Plague Runner

Plague Runner is a fast-paced endless runner developed in 2020, focusing on gameplay design, rapid decision-making systems, and atmospheric visual direction in a constrained control scheme.

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🎮 Overview

• Genre: Endless Runner / Action
• Focus: Gameplay systems, pacing, and visual identity
• Platform: Android

The goal of this project was to explore how far a simple runner framework could be expanded through layered mechanics such as combat interactions, resource collection, and rhythm-based environmental design.

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🧠 Design Goals

This game was built around a few core design objectives:

• Maintain a simple input scheme while increasing mechanical depth over time
• Combine runner gameplay + light combat interactions
• Create a strong sense of pacing and rhythm through level segmentation
• Build a recognizable atmospheric identity with minimalistic controls

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⚔️ Core Gameplay Systems

• Movement (Single Input Jump)
  The player can only jump to avoid obstacles, reinforcing readability and timing-based gameplay.
• Reactive Combat (Click-based interaction)
  Enemies appear on the path and can be eliminated through direct input, rewarding precision and attention.
• Dual Resource System
  
  • Blue runes: environmental pickups requiring screen-side input
  • Red runes: earned through enemy interactions
• Level Segmentation System
  Specific tile types define gameplay shifts (combat vs obstacle-heavy segments), helping control pacing and tension.

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🌒 Art Direction

The visual direction was designed to support readability while maintaining a strong atmospheric identity.

• Low-poly 3D environment with stylized proportions
• Hand-painted texture style
• Strong directional lighting for gameplay clarity
• Fog and post-processing to reinforce mood and depth

The aesthetic draws inspiration from gothic architecture and Victorian-era design, combined with a stylized “soft horror” tone similar to modern cartoon-like atmospheric games.

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🧑‍💻 My Role

• Game Design (core systems and gameplay loop)
• Programming (mechanics implementation and interaction systems)
• Level structure design and pacing logic

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👥 Team

• Sérgio Oliveira Macelani — Game Designer & Lead Programmer
• Helena R. Mansur Pantuzzo — Artist (3D, Textures, Production Support)

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📌 Key Takeaways

This project was an exercise in designing depth from simplicity, exploring how limited input systems can still produce engaging gameplay through timing, feedback, and layered mechanics