, one position, and one decision: when to throw it and when to recall it.
3 - Stronger combat decisions
Having only one spear creates a meaningful commitment.
After throwing it, players must decide whether to retrieve it immediately or adapt their strategy without their main weapon.
The change from three spears to one transformed the mechanic from an inventory management problem into a core gameplay decision.
Downloadable Documentation
Downloadable Documentation
The following documents showcase part of my design process and production workflow
Gallery
Gallery
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