Shiitake Showdown

Trailer

Free to play on Steam: 
https://store.steampowered.com/app/2222850/Shiitake_Showdown/

What is Shiitake Showdown?

Shiitake Showdown is an online multiplayer first-person shooter inspired by older arena shooters such as Quake and Halo. It was created by a team of 2 programmers and 5 artists throughout 2022 as our final graduation project of the Media Design School Bachelor of Creative Technologies and Bachelor of Software Engineering courses. 

Shiitake Showdown features 4 maps that each support 4 game modes; Capture the Flag, Deathmatch, Team Deathmatch and Team King of the Hill. Each game mode can be played with up to 8 players total. Additionally, the game features elemental abilities that can be used for offensive, or utility purposes as well as player customisation in the form of 3 playable character models, primary and secondary colour selection and an assortment of outfits.

Shiitake Showdown is targeted at younger audiences ages 13+ due to fantasy violence and online interaction. The goal of this project was to create a social arena shooter that can be enjoyed amongst friends without a heavy focus on competitive gameplay that is often seen in first-person shooters lately.  

Art Direction

We drew inspiration from fantasy games such as World of Warcraft and Genshin Impact in order to create a vibrant and fantastical world centred around the ongoing feud between the Myconid and Serpent races. We initially focused solely on creating magical and organic themed assets with a heavy focus on Fungi and Plant based props and weapons, however later into development we decided we wished to add a bit more variety and interest to the environmental story telling and scenery through the addition of the Serpents and their more geometric stone-based culture.

Characters

Our player customisation features 3 playable character models; The Funguy, Mushman, and Serpent. Each character was designed and planned with the goal of being colour customisable through the use of primary and secondary hue sliders as well as be compatible with cosmetic outfits.

Elemental Abilities

When a game begins and when waiting to respawn, players have the option to select a combination of two of the four elemental subclasses. These elements provide the player with two abilities each that can be used offensively or as a utility to manipulate or traverse the battlefield. During combat players can quickly swap between their two elements in order to adapt to their surroundings.

Pyromancy has a heavy focus on dealing damage with the use of an explosive fireball that leaves a burning area upon impact that continues to deal damage after the initial explosion as well as a sprint that leaves a blazing trail behind them that can damage enemies who enter it.

Cryomancy has a defensive and utility focus with an ice wall that allows players to block incoming projectiles or manipulate the map in order to temporarily limit movement options for other players. The frozen path ability allows the player to create a temporary path of ice wherever they move whilst active. It can allow them to reach higher terrain as well as limit the movement and sight of enemies.

Electromancy focuses on offensive utility with a lightning flash that temporarily blinds and disorients anyone who is looking at it when too close as well as an electro blink that can allow the player rapid short distance traversal around the map in the direction they are looking.

Astromancy uses the manipulation of gravity to control the battlefield with either a gravity well that pulls all nearby players towards it quickly, or an impulse burst that repels nearby players, launching them away from its epicentre rapidly. This can be used both as an offensive tool to push enemies into hazards or away from objectives as well as a way to quickly traverse the battlefield.

Weapons

The game features five firearms that can be found on cooldown around the battlefield during a game. The sandbox was designed to allow for various playstyles whilst also taking into consideration the power of some of these weapons. The Submachine Gun is a fully automatic weapon that can dish out lots of damage quickly at the expense of range and accuracy. The Shotgun has limited range but can deal large damage if used up close  in quick succession. The Burst Rifle and Sniper Rifle reward more accurate gameplay with higher damage and longer range at the expense of time per shot and reloading. The Explosive Mushroom Launcher can kill many players at once with an explosion however it has very limited ammo and a long respawn time on its weapon pad.

Maps

Through the use of our set dressing we tried to depict the Myconids as a destructive race who have invaded the Serpents territory in an effort to take over the world with Fungi and block out the sunlight with large fungal canopies and spores. The Serpents were however depicted to be a group of cold-blooded, treasure-hoarding, sun worshippers who wish to live their lives enjoying the warmth of the sun and their volcanic lair.

The Team

Programmers:
Stefan Petrie 
Jacob Sullivan 
Artists:
Myles Lasham 
Joshua Shepherd 
Andres Villacreces 
Soonhyung Kueon 
Ben Pram