Logan Conrad

Lightweight Labs is a puzzle-platformer game where paint changes the weight of objects and the player. It was a group project made in two weeks for Albright College’s Fall 2024 Game Jam, and it won first place. As the project lead, I did most of the work. This includes game design, placeholder art, the main music theme, and programming. Tyler Garrick, also known as Rian Threeden, polished my artwork, and Andrew Ruoff did the title music.

The game was designed to be simple so levels could be created quickly due to the two-week deadline. I wanted a game that showcased my skills as a developer and felt like a legitimate game. The mechanics are inspired by Portal 2, Baba is You, and a Flash game called [REVIVE]. 

The levels are placed in a particular order to help teach the player puzzle mechanics and ideas. A major part of the game is how different mechanics interact with each other. An example is how the paint affects both the player and the boxes. Complexity in mechanics needs to be taught to the player slowly, and the player needs to be tested to see whether they understand the ideas or not, while also keeping the game fresh. 

The best mechanics are often simple ones that expand upon the game in a major way. An example of this is the paint gun. It allows the player to shoot paint that is the same color as them. It is a simple new ability, but it adds a lot more complexity to the game and its puzzles. It also acts as a nice surprise for the latter half of the game.