"Teaming Beams" is an online 3D block-stacking game where a team of four players earn points by building tall, sturdy towers. Each player is designated a corner of a building zone with a colored block and spawner that only he or she can control. To create structures blocks must only touch blocks of different colors, requiring players to communicate which blocks to be placed and where.

This was the first full stack game development project that I've shipped and networked on a dedicated server. From April 2018 to August 2019, I managed to achieve the following:

• Perfectly synchronize block variables and physics using UNet (HLAPI)
• Functional four-player multiplayer with matchmaking lobbies
• Synchronize scene and UI elements for consistenecy

I was hired by Tandon Online to develop "Teaming Beams" as an educational tool for professor Anne-Laure Fayard, an online Organizational Behaviour professor. "Teaming Beams" seeks to put into the practice and evaluation of individual and collaborative performance in an organization or corporate environment. By splitting the classroom into teams of 4, professor Fayard was able to conduct exercises amongst students all around the world to learn the importance of teamwork and communication.

Gameplay

Players each control one of four cranes on each corner of the board with a spawner that periodically produces blocks that match their color. To earn points, players must produce tall, sturdy structures by stacking blocks in the center using only their own colored blocks. Blocks that touch other blocks of the same color will be destroyed which means players must ensure that each block is touching a different player's to avoid losing points. Points are also rewarded as a team and based on how tall the tallest structure is as well as the number of blocks used with the former earning 33% more points. In 5 minutes, each team is to earn as many points possible, which are then compared to other teams to determine cooperative power and teamplay.

Controls

WASD - Move Crane
SPACE - Pickup/Drop Blocks

Development Process

First Prototype

The first two week centered around developing the crane which was initally controlled with two sets of controls: one for turning the crane and the other for controlling the hook. The blocks were also designed to have different characteristics:

• Regular Blocks (Standard, 1 x 1)
• Heavy Blocks (Double mass, 0.5 x 0.5)
• Glass Blocks (Destructible, 1 x 1)
• Balloon Blocks (Explode when "agitated", 1 x 1)

These blocks were to be placed on the central platform that balances on an axle which required players to consider the weight and integrity of each structure they made to avoid having them fall. These blocks were eventually swapped with standard blocks of varying sizes because gameplay was more chaotic and distracting than intended. At this point in development, radical changes were advised to ensure that gameplay is minimized to a teaching tool than a sandbox for creative destruction. Though it was fun playing around with it..

Alpha Build

Thus led to the development of the alpha showcased below. No crazy mechanics or explosive mayhem. Just Jenga.

At this point in development, I realized the overall feel and look of the game. Because my game is presumed to be played by a non-gamer audience, I had to prioritize the information clarity and simplify controls so that it did not require previous gaming experience. So the following changes were made:

• Players control crane and hook a hook.
• Light source aimed down so hooks cast shadow (visual aid).
• See-saw platform Caved-in platform in the center.
• Players can control all blocks Blocks color-coded to specific player.
• Blocks have different powers Blocks all standard and only change in size.
• "Drop-line" sprite: animated polkadots blue-to-white gradient.
• Hooks can reach anywhere on the board Hooks fixed to one quadrant of the board.

The game was also networked so two players could play together.

Beta Build

By the third month of development, the beta build was finally networked and completed with a lobby where up to four players could connect, choose a color, and play together. There were is some lag that occurs, but the game itself functions perfectly and essentially every player sees and interacts with the same board. Above is a demo of the shipped build with four players attempting the game for the first time. It's essentially a more polished version of the alpha, but the following things were implemented:

• Network Lobby
• "Integrity" and "Score"
• Timer (5 minutes)
• Block spawners for each player