UE 5
Sleepy Kitty
Released December 2024
Sleepy Kitty is a cozy relaxing isometric puzzle game about putting a kitty to sleep.
2
3 weeks
About
Sleepy Kitty is a 10 minute cozy relaxing isometric puzzle game about putting a kitty to sleep. The player's goal is to interact with the environment to align the meters to the preferred sleeping conditions of the cat.
Puzzles
The puzzles are short, simple, and intuitive suitable for a wide player audience, and focus more on the emotional experience rather than on problem solving.
Atmosphere
The game focuses on bringing a cozy, calming, and relaxing player experience. All developed features were made in mind with the atmosphere that they create, and the feeling all interactions bring.
Visuals
The visuals are simple, but aesthetically pleasing, maximizing the quality we could achieve in a small amount of time.
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Role and Contribution
Game Designer
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Designed and Integrated:
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Camera and controls.
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Stress systems, which determine the win state for the level.
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Over 10 level mechanics, such as fireplace, radio, windows, kettle, etc.
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10 short levels.
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UI/UX
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Implemented over 25 sound effects.
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Developed shaders, visual effects, and textures.
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Collaborated with a visual artist, assisted with some of the 3d models, and set-dressed the scene.
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Playtested and iterated on the game to fit the intended player experience.
Stress Systems
Interactive
What
The level mechanics are split up into groups based on the meter they affect:
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Only temperature: fireplace, fan, fridge
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Only noise: radio, TV, vacuum, windchimes
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Temperature and noise: window, kettle, shower
Each mechanic has a unique way to interact with it—clicking or playing a mini-game.
Why
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Higher loop: The player must find the right combination of settings to get the correct value on the meters. As the game progresses, new mechanics are introduced, and finding the right value slowly becomes harder.
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Lower loop: Figuring out how to use each mechanic is a smaller puzzle. As the game progresses, the player must start thinking outside the box as end-game mechanics require more creative approaches.
The combination of these two gameplay loops keeps the player entertained for the short duration of the game.
How
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The mechanics have a modular setup, it determines the state it starts in and the heat/noise it exerts with state change.
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An interaction system checks for hovered objects via line tracing. Once the player performs the required input, the object's function is activated via an interface.
Physics Based
What
The fan is a unique mechanic in the game, it makes the objects it points at move around, and fly off using physics.
This applies to different set pieces like cups and vases, and activates some level mechanics like the shower handle or windchimes.
Why
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Moving around set pieces adds a layer of depth. It is a fun, satisfying gesture that enhances the experience.
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The fan is a part of the puzzles: the player needs to blow objects onto the vacuum to turn it off and blow at the shower handle to make it fall and break.
How
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The collision of the fan current overlaps tagged objects, enables their physics and applies opposite force based on their mass.
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Alternatively, it activates the level mechanics with the fan interface.
Level Mechanics
Audio Snippet
UI includes:
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Two in-game stress meters.
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The pause menu.
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The main menu.
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The settings.
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Custom cursor and level transitions.
Only master volume is present to make the mixing of sounds and music stay consistent.
How
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Everything is made via UE widget blueprints in a modular manner.
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The cursor functionality (switching hands) is integrated with the interaction system.
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The settings are using the UE save file system and transfer between game instances.
Audio
UI
Over 25 sound effects have been implemented.
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The sound improves the immersion of the game and contributes to the cozy and relaxing atmosphere.
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The sound serves as feedback for mechanics and for clues to what the player is doing wrong.
How
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The effects were implemented and tuned with Audacity.
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Volume, pitch, and duration have been adjusted in UE.
UX Design
Shaders and VFX
What
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There are two post-processing effects: the toon shader and the hover outlines.
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Vfx include different indicators such as sleeping, wrong actions, level winning, fan current, and shower steam.
Why
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The toon shader cuts the amount of texturing work and ties the art style together.
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The hover outlines and VFX serve as player feedback.
How
Both post-processing effects were created via the UE material system. VFX were made with Niagara.
Props
Apart from texturing models, I helped with tiled textures for walls and floor, models for the walls and floor, and additional models for remaining props such as the fan, the radio, and set pieces like books.
The environment was made via the UE modeling cube grid tool and the props were made via Blender.
Visuals
What
The stress system determines the win condition of the player. Cats prefer different values on the meter to fall asleep.
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The temperature: cold to hot.
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The noise: soothing to loud.
Why
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Meters are a simple and straightforward way to communicate the goal to the player.
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It states a clear, visual and intuitive win condition.
How
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After being interacted with, the mechanics send signals to the stress system to add or subtract their values, then check if the winning condition is met.
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Represented on the screen via a widget.
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The meter visuals have been playtested and iterated to make them self-explanatory.
