Duat by Hayden Franklin
Play the Game Here: https://therealcreamman.itch.io/duat
For my senior capstone project, I have decided to develop a 2D side-scrolling platform game named Duat. Platform game or “platformer” specifically refers to a game where “the player controls a character whose goal is to reach a certain point/objective while moving and jumping in a ‘level’ composed by platforms littered with obstacles, enemies and ‘power-ups’” (Ripamonti, Laura Anna, et al. 5008). Developed in the Unity 2D engine, Duat takes heavy influence from ancient Egyptian mythology, following an unnamed mummy who must traverse through the underworld, the Duat, to get his heart weighed by the Egyptian god Anubis. Along with Unity, I also used programs like Autodesk Maya and Adobe Photoshop for the many art assets throughout the game. With aspects taken from games and media I enjoy, as well as my personal influence, Duat is the apotheosis of my professional and academic experience and individual artistry.
Duat showcases the experience and skills I have gained over my academic career and my capabilities in the field of video game development and design. Programs like Autodesk Maya, Unity, and the majority of the Adobe suite are tools I have become familiar and proficient with, and this capstone project is a culmination and proof of such. I am also an enormous fan of platform games and most challenging movement based video games. Platformers like Super Mario Bros and smaller online games like Poptropica were a huge part of my childhood. This passion and enjoyment have carried through to the present in my adult life with modern indie games like Hollow Knight and Celeste. I not only want to provide the same enjoyment I am given to others, but also to know the inner workings and ideas behind the development of entertainment I enjoy. The inspiration for the story is also important to me, as I have always been an admirer of ancient civilizations and their mythology. Though loosely based on ancient Egyptian mythology, this game attempts to accurately depict the stories and settings I find interesting but also make them compelling to players.






