Tripl3Squad

GAME DESIGN, UI/UX, ILLUSTRATION, ANIMATION

Tripl3Squad is an action game in which you control a convoy of three vehicles on the surface of a distant planet. It’s DB&R Game Studio’s second commercial project. I defined the general concept and designed all the game system, UI, illustrations, characters, animations and all the different visual assets. A complete UX project with a strong focus on geometry and minimalism.

1 minute trailer encapsulating all the design approach, visual style, UI and game design concept. Music by Red Forge.

Gameplay

The game runs through auto-scroll. The vehicles are constantly moving and shooting. The player can choose which vehicles to use in the game and what type of shot to use with each one. And it has control over two elements: 1) the position of the vehicle within the squad and 2) the direction (or other properties) of the attacks for each of them. The aim is to achieve as many points and bonuses before all vehicles are destroyed. The games are short and intense and the advances in score allow us to make upgrades for each vehicle (in strength and firepower) or unlock certain items such as additional vehicles or other game elements.

Interaction 1: switching positions. In the game, you can tap on any vehicle and drag it to one of the 3 positions available. You can also tap on a specific vehicle to select/activate it.

Interaction 2: shooting angle. Once a vehicle is selected you can tap and drag at any point on the screen, modifying the shooting angle and other variables with a single gesture.

UI Design. The in-game information is very limited. Score, available spheres and a panel per vehicle. The rectangular panels show the vehicle's health and attack level. You can pause the game rotating your device—emulating the rotation of a steering wheel.

Upgrading system. You can collect spheres during the game. The more you resist on your game, the more chances of collecting spheres you’ll have. You can use the spheres to upgrade your vehicles and unlock new contents.

Tripl3Squad vehicles

The first version incorporates sixteen vehicles: fourteen single vehicles and two especial double cars. Using a double car implies that you will use only two cars in the game, reducing your possibilites of survival, but counting with a more powerful vehicle at the same time. Balancing power and resilience—and upgrading vehicles and weapons—is the key to succeed in the game.

Art direction

Tripl3Squad’s art direction is based on achieving complexity through the sum of a number of very simple small elements. Vehicles, enemies, user interface elements, visual effects, backgrounds… all of them are vector based without texture and a limited and saturated color palette, producing very light graphic files and a flat but vibrant look & feel. All the elements are heavily geometrical, softened by smooth animations.