Repeater Roulette is a first-person roguelike shooter with procedurally generated rooms and randomised deals where the player can gamble to upgrade their weapon. The game is set in an alternate dystopian timeline in the 1940s.
Repeater Roulette was a Rookie 'Game of The Year - PC & Console' 2022 finalist.
My team and I have recently decided to continue the development of Repeater Roulette in order to release it on Steam. The game will undergo a complete design overall and due to the updated procedural generation, I will be able to rework my levels without restrictions. In addition to this, my gambling systems will also be implemented.
I'll continue to contribute to this page as the development continues.
My Contribution
I worked on level design, system design, and writing for this project. I was also part of a two-person team that promoted the game and managed the social media accounts.
Level Design included:
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Designing simple modular rooms with various layouts that are consistent in theme
System Design included:
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Designing various gambling systems
Writing included:
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World-building
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Writing the story
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Creating the characters
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Writing the characters' dialogue (including bark lines)
Miscellaneous Tasks:
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Created the pitch deck
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Organised and held auditions for casting
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Immersive marketing (ARG)
Level Design
This project required me to create modular rooms with interesting layouts that appeared cohesive when procedurally generated. I also had to consider the fact that this was supposed to be a labyrinth-like maze that confused and disoriented the player.
There were two requirements when creating rooms for Repeater Roulette:
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Doors had to be on the same axis (due to our procedural generation)
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Make rooms only not whole levels
The game consists of several floors, each with a different theme. In terms of plot, the player ascends through the building of an eccentric scientist. The floors include a Basement, a Laboratory, a Casino that has been converted into a Laboratory, and a traditional Casino.
I chose to pitch the idea of "Themed Combat Rooms." Despite the fact that all rooms would be combat rooms due to the game's fast-paced and intense nature, I wanted to give rooms different purposes to aid my design decisions. These room types included:
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CQC Rooms – often smaller and with a lot of enemies
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Story Rooms – which will include more environmental storytelling than a typical room, as well as longer stretches of space (for The Scientist's dialogue over speakers).
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Arena Rooms – will often be circular/square rooms that loop and rely on a variety of heights to help the player evade enemies - will typically feature a small “boss” or powerful alpha enemy
I learned a lot while working on Repeater Roulette, and it showed as I continued to design levels. However, the majority of my levels that were polished, were among the first I created.
Below are images of the various rooms I designed, as well as my thought process for a few of them. I designed over 20 rooms for Repeater Roulette in total, but due to time constraints, only about 5 received art passes.
Tutorial Room
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My team was undecided about making the player replay the tutorial room if they died. However, while this was being discussed, I designed a room that was quick and informative, so that replaying it didn't feel tedious. I wanted to create a tutorial that didn't slow down the player while also fitting into the narrative and maintaining immersion.
Due to the game starting in the basement (Floor 1), I designed a tutorial room that resembles a basement walk space that leads to a larger room that appears to lead to the basement door. The tutorial could be completed in 20 seconds if necessary.
I decided to introduce the player to the various vault heights and slide mechanics as soon as possible as they were essential when traversing the levels.
I decided to use large pipes that the player could vault over and slide under to fit the theme. There are also immersive indicators throughout the level that instruct the player on what to do. These will appear as blood on the walls and floors. The next important factor to consider was the gun.
I decided to mimic a shooting range using a room that could be accessed by shooting the glass. I decided to include a hanging enemy in order to allow the player to practice their aim and inform the player that they could shoot off enemies' limbs. I tried to maintain immersion with this room, and I thought it would work as having a room to torture experiments fits with The Scientist's sadistic characteristics.
Pop-ups appear before vaulting, sliding, and shooting to demonstrate the mechanics and inform the players of the controls.
Casino Arena Room
On The Casino Floor (Level 2), the Brute, the largest and most powerful enemy, is introduced. As a result, I decided to make a simple casino room that looped and served as a small arena.
Since this enemy was more of a mini-boss, I thought a small arena room would be the best way to gradually introduce the player to the enemy and its attacks.
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I made the decision to transform this arena room into an abandoned and wrecked gambling hall. I wanted to keep this room simple but fun for the player to run around in, as well as incorporate more movement mechanics.
After researching 1920s casinos, I decided to include stairs and railings around the room's perimeter, allowing the player to vault over the railings to evade and outrun the enemies.
I also planned for a large fallen chandelier to be in the centre of the room. This was done to both hinder and assist the player. It would obstruct the player's movement while also providing cover from ranged enemy acid attacks. A broken chandelier seemed appropriate for the grand and abandoned theme.
