The New Arcade - NYU ITP


Duban Morales
Week 08-
Date 04/08/2025

FINAL (SENDER)
Creating an identity

The inspiration for the mood of the game came from these two images. Originally, I was using Runway and OpenArt to generate a possible game map for the city that the player would navigate, but after many failed attempts, I turned to Pinterest and found the image on the left, which featured the names of cities in Greater London. The playfulness of the piece the color choices and the use of icons and words to create a spatial environment caught my interest. I wanted to build on that feeling. There’s a cozy quality to it that made me want to "drive" around the neighborhoods, even though the neighborhoods are just words and symbols. I used that image as a reference for further AI exploration, combining it with keywords that described my overall concept, which ultimately led to the generation of the image on the right.
 

PLAYER CONTROLLER 

I explored using Meshy AI to create a 3D model, which I then imported into Blender to render from an isometric camera perspective. After that, I created a vector graphic to optimize the file size. This workflow was pretty successful I generated over 10 vehicles and ultimately chose an AI-generated design of a vehicle I had never seen before. It looked like something someone might assemble in their backyard a hodgepodge of familiar vehicle parts combined into one. Its originality made it stand out, so I decided to use it as the player controller instead of a traditional delivery vehicle. Interestingly, it still resembles a delivery van, but with a built-in contraption that suggests a faster way to deliver packages, tying into the overall theme of the game.
 

BUILDINGS 



The buildings were traced in Illustrator to create individual assets. I enjoyed working with these style of buildings because each one had its own unique characteristics each adding onto the identitu of the entire game.
 


PACKAGES AND SYMBOLS 




Picking up and dropping off objects based solely on color wasn’t enough for all players due to accessibility concerns. After a few iterations and playtests, it became clear that the game needed both color and symbols combined to help distinguish the packages and indicate where to accurately deliver them. This made the gameplay more legible and intuitive for all players.


OBSTACLES 



Some typical objects you might encounter while driving or living in a big city over a couple year include a traffic cone, oil spill, tree, tire, and pothole.
  

TILEMAP



Creating a tile map for an infinite road. When designing a repeating object, I think it’s important to blend or design it in a way that doesn’t immediately reveal the repetition. I’m attempting to achieve this by clearly splitting the road, but differentiating the sidewalks: one side is split into two distinct sections, while the opposite sidewalk is only split once. When the tiles connect, this creates a more seamless appearance. The next step is to design separate tiles that represent different neighborhoods and cities, making it feel like you're actually driving through varied areas.


Exploring  typefaces 





Early exploration of Sender’s identity began in Blender, using the BlenderKit plug-in to import 3D assets and set up an isometric camera view. We also experimented with Adobe Illustrator’s vector AI image generator, which allows image based prompts, but the outputs had a noticeably different style that didn’t align with our visual direction so we ultimately decided not to use them.
  
Duban Morales
Week 04-07
Date 03/06/2025

Alt CTRL 

I decided to create a glove inspired by Nintendo’s Power Glove from the 1980s. I designed a simple platformer game where the goal is to reach the other side of the map, pick up an object that powers your generator (increasing your score), and survive with three lives. Players can either dodge or destroy enemy characters. The game’s assets and environment were developed through AI-generated explorations, p5.js sketches, and 3D models—each contributing to an ongoing investigation of spatial relationships. 


Jumping left animation
 

Pick Up object to score points
Enemies avoid or destroy 
Background Image



Walking Right Animation


Blender setup for animation rigging

Game idea inspired from Time Crisis and Power Glove, robot character has the ability to move around space with a tilt gyroscope pole like object characters universe allows him to freely move in a universe with a jetpack ability powered by a push button on top of this  , collect objects by pointing and zapping them ? 


Duban Morales
Week 03
Date 02/06/2025

GDC Alt CTRL

From the Alt Ctrl archive I came across “Bruce and the box” which is a game where you are trying to make it back home without having the cops called on you, after losing all your clothes in a game of strip poker. in game and as a player controller you are using a cardboard box to cover yourself and control the character. If you place the box on the ground you will be hiding from the pedestrians and if you have the box lifted around your torso you are able to move in game getting you closer to home.  

https://www.nintendo.com/us/store/products/bruce-and-box-switch/?srsltid=AfmBOop3AzH93Mz5aHrBlMiL8vICLbvxDGRdrm2U3f23WwoeFTtxr6Bd

