A Murder of Crows

Falmouth University - Development Practice (GDO710)

Role(s): Solo Developer

Studio: N/A

Team Size: 1

Platform: PC

Engine & Tools: Unity (C#), Aseprite

Timeline: 01 Feb 2022 - 05 Feb 2022

Published: itch.io Page

Tags: 2D, Action, Adventure, Difficult, Platformer, Puzzle, Roguelike

Project Overview

A brief look at the game's concept, mechanics, and development journey.

A Murder of Crows is a 2D platformer inspired by Unfair Mario (2011), developed over five days as part of a private rapid ideation event. The theme of the event was “A Crow Priest” (based on a Dixit card). Players guide the "Crow Priest" through a challenging map, using crows to scout ahead and navigate treacherous obstacles while aiming to minimise casualties.

The event spanned two weeks: Week 1 focused on planning, while Week 2 was dedicated to production. Below, you’ll find a breakdown of my production process during Week 2. The art assets (excluding the player sprite) were outsourced, and all sound effects were sourced from freesound.org and copyright-free content on YouTube.

Development Highlights

Driving the vision, mechanics, and execution as the project's sole developer.

Developed the Crow Priest player controller and programmed the movement mechanics for three crow companions. Implemented enemy AI, projectiles (including weapons and spike traps), scoring systems, checkpoints, and UI screens.
Created the Crow Priest sprite using Aseprite, ensuring it aligned with the game's visual style.
Designed and built the level using Unity's built-in tile editor, crafting gameplay that balanced challenge and fun.
Conducted thorough playtesting throughout development, incorporating feedback from five external playtesters to enhance the overall experience.

Screenshots

Screenshots that highlight key moments and environments from A Murder of Crows.