Basement Story Room
For the basement floor, I wanted to include smaller rooms that provided a break from the larger rooms while still remaining intense and fast-paced. I began designing rooms that were longer stretches of space that I nicknamed the "corridors" of the game. These rooms were designed to be quick and only inhabit a few enemies.
Because we wanted the players to hear dialogue from The Scientist through overhead speakers, I thought this was the best place to provide them story. I thought it would be best to have the dialogue play in rooms that are quick, easy to navigate, and have fewer enemies. This allows the player to absorb the game's narrative without being overwhelmed by the environment. This is where the idea for the (previously mentioned) "Story Rooms" originated.
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I wanted these rooms to feel consistent throughout the basement level, so I kept the theme of pipes throughout, using them as obstacles the player had to vault over and slide under, as well as placing them around the environment to make them look more natural.
Another thing I had to remember was to make each level reversible. We designed the rooms to spawn by connecting each door, so one thing I had to keep in mind when designing rooms with verticality, was that the room could be successfully played regardless of where the player begins.
System Design
I created two gambling systems for Repeater Roulette: Perk Gambling and Money Gambling. Repeater Roulette does not yet feature these systems.
Perk Gambling
To gamble a perk, the player will need to enter the Gambling room. Here you can gamble pre-existing perks you have for an entirely new perk. The player will not be able to bet on Green / 0 as this will be labelled “refresh”.
Players will approach a roulette table in the designated room. From here, The Scientist will ask the player to bet and also select which perk to gamble.
If the player wins and predicts the number/colour that the ball lands on, they will be able to choose 1 out of 3 new higher levelled perks.
If the player loses and doesn’t predict the number/colour that the ball lands on, they will lose the perk they gambled with, and it will not be replaced.
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Losing could trigger enemies to spawn in the room and they couldn’t gamble again until they’re all killed.
If the roulette wheel lands on Green 0 (“Refresh”) all the player’s perks will be refreshed to new perks, which has the potential to be different levels to the previous. The player will have no say in this.
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E.g. if the player had 3 perks at levels 2, 6 and 3, the player will get 3 new random perks but they could be levels 4, 1 and 5.
Due to the low percentage of getting Green 0 - the player will have an even chance to receive any level of perk.
Room will spawn
20%
To win
To lose
To get Green 0
45%
45%
10%
Money Gambling - Card Game Concept 1
Add cards to the dealer’s pile in order to reach the chosen number.
The player will have 8 cards in their hands (which they can see) the dealer will place 3 (faced) down in the middle of the table. All these cards will be randomised.
The player can then put down as many/little cards as they like, adding them to the dealer’s pile. After this, the dealer will (slide his arm out and) take all the cards, turning them over revealing the amount the cards have come to.
Betting
To bet, there will be a slidebar that the player can use in order to select an amount to gamble. There is no max, however, there is a minimum:
Minimum bet: 100 BloodCoins
Prizes
5 away: x 1 (stake back)
4 away: x 2 stake
3 away: x 3 stake
2 away: x 4 stake
1 away: x 10 stake – With the chance of the dealer offering a free go with the rewards doubled (except no prize given in first round)
Exact amount: x 50 stake
Money Gambling - Card Game Concept 2
Trying to match the dealer’s cards in order to duplicate your stake.
Both the player and the dealer possess 7 cards, which are all the same. The dealer will place 3 cards without the player knowing which, allowing for the player to then attempt to match the cards the dealer has placed. The amount of matches the player gets, determines their profit.
Betting
To bet, there will be a slidebar that the player can use in order to select an amount to gamble. There is no max, however, there is a minimum:
Minimum bet: 100 BloodCoins
Prizes
1 the same: x 1 (stake back)
2 the same: x 10 stake
3 the same: x 50 stake
Money Gambling - Card Game Concept 3
To guess what the dealer has put down.
How to play
The player will select what they want to guess:
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Odd / Even
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Suits (Clubs/Hearts/Diamonds/Spades)
The dealer will place 1 card face down in the middle of the table. The player will then select which option they think the card could be.
Due to the “Odd / Even” being a 50/50 chance, the rewards for this options will be lower. There will also be a lower minimum betting charge.
Betting
To bet, there will be a slidebar that the player can use in order to select an amount to gamble. There is no max, however, there is a minimum:
Minimum betting for Odd / Even: 10 BloodCoins
Minimum betting for Suits: 100 BloodCoins
Prizes
Odd / Even: Correct x2 stake
Suits: x5 stake
Writing
Story Background
After borrowing from loan sharks, the protagonist is informed he has a week to pay off his debt. Out of panic, he decides to break into the old, abandoned casino, in the hopes of finding money or valuable items.