Round The Valley, is  a cozy relaxing train conductor simulator that is a narrative based game where you can listen to your passengers stories about what you would like to do next with there information they give you.

https://salut-c-leo.itch.io/round-the-valley  

Bib Goes Home , combines pop up books and projection mapping to create the user interface. it also has different mode where you can explore the different scenes/pages  with your character, paint them with a coloring application or play mini golf.  they use an NES controller gamepad to control all movement in game.

https://probablyjay.itch.io/bib-goes-home  


Duban Morales
Week 02
Date 01/30/2025

Scripting in Unity

Implementing sprites , player movement and Enemy movements 

The two extra characters I decided to add to the game are Kenny from South Park and the DVD logo from a screen saver, to show different types of movement. Kenny moves only on the ground, from one side of the map to the opposite side, while the DVD logo bounces off each edge of the map as well as the platforms. Mario retains the same movement from the in-class tutorial, following the player controller in this case, Mother Teresa. I also implemented a jump feature for Mother Teresa, with a ground check using an empty game object to ensure the character can only jump when touching the ground or a platform.

Research three different kinds of arcade interfaces

The three games I came across are Crazy Taxi , Time Crisis , and Games that require a Trackball. 

Time Crisis: This arcade cabinet uses a light gun controller, enabling players to aim and shoot at on-screen targets. It features a foot pedal, which players press to take cover and reload their weapon. This mechanism introduces a layer to gameplay, requiring players to decide when to hide for reloading and when to stand to continue the fight. Engaging physically with the pedal to duck and dodge adds a interactive dimension not commonly found in other arcade shooters.

Crazy Taxi: This driving game features a steering wheel, gear shift, and pedals, simulating the fast-paced experience of a taxi driver navigating through city streets. The steering wheel facilitates the turns and drifts, to dodge on coming traffic, while the gear shift and pedals heighten the realism of the driving experience. This setup is effective as it offers intuitive control, allowing players to feel every twist and turn, enhancing the excitement as they race against the clock to deliver passengers to their destinations.

Centipede: This arcade game features a trackball as the main control interface, allowing players to navigate a ship across the bottom of the screen to shoot at a descending centipede and other insects. The trackball enables movement, crucial for dodging attacks and aiming shots. This setup enhances gameplay by giving players control over their movements with a trackball, making the experience challenging and engaging.


Duban Morales
Week 01
Date 01/23/2025

Introduction to Unity

Creating a Simple Still Scene in Unity

https://dubsxo.itch.io/scenehw1?secret=Y3gKaZ6TiaJVo825zGqntiM94E

In my latest project for a class assignment, I developed a straightforward still scene using Unity and then exported it as a WebGL file for online showcasing on itch.io. This project was all about getting a grip on Unity’s basic functionalities, particularly focusing on scene setup and WebGL deployment.

I began by placing simple geometric shapes to form the basic layout of my scene. The focus was more on learning the tools and interface rather than creating an intricate design. This meant no complex models—just straightforward objects to compose the scene.

Exporting as WebGL
The next step was to export the scene for web integration. Unity’s WebGL build settings were quite straightforward: Switching the project’s platform to WebGL, and making sure the file is  in a compressed folder.
 

The golden age of arcade games


Space Invaders (1978)
Layout and Mechanics

Space Invaders established the shoot 'em up genre. Players control a laser cannon at the screen's bottom, tasked with shooting rows of approaching aliens. The aliens move sideways and descend towards the player, speeding up as their numbers decrease. Players use destructible barriers for protection, adding strategic elements to the gameplay.
Controllers

The game uses a horizontal joystick for lateral movement and a button for firing.

Frogger (1981)
Layout and Mechanics

Frogger tests strategic planning and reflexes. Players guide a frog across a road and river, facing obstacles like cars, trucks, logs, and predators. The game requires vertical navigation, introducing varied challenges with each move.
Controllers

Control is achieved through a four-way joystick, enabling the frog to move in all directions.
Pac-Man (1980)
Layout and Mechanics

Pac-Man involves navigating a maze to consume pellets while avoiding ghosts. Power pellets allow Pac-Man to temporarily eat the ghosts, adding a strategic twist.
Controllers

A four-way joystick allows movement throughout the maze.
Comparison and Contrast

All three games use a fixed screen but differ in challenge and space use. Space Invaders focuses on horizontal movement and defense, Frogger requires navigating vertical and horizontal planes with environmental hazards, and Pac-Man features a maze with intelligent adversaries
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