JACKY XU

2D Artist | Game Designer


BACKSHOT



Pinball + Baseball VR Project



Sponsor: Another Reality Toronto

Challenge: Engaging VR arcade experience

Time: Yearlong senior capstone project (2020)

Role: Main artist, game designer

Team size: 6

Engine: Unity



Backshot lets the player wield the flippers, in a VR pinball arena and explore a surreal underwater environment. Shoot multi-ball to smash and combo off of an array of objects to score high score!



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Design Highlights



Backshot have 3 design pillars:

  • Easy to pick up
  • Virtual game juice
  • Score focused gameplay

Since Another Reality specializes in VR arcades, Backshot needs to be easy to pick up for mainly first-time players. There are only 2 intuitive controls: swing to hit the ball, and trigger to shoot the ball. Unlike the overwhelming nature of modern pinball machines, Backshot’s level expands as the game progresses with adaptive difficulty, which help ease in new players.


In order to attract bystanders, virtual game juice is needed to not only spice up gameplay, but also engage onlookers. Backshot is filled with particles, shaders, and visual interest and react to the ball and player action.


Like the classic arcade games, Backshot focuses on a score-based gameplay system. Players’ goal is to rack up high score for the leader boards shown off at the arcade. This adds competition and replayability which are crucial for arcades.



Roles and Contributions



Asset Design



As the main artist, I designed various art assets and model sheets, which were used by the 3D artist to create in game models later implemented into Backshot.



Concept of jellyfish mainly used as bumpers. Each jelly fish consists of 3 components to be kit bashed together for more variety of jellyfish designs.



Concepts for corals.



Concepts for bats.



Early concepts of bubbles, squids, and corals.



Concept and Other Visual Tasks



I also worked on various other concepts and themes before the underwater desert idea took hold. Preparing for convention showcase, I designed print ready posters for in person showcases.



Poster design 1. Focuses on the game’s assets and more dynamic pose.



Poster design 2. More standard game poster design.



Original concept for the current theme of the game.



A witchcraft and fantasy focused concept.



Another fantasy concept located in the forest, filled with mushroom houses and magic towers that shoot pinballs.



Mushroom house designs for the fantasy forest concepts. Flat rooftops were requested by the level designer.



Initial level design concept for the space cowboy theme.



First concept combining the space and western genre.



First concept labeled.



Game Design



As a game designer, I originally conceptualized the idea of combining Beat Saber, pinball, and Breakout. Throughout the year, it evolved as we worked on the level design and metrics with our level designer and other team members. When my tasks became art focused, I continued to collaborate on designs and playtests. Below you can find the game design document, and original pitch to my team.





As a game designer, I originally conceptualized the idea of combining Beat Saber, pinballsf sd sd dsa fas a fsa fa f as sa s, and ad asd asdas as da sa sda s asda sas das a ad Breakout. Throughout the year, it