Duckcrossing
A chance to walk in ducks’ shoes
Trailer & Gameplay Highlights
INTRODUCTION
Duckrossing is a final project of CIM504 Designing Playful Experience, instructed by Professor Lindsay Grace, designed and developed by Yu Zhou, Lejie Lin and Shangshu Shi in four weeks span.
People say "walk a mile in someone's shoes" so that you can truly understand the other`s situations, and Duckrossing is such a game. It provides a 10 minutes playful experience with alternative controller which let player walks in duck feet, control in-game movement by physically moving their legs, and use two arms to control wings for flying. Player will take on an adventure of a new born duck who cross from noon to midnight, city to wild, and from a baby to a parent.
This Alternative Controls not only challenges player`s physical skills but also fosters a deeper connection between their physical actions and in-game avatar movements and offers a higher level of engagement that cannot be replicated through standard controllers such as keyboards, mouse, and controllers.
Alternative Controller
Design & Fabricated by Yu Zhou & Lejie Lin
Version 1.0 : Cardboard Prototype
The initial version of the controller was specifically crafted for our prototype game, "Men Crossing," and featured only feet control. It is constructed from cardboard sourced from package boxes, players could effortlessly control movement by stepping on it.
Version 2.0 : Rope & Wings!
After we changed our title and game concept into Duckrossing, we were considering add arm controls featuring flying ability in game. The images above demonstrate how the arm control works in version 2.0 of the controller.
Version 3.0 : Duckrossing!
The images and video demonstrate how the arm and leg controls work in version 3.0 of the controller, from feet to waist to arms and hands. This version accommodates players with a physical height of up to 7.2 feet.
Level Design
Intro: Duck Comes to Life
This is the intro level of Duckrossing where players are placed inside the egg trying to break the shell by moving arms and legs.
Level 1: Duck Corss Road
Level 1 presents a two-way road where players must cross carefully among vehicles of varying speeds, as any collision means instant failure. Players must also keep a steady walking rhythm and avoid overstepping. Even a safe crossing can result in a jaywalking penalty. The twist is that the correct solution is not to cross at all; waiting 30 seconds advances the player, reflecting the creator’s message against risky behavior.
Level 2: Duck Cross Tracks
In Level 2, players must follow traffic signals and cross safely only when the red light stops traffic. After reaching the other side, they face a railroad crossing and must wait for a train to pass before proceeding. At the end of this level, the little duck experiences a growth spurt, transforming into a grown-up duck and preparing for the challenges ahead.
Level 3: Duck Cross Suburb
In the third level, player now as a grown up duck, is finally able to fly with their wings. Their wing-flapping skill will be tested with a mudpit at the middle of road. It is a basