Game Design / Development
Lunar Bunny is a third-person 3D platformer game that follows the journey of a celestial bunny around the galaxy.
01 — Overview
Context
Lunar Bunny is a third-person 3D platformer game that follows the journey of a celestial bunny around the galaxy. Created as part of an independent study course during my college years, this game highlights my skills in game design, 3D modeling, and storytelling. Collaborating with my partner, Jana Rowe, we brought this imaginative project to life. The main character, a bunny, flies around the galaxy to purify stars while avoiding various obstacles and enemies.
Inspired by Chinese zodiac lore, where the bunny and rooster are natural enemies, the storyline positions the rooster as the primary antagonist. In this narrative, the rooster has captured the moon, and the bunny must purify stars while evading the rooster's minions. The ultimate goal is to reach the moon, confront the rooster as the final boss, and restore harmony to the galaxy. This project merges cultural mythology with creative gameplay, providing a unique and engaging player experience.
Programs Used
Unity | Maya | Blender | Visual Studio Code | Adobe Creative Suite
Role & credits
Project Lead
Research Lead
Unity Developer
C# Coder
Team
Jana Rowe
(3D Modeling, Animation, Art)
Duration
3 months
02
Concept
The brainstorming phase for Lunar Bunny began with thorough research on Chinese zodiac lore, focusing on the traditional rivalry between the bunny and the rooster. This cultural backdrop inspired the game's vibrant color palette, character designs, and weapon concepts. We envisioned the bunny as a whimsical, agile hero and the rooster as a formidable, imposing antagonist.
Color: To create an immersive, otherworldly atmosphere like the one pictured below, we used Unity’s lighting system to build a soft, glowing galaxy aesthetic that reinforced the game’s magical feel.
Character Design
During the brainstorming process, we created numerous versions of the bunny character. Ultimately, we decided to represent the bunny with glowing blue and gold colors to symbolize purity. In contrast, the rooster was designed with black and red hues to emphasize their enmity. This color contrast not only highlighted their opposing roles but also added visual depth to the game.
03
Game Design
Level Design: Lunar Bunny features three levels, each progressively more challenging than the last. As players advance through the game, they encounter increasingly complex obstacles and stronger enemies. This gradual increase in difficulty keeps the gameplay engaging and tests the player's skills as they guide the bunny on its quest to purify stars and ultimately confront the rooster.
Sound Design
For the background music of Lunar Bunny, I selected royalty-free music by CoffeeRuns that complements the game's Asian cultural themes. To enhance the dramatic effect as the levels progress, I incorporated rain and drum effects into the soundtrack. These auditory elements help immerse players in the game's atmospheric journey.
Sound Effects
Sound effects were carefully crafted and included to immerse players in the game, providing auditory cues for urgency, success, and failure. These sound effects enhance the gameplay experience by signaling important events and keeping players engaged throughout the adventure.
Level 1 Audio
Level 3 Audio
Success Audio
Star Purify
04
Development
Organization: As the person in charge of coding and working in Unity, I maintained a high level of organization within the Unity environment and my code structure. This involved systematically arranging assets, scripts, and scenes to ensure efficient development and ease of troubleshooting. My structured approach facilitated smooth progress and helped manage the complexity of creating Lunar Bunny.
Documentation: As the person in charge of coding and working in Unity, I maintained a high level of organization within the Unity environment and my code structure. This involved systematically arranging assets, scripts, and scenes to ensure efficient development and ease of troubleshooting. My structured approach facilitated smooth progress and helped manage the complexity of creating Lunar Bunny. You can view my documentation page here.
05
Learnings
Leadership / Organization: As the project lead for a small development team, I learned the importance of organization in effectively communicating needs to the 3D designer. This ensured that files were properly prepared for Unity and streamlined troubleshooting processes. Clear communication and structured workflows were crucial in managing the project's complexity and maintaining team cohesion..
Game Design: This project taught me how game mechanics, pacing, and player feedback work together to create an engaging experience. I learned to make intentional design decisions that guided players, communicated objectives clearly, and supported the game’s overall atmosphere. Testing and iteration were essential for identifying friction and refining the experience around the player’s needs.
Shown below is my 1-month vs. 3-month progress on Unity.