Upon Playing
The game begins with you trapped inside an elevator. Your wrists strapped to the arm rests, and you are unable to move your body, however, you are able to look around. Looking down you notice your right hand has been mutilated and a gun has been attached. Shaking, you turn your wrist over to see your veins glowing and pulsating carrying an unfamiliar chemical throughout your body. A voice is heard from the speakers above, you are introduced to the scientist. He explains that you were the first to survive one of his experimental procedures whilst keeping your sanity. Among the panic and confusion, the elevator begins to descend, and you are informed that you are being taken to the depths of his laboratory to see if you are worthy enough to reach the top.
Making your way through the floors you encounter The Scientist’s past hostile experiments. They are unrecognisable as humans and can only be described as ungodly monsters. Throughout the floors you are praised for making it through and the more time you are alive, the more respect The Scientist has for you.
The further you ascend you notice that the laboratory has begun to overspill into the casino above. You realise he built a laboratory in his basement and since his experiments expanded, so did his space.
Reaching the top floor, you begin threatening the scientist telling him this has to stop. The conversation boils down to you shouting, “This ends with me” to only hear “What makes you think you’re my last?”
At this point one of the scientist’s biggest and most gruesome monster breaks through the wall and attacks you. You realise you weren’t his pride and joy, but he’s excited for someone to finally make it through the floors to fight his best creation.
I was the writer for Repeater Roulette, working on the game's plot, location concept, characters concept and character dialogue.
Location
The game is set deep blow The Scientist’s casino in his basement where his “laboratory” lies. He built his laboratory deep underground and with the expansion of his experiments, it began to overspill into his casino floors above.
There are 5 floors each with procedurally generated combat rooms: Floor 1 (The Basement/Storage), Floor 2 (The Laboratory), Floor 3 (Overspilled Casino/Lab), Floor 4 (Casino) and Floor 5 (The Scientist’s Manor - Boss Area). < - unsure.
Floor 1: The Basement / Storage Floor
The basement is where the player will begin the game, being informed on the mechanics and story through the concise tutorial room. Aesthetically, this floor will be full of storage boxes, shelves, barrels, and old broken machines. This floor will be damp and mouldy with a variety of growths.
Floor 2: The Laboratory
This floor will highlight the story of the experiments through environmental story telling. Aesthetically, this floor will be similar to the basement rooms, however, full of machines, test tubes and hospital-like beds. This floor will be damp and mouldy with a large proportion of growths.
Floor 3: Casino / Turned Laboratory
Aesthetically, this floor will be a rundown and dark casino floor, that is full of lab equipment where his experiments overspilled into his casino. Growths on this floor will be placed sparingly.
Floor 4: The Casino
Aesthetically, this floor will include no growths or laboratory equipment, however, it will feature various misplaced and broken pieces of furniture.
The Scientist’s Manor
The Scientist’s Manor this is where The Scientist resides. Due to his obsession with experimenting on human test subjects the manor’s main hall (where the boss battle will be held) appears abandoned.
Character Briefs
Name: The Scientist (Birthname Unknown)
Age: 50 - 60
Gender: Male
Traits: Delusional, sarcastic, curious, eccentric
Background: Due to his scrawny build, he has never been taken seriously as a businessman and the owner of the casino. Due to his complete lack of people skills, he decided to hide away, no longer personally greeting guests, instead, he began speaking to them over various speakers placed throughout his building. The only time he made appearances to the public, was when he lured VIP guests to the basement with the promise of "a secret members club", to only snatch them away and begin experimenting.
Dialogue Examples:
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And there’s me thinking you wouldn’t make it past the first room
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You can’t just leave, kill them!
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Excellent work! Just excellent! Keep going! Kill them all!
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Are you sure you haven’t done this before?
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Marvellous! You killed one of the big fellows! I thought for sure you were a goner
Name: Experiment 128
Age: 30 – 40
Gender: Unknown
Traits: Impartial, impatient, witty
Background: Caught selling counterfeit poker chips within the casino, this man knew it was the end when a mysterious elevator took him to the depths of the building. However, thanks to his silver tongue, this experiment managed to bargain his way from competing in trials to working for The Scientist selling perks to each experiment he meets.
Dialogue Examples:
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Do you want to buy something? Or are you trying to waste my time?
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I wouldn’t have bought that if I were you
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That’s an… interesting choice
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You’re lookin’ a little light in the pockets, care to gamble?
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Loose change burning holes in your pockets? I’ve got a solution… if you’re inclined