Poltergeist Party's Mechanics

First Iteration of Gameplay

Poltergeist Party began as a puzzle-platformer built around the core mechanic of possession. From the start, the goal was to create a gameplay experience where players, as a ghost, could take control of enemies to interact with the environment and navigate obstacles. This mechanic introduced a fresh twist to traditional platforming by allowing players to approach challenges in multiple ways.

To expand on this idea, we designed each possessed enemy with unique abilities—some could double jump, others could dash, and others could shrink having special routes in the world. This variety we hoped would encouraged players to experiment, discovering different ways to traverse levels, and find alternative routes to progress.

On the narrative side, the team wanted to give the ghost a meaningful purpose beyond simple exploration. We decided that the ultimate goal would be to find and reclaim the ghost’s lost body, offering a second chance at life. To balance this with engaging gameplay, we introduced patrolling enemies and environmental hazards, such as spikes, moving platforms, and flying projectiles. These elements added an extra layer of challenge, requiring players to think strategically about which enemies to possess and when to do so.

This early iteration laid the foundation for Poltergeist Party, shaping both its mechanics and its story into an experience that blends platforming, and player-driven discovery.

Playthrough of Test Level

V1. Mechanics & Their Role in the Game

Double Jump Enemy (Vampire/Red) – The vampire's supernatural agility grants a double jump, allowing the player to reach high platforms. However, Garlic (Slow Debuff) introduces a strategic challenge, restricting movement when the vampire is possessed, forcing players to plan their routes carefully.
Shrinking Enemy (Witch/Blue) – The witch can shrink, enabling access to tight spaces. This is essential for navigating small gaps or hidden pathways. However, Mouse Traps pose a unique hazard, affecting only the witch’s shrunken form.
Dashing Enemy (Werewolf/Purple) – The werewolf's dash ability allows players to clear large gaps or completely avoid certain obstacles quickly, adding momentum-based platforming challenges.
The Body (Green) – The ghost’s ultimate goal is to reunite with their body, reinforcing the game’s narrative of seeking a second chance at life.
Ghost-Only Walls/Platforms – Some areas can only be accessed while in ghost form, requiring players to navigate between possession and free movement carefully. often locking the player out of areas that we (the designers) don't want the player to have abilities.
Moving Platforms & Slippery Platforms – These elements introduce dynamic challenges, requiring precise timing and adaptability in platforming sections.
Spikes & Projectile Balls – Classic platforming hazards that punish mistimed jumps or movement, adding an extra layer of challenge.
Movable Block & Pressure Plate (Not Shown) – These interactable objects add a puzzle-solving layer, where players must manipulate the environment to progress.
Enemy-Specific Checkpoints (Not Shown/ not fully implemented) – Some checkpoints may only be activated while possessing a certain enemy, discarding the enemy in the process, forcing players to choose between safety or use the abilities at their disposal. Potentially making the challenges easier.
Lever & Door (Not Shown) – Classic puzzle mechanics where players must trigger levers to open doors, often requiring precise timing or strategic possession of the right character.

Second Iteration: Restructuring

As development progressed, we felt that we needed to shift Poltergeist Party's gameplay away from the puzzle-platformer genre and lean into a more platformer focused experience. While possession remained the core mechanic, we streamlined the design to focus more on exploration, platforming, and collection rather than puzzle-solving. This transition helped refine the game’s flow, making it more engaging and less restrictive.

One of the most significant changes was replacing mechanics like, Movable Blocks, Pressure Plates, and the Lever/Door system with a new Collectible & Collectible Wall mechanic. Instead of solving puzzles to open pathways, players now clean up the party by collecting items scattered throughout the environment. As players gather more collectibles, previously blocked areas open up, rewarding thorough exploration and reinforcing the game's progression loop.

This iteration also introduced the party theme, bringing more personality and vibrancy to the world. The empty mansion atmosphere was transformed into a lively, messy party where the ghost’s goal was no longer just about finding their body but actively tidying up the chaotic event. This change not only made the game feel more playful but also better supported the collectathon design philosophy.

To further enhance the lighthearted tone, we removed the ability for enemies to damage the player. Instead of being threats, partygoers became obstacles to navigate around or characters to possess, making the experience more about movement and interaction rather than survival. This shift made the game more accessible and encouraged players to experiment freely without fear of punishment.

With these changes, Poltergeist Party evolved into a more open-ended, exploration-driven experience, emphasizing collection-based progression and environmental storytelling over puzzle-solving. This new direction helped solidify the game’s identity, making it more engaging and approachable.

Testing view collectable menu

EErickson_Milestone2.mp4

Full Playthrough of blockmeshed Level 4 (cut from released game)

New V2. Mechanics & Their Role in the Game

As we shifted Poltergeist Party away from a puzzle-platformer and more towards an exploration-driven platformer, we reevaluated which mechanics truly supported the new gameplay loop. Mechanics like the Movable Block, Pressure Plate, Lever, and Door System were originally intended to challenge players with spatial puzzles, requiring them to manipulate objects to unlock paths. However, in a platformer game, these mechanics slowed down the pacing and didn’t complement the core loop. We realized that keeping them would create unnecessary friction rather than enhancing the player experience.

To replace these rigid mechanics, I designed the Collectible and Collectible Wall system—a mechanic that naturally encouraged players to interact with the environment while also serving as a form of progression gating. This system ensured that players weren’t just passively moving through the world but were actively engaging with it. Instead of solving puzzles to unlock new paths, players would collect scattered objects throughout the level, which would gradually remove barriers and open up new areas.

This approach had multiple benefits:

It reinforced a Halloween party cleanup theme—as the player collected items, they were visibly restoring order to the chaotic environment.
It created a more fluid, engaging progression system—instead of stopping to solve puzzles, players were constantly moving, collecting, and exploring.
It provided clear and nonverbal guidance—Collectible Walls subtly directed players toward objectives without feeling overly forced or restrictive.

By making this change, we ensured that every mechanic served the new core gameplay focus, making Poltergeist Party a more cohesive and enjoyable experience.

Final Iteration

With the final iteration of Poltergeist Party, the focus shifted away from mechanical overhauls and instead centered on polishing what was already implemented while refining the game’s visual style. By this stage, the core mechanics were well established, and our goal was to enhance the player experience by improving clarity, smoothing out movement, and creating a more immersive world.

One of the biggest structural changes was transitioning from a level-based progression to a singular interconnected mansion. Rather than moving through separate stages, players could now explore a singular environment. This change we hoped would encouraged organic exploration, allowing players to interact with the world at their own pace and revisit areas as they gathered more collectibles.

To improve player feedback, we polished the possession mechanic by ensuring each character’s abilities and identity were more clearly communicated. Visual indicators were added to make it obvious which partygoer the player would possess, making transitions smoother and reducing confusion. At the same time, we removed Ghost-Only Walls, as they no longer fit within the more open-ended structure, nor did it fit the overall theme of the level.

With these refinements, Poltergeist Party reached a more polished and engaging form. This final iteration wasn't about reinventing mechanics but rather trying to perfect them, ensuring that every aspect of the game, from movement to visuals, felt seamless and rewarding to the player.

Mechanic Breakdown

Original mockup of the Possession Mechanic

Possession

Description

This mechanic is central to the game’s core loop. Players use possession to take control of different partygoers, each with unique abilities or behaviors that help progress the gameplay.

Core Functionality

Player Input: The player can possess a partygoer by approaching them and pressing the "E" Key

Player Control: Once possessed, the ghost controls the partygoer, using their actions to overcome obstacles and traverse the map.

Feedback & UI: When the player is close to a possessable character, a ghostly aura appears around the character with a linking beam to the player.

Design Goals & Intent

Why It’s Important: Possession allows players to interact with the game in different ways, adding humor, variety, and strategy to the gameplay.

Player Experience: Possessing a character should feel snappy and intuitive, with immediate feedback when the player interacts.

Game Flow Considerations: The mechanic is introduced early in the game to familiarize players with its core function. As the game progresses, possession expands with more complex partygoer abilities and environmental challenges, adding more depth to gameplay.

Technical Breakdown (For Dev Reference)

Code Location: Main possession code is handled in the Player BP, and exit possession is handled in the respective character's BP.

State Flowchart: Normal → Player Approaches Possessable Character → Possession Initiated → Player Controls Possessed Character → Player Releases Possessed Character → Return to Normal

Variables & Parameters:

Character Currently Possessed - Pawn Ref
Reposition Delay (of same character) - Float (2 sec)

Edge Cases & Fail States:

If the player tries to possess while already possessing a character, un-possess current character and allow the player to press the input again to possess the new character.
If player is close to multiple characters have the possession link to the closest character
If the player dies, as or after, possessing a character reset them back to original possession location.

References & Inspirations

Comparable Mechanics:

Super Mario Odyssey (2017) – The capture ability, where Mario can take control of enemies and use their unique abilities.
Murdered: Soul Suspect (2014) - A ghost detective possessing people and objects to gather clues.

Showcasing the possession mechanic

Nintendo. (2017). Super Mario Odyssey [Video game]. Nintendo.

Gif Credit: Dude, B. Mario Capturing a Chain Chomp; NeoGAF, 2017.

Keg Collectable Model

Keg Collectable Wall

Collectables

Description

Players collect scattered items around the party, and each collected item contributes to cleaning up the environment. The mechanic encourages exploration and rewards players for fully tidying up the party space.

Core Functionality

Player Input: The player can collect items by approaching them and pressing the "E" Key

Player Control: None. Once collected, the item is removed from the scene and added to the collect counter

Feedback & UI:

Player HUD that displays Collected items/Total Collectables
- Counter turns green when player has enough to complete level
- Turns gold if player collects all items
Win Zone Flag also showcases the counter in the form of three stars that light up green, then completely turns gold when player collects all collectables
- When the player then wins (if all collectables are collected) it plays a special SFX and VFX
Input prompt when player is overtop of the collectable
View Collectables option in the main menu
Respective Environmental trash and walls get destroyed upon collection
The collectables are enlarged, more detailed, and spin in order to differentiate them from normal objects
When collected a VFX and SFX plays to help tell the player it was collected

Design Goals & Intent

Why It’s Important: The collectible mechanic reinforces the game’s theme (cleaning up the party as a ghost). It gives players a goal and a sense of accomplishment as they restore order.

Player Experience: Collecting items should feel satisfying, with visual and audio feedback reinforcing progress. Player's should feel compelled to collect all items but not obligated.

Game Flow Considerations:

Introduced early in the game to establish the goal.
Used as a reward for specific challenges or as the key to progress

Technical Breakdown (For Dev Reference)

Code Location: majorly handled in it's own Collectable actor BP, UI and Menu stuff is handled in the Collectable Widget BP, and the collectable counter is stored in the Player BP

State Flowchart: Idle (spinning)→ Collectible Detected → Player Interacts/Walks Over → Item Collected → Item Disappears → UI Updates → Progress Tracked

Variables & Parameters:

Player Character - Player BP Ref
Total Collectables in the level - Int
Total Respective Trash Objects - Trash BP Ref Array(s)
Total Respective Walls - Collectable Wall BP Ref Array(s)
Index (to iterate through arrays) - Int
Current Material (to cycle through the items in menu) - Material Ref

Edge Cases & Fail States:

If player collects item while possessing a pawn, send variable information to the Player BP
If player tries to possess a character that's overlapping with a collectable, prioritize the collectable.

References & Inspirations

Comparable Mechanics: