Terminus: Lockdown Gameplay

APPLAYDU & FRIENDS (2021)

Platform: iOS, Android

Company: Gameloft

Applaydu & Friends is a live-service online multiplayer game that brings toys scanned from Kinder Joy chocolates to life. Scanned toys will turn into playable characters that can be used for the obstacle course multiplayer races and creating your own "Animoji". Every new season brings new content, features, and IP to the game.

MY contributions

For this project, I led the design of the game. I mainly designed the core systems and gameplay as well as the first 5 levels. As a game with seasonal content themed around known IPs, each season introduces changes such as new features, themes and maps. I worked on the first 2 seasons: Funko Music and Fast & Furious Spy Racers, where we built the foundation of the game.

Note: The current version of the game may look different due to seasonal updates and iterations. References shown are from varying seasons, but the core design remained the same.

core features and gameplay

matchmake

SCAN AND CUSTOMISE

Obstacle course race

REWard

I designed the core loop and all the main features of the game. The game is targeted at younger teenagers and casual audiences, so simplicity and gentle balancing were some of the most crucial aspects during the design process.

Since it is a free game that revolves around the toys collected from Kinder Joys, I also had to account for those without toys. All players will have a neutral starter character, which can also be customised with various outfits and body part aesthetics that adhere to the seasonal IP's themes.

Matchmaking System

The matchmaking system was made easy and accessible. Players find the "PLAY" button right in the home screen, just a tap needed. The MMR system is hidden and built for more leniency to avoid having an overly competitive matching. The system also fills the remaining slots with bots if matchmaking took too long due to children's shorter attention spans.

Obstacle Course Race

This is the main activity of the game. Players are matched together and race through an obstacle course. In mind of our design direction, camera and controls are focused primarily on navigation. Level mechanics are utilised to spice up the gameplay complexity instead. An added challenge was that they also had to communicate their functions with little to no tutorials, so we leveraged affordances (rotating beams knocks players away, fans lift players airborne, etc.)

Of course, part of the charm of a multiplayer game comes from social interactions. To allow quick interactions, players can display emojis/ preset texts above their characters' heads. These interactions only require 2 taps at most, and they are designed to be used without interrupting the race.

At the end of the race, players are rewarded with in-game currency that can be used to purchase cosmetics for their characters, or gift-boxes for new characters and accessories.

Scanning and Giftboxes

One of the main goals of this project is to bring toys from Kinder Joys to life. Every Kinder Joy comes with a physical toy and QR code. Players can scan the QR code to unlock the toy as a playable character for the races. We also built a giftbox system that works adopts the Kinder Joy concept to avoid having features fully exclusive to external purchases, which is crucial for platform rating compliance. Players can exchange the in-game currency gained from the obstacle course for a Gift Box that randomly rewards them a new character or accessory.

Customisation Shop

Another function of the in-game currencies is customisation. Players can purchase different outfits or colours/ patterns for parts of their bodies. Every season brings new exclusive customisations in addition to unique gameplays, ensuring that there's always something different.

levels

As a game intended for mainly kids and casual audiences, the levels had to be simple yet appealing in both challenge and gameplay. I also get to plan the visual themes, working closely with the art and tech team to bring them to life. As each season comes with a different IP, we would revisit the levels and redefine their looks with elements from that IP. For example: The first season was Funko Music. The levels were decorated with music-related props and the obstacles were shaped like musical instruments.

I designed the first 5 levels of the game. Here are the levels I worked on:

Turn Terror

Like its namesake, the location is dominated by rotating obstacles and platforms. The level has a fairly straightforward layout, designed to be an easy/ onboarding level. Thus, it features simple challenges that practice the essence of the gameplay: timing and movement.

Rumble Down

This level features a slippery slope, literally. It is a downhill race with slippery floors, making movements less accurate. The obstacle would bounce players back, creating hilarious scenarios. Players are rewarded for accurately controlling their momentum, such as launching pads that propel them into the air, avoiding the slippery chaos below.

Splashy Paradise

Children tend to love waterparks, which heavily inspired Splashy Paradise. It is a vibrant water-themed level, with water canons and other splashy shenanigans trying to push players down into the pool.

Strobe Dash

Colours make the rules here. A unique level with pathways and platforms that activate on intervals based on the active colour sign. Players must observe the signs to find their way or risk falling off. It is a departure from classic levels, offering a different course that is won by quick decision-making and taking risks.

Skateboarding Haven

Instead of running, why not soar through the skies? A level featuring airborne challenges. Players will have to utilise fans to float to higher platforms or glide through the air to reach the other side.

SEASONAL CONTENT

The focus of the game revolves around the toys that the players can collect from Kinder Joy. My task was to build and design content that the players could get from those toys every season. This includes having different characters from the toys as well as different items for gameplay purposes depending on the season.