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Monopath Explorer

Description

"Monopath Explorer," a turn-based RPG that uses Abertay University's Games Educational Framework (GEF) and Box2D physics engine to merge 2D pixel art style characters with a 3D landscape. This game was heavily influenced by Square Enix's "Octopath Traveler," which I recently tried out on Xbox Game Pass.

Software used

  • Visual Studio C++

  • Github

  • Blender (level asset)

  • Affinity Designer (character frames, title screen, UI)

Year

2022                                

Genre

Turn-Based RPG

Engine

GEF, Box2D

Platform

PC

Key Features

  • 2D pixel art characters blended with the 3D environment

  • 3D collisions while using Box2D physics engine

  • Turn-Based combat

  • "Flexible difficulty". Players can strategize which fights to participate in and which to avoid, allowing them to finish the game with only one enemy defeated.

  • Sounds and music

  • Splash screen and animated text

Controls

Menu/Game over and win screens

  • Mouse controls

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Level

  • WASD — movement/choice selection

  • Enter — interact

  • Esc — pause

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Fight

  • WS — choice selection

  • Enter — interact

  • Backspace — back

Challenges in development

We were asked to construct a 2.5D game with loaded 3D models and all physics computed in the XY-plane for an assignment. I was immediately motivated by the desire to overcome the restrictions of Box2D, which does not provide collision detection on the Z-axis.

To make it work, I had to disable the fixture of an object, such as a wall, every time the player's and an object's positions intersect on X and Y but differ on Z. This allowed the player to traverse behind and in front of the object while also allowing for side collisions.

However, it allowed the player to move through the object on the Z-axis while keeping the X and Y coordinates constant. The simplest answer in this scenario was to move the player backwards each time he or she entered the object. In this manner, a simulation of a well functioning 3D collision is created, although in fact, the player is just shifted back without the user seeing it.

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(In depth report is provided with a downloadable link)

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