Game Design Workshop: Recreating the Deep Sea Adventure

So my objective was to test my Blueprint code and UI skills in Unreal Engine 4, by using the Deep Sea Adventure Board Game as the object of study. I choose this game because of its elegant and minimalist mechanics and I assumed it could be done during a two-week vacation back in 2020. It actually took me 228 hours to complete it.

All the art was made by me in an attempt to see if I could replicate the original material and the remaining UI elements were trying to make something that followed the same aesthetics.

Wireframe V1

The following video shows the implemented UI and gameplay end result in Unreal. It can be played from 1 to 6 players on a single PC screen, by playing and then passing their turn.

Unreal Gameplay

While developing this version, I notice multiple usability problems that I tried to solve in a second UI Interaction. The problems were:

• Having too much information on the screen makes it difficult to understand the game rules and the action to play
• Converting the physical game to 3D would beneficiate from simulating the eye movement in a real game, instead of being so quick. More animations like the removal of empty space; the diver consuming oxygen, etc.
• The Play and Pass mechanic would work better on a mobile device. 

If I were to continue to work on these problems I would update the Unreal UI to use the V2 High Fidelity wireframes. Comparing with the first iteration, the player is only able to see the actions for the current that game stage and not all at the same time. This means a lot less info on the screen.

Wireframes V2

Start Game & Change Player Number

After Dive Action (Roll Successful)

Take Treasure

Next Turn (Oxygen Consumption)

Unable to Move & Drop Treasure

End of Round (Lost Treasure)

End of round (Gain Treasure)

End of Game (The Winner)

Score menu

Options Menu

This was fun!