Turbo Trash
About the game
Turbo Trash is an engaging and fast-paced hypercasual game where players control the long, robotic arms of a robot aspiring to be the Employee of the Month. To reach this desired status, players must efficiently sort various types of waste under the pressure of an ever-increasing workload, all while being guided and monitored by a friendly yet stern loudspeaker. The game boasts a minimalist cartoon style, making it accessible and appealing to a wide audience.
The Team and My Role
As part of WinterWave Studios, I contributed extensively to the development of Turbo Trash. Alongside my team, I focused on key aspects of the gameplay and overall user experience:
- Throwing Mechanics: Developed and fine-tuned the system for throwing items into the bins, making sure that it felt intuitive and satisfying for players.
- Leaderboard: Implemented with a designer an online leaderboard system to track and display players' scores, ensuring competition and engagement among players.
- Shop and Customization: Designed and integrated a shop where players can purchase cosmetic items, and implemented customization options to personalize the player’s in-game experience.
- UI and Sounds: Managed the user interface and sound integration, creating a cohesive and responsive experience that aligned with the game’s fast-paced mechanics.
- Object-Bin Interactions: Developed the system for detecting and handling interactions between objects and bins, ensuring accurate sorting for gameplay progression.
While I handled the majority of the game's systems, my programmer teammate focused on the conveyor belt movement and power-ups, completing the experience. Despite the intense timeline of the project, we managed to create a polished and engaging game.
Problems Encountered and Solutions
The major challenge in Turbo Trash was perfecting the throwing mechanics. We needed to balance realism with an arcade feel, ensuring throws were responsive yet intuitive.
Problem: Realism vs. Gameplay
Initially, items either flew unrealistically or fell short, frustrating players. The issue stemmed from balancing the right throwing force, gravity, and collision physics.
Solution: Fine-Tuning Mechanics
We adjusted the throw force based on player input, refined collision detection, and tweaked physics to ensure natural trajectories. Playtesting and feedback helped us polish the system, resulting in a satisfying, balanced mechanic that became a solid core feature of the game.
