Spells
What is it?
Who was involved?
Spells is a stylized fantasy roguelike, in which the player controls a powerful Lexomancer, a rare class of wizard who can conjure magic through the use of language. Determined to complete their rite of passage of word-forgery, the Lexomancer must battle their way through hordes of enemies, gathering mystical letter tiles along the way. Each letter tile has the power to make your spells stronger, but only if it is used to spell out a real word!
Can I play it?
You can!
Engine?
Unreal Engine 5.5
3 Pillars of Level Design
Room Names
Each room starts off as a name that acts as an identity for the room's design. Some rooms may divert from this as the name was used as a starting point.
Loops
Many enemies pursue the player at close range, so rooms are built around clear movement loops that allow safe enemy training.
Traps and Choke Points
Along these loops, traps push players into dead ends or choke points, where if navigated successfully, the enemies will get stuck allowing the player to easily defeat them.
Room Design Process
Each room is its own contained level, so other rooms do not have to be considered in their design.
It was important for each room to be memorable in some way, so each time the player encounters it they better know how to follow the loops and use the choke points to their advantage.
Goblin Forest
The Goblin Forest is the first area that the player enters, and starts with a short tutorial where the player learns how to kill enemies, dash, and use their spellbook.
The rest of the Goblin Forest is a random set of 7 rooms,. The rooms are more forgiving then the later rooms, usually having more barrels that the player can break for extra health. They also get a shop to get a break from the intensity before going to the Crystal Cave.
Many of the loops in the Goblin Forest have paths along them, helping guide the player along them. This teaches players the rhythm of looping so when they enter the Crystal Caves the understand the motions.
Crystal Caves
The Crystal Caves are significantly more difficult than the Goblin Forest, and act as a test of the player's abilities to loop and defeat enemies in an efficient manner. The loops are generally less clear and many choke points and traps are laid along them, constantly skill checking the player.
At the end of the the Crystal Caves lies the Bone Bros. The last test of the player's abilities. The arena for which is very simple, having a very clear to follow loop which also acting as cover from the bosses projectiles.
