Sled World (demo)
Released: August 10, 2017
Platform: Unity (Windows, Mac, Linux)
I’m amazed that there isn’t really a single really good, open world sledding game in the world. There are only a handful of games that could even be called a “sledding game.” This is my attempt to start to remedy that.
Give the demo a try. You can explore the quaint, snow-globe-enclosed world on foot, jump on your sled at any time and tool around, and fall off your sled at any time and roll around in the snow. Talk to the other kids in the world, and they’ll give you advice or missions to complete. Sled into trees. Flop down on the ground and try to roll all the way down the hill. Just, like … go sledding, ya know?
I had initially imagined Sled World as a first person game (which I still think would be really fun!), but as I began to experiment in the engine and test out gameplay mechanics, I found that first person sledding can be a little nauseating and disorienting. I made the switch to a fixed-camera, third person perspective, and this version of the game plays much better for it.
My main points of focus for the demo were:
-
- Toybox-like mechanics: I wanted a playful world that was just fun to mess around in.
- Atmosphere: I tried to capture the ambiance of sledding by using wintry imagery and effects.
The mechanics that are not present in the demo that I want to expand upon are:
- Story: I’ve got a fun story to tell in this world and with these characters.
- Character progression: You’ve got to be able to unlock new sleds – enough said.
- World exploration: The snow globe is a fun visual setting, but it may not be compatible with a larger, explorable world.
Please try it out, and let me know what you think in the comments on itch.io or on Twitter.
