Luuk Veldwisch - Portfolio

Top Projects
  1. Online Multiplayer Game
  2. Physical Prototype to VR Sailing game
  3. Dance-mat Horror Game
  4. From Card Game to Puzzler

    About Me
    Email
    Itch.io

    Dance-mat Horror Game

    Group project: 2 Artists, 1 Designer, 1 Developer - December 2023 until January 2024
    With this project our goal was to create a game which combines the real and digital world for a game. This became an arcade horror where the player uses a dance-mat to escape a monster in an arcade.
    HighlightsPrototype testing feedback types 
    For the project we tested different types of feedback. Positive against negative to see what worked better for our game.     Final playtest with a fake dance mat:We couldn’t get a dance mat, so someone with a controller was matching the moves of the player behind their back.
    We first brainstormed by filling in one sticky note in a grid and then moving one column to the right and adding onto the previous idea.

    Based on those sticky notes we individually created concepts which we pitched to each other.

    From that we chose a concept and me and one other designer made a short design doc thinking out all systems.

    Final Game Concept SummaryThe goal of the game is to escape from an arcade while being chased by a monster. You can do this by walking in a grid to the beat of music. With a dance-mat as controller. The controls work as follows:
    These are the basic control mappings.

    Here the player moves one step forward.    When the player both uses a step and turn, The player first turns then takes the step in quick succession.
    The player can perform a kick by jumping on both the left and right button.

    A kick can open up pathways, but makes noise which attracts the monster      The monster that is hunting you down works like this.


    Reflecting on the systems the biggest way the game can be improved is either with the movement inputs or the level design. In our last prototype the player used step forward for 80% of its actions. As can be seen in the video on the right.

    This is because there were a lot of straight hallways and big open areas. 

    The level could get a complete redesign where you use the turn more and add situations where the kick and backwards steps are more useful.

    Or the movement system needs an overhaul where it’s more interesting to move around.

    Level DesignAfter making the overall concept I focused on level design: First block out of the level.

    Player starts in a bathroom (bottom right) introducing the movement and  kicking of doors in a safe environment.

    The player is then confronted with a choice of either going  through the playground or the arcade. The playground is faster but the monster notices you earlier. The arcade is safer but takes longer.


    The controls where not intuitive, based on playtesting. So a detailed tutorial scene was needed. In the level the controls are limited and expand through the tutorial.

    First you can only move straight,
    then you can turn left and right
    and finally we introduce the kick at the end of the tutorial.
    This is the final design of the level. All red squares are points the player can stand. Notice the long hallways and open areas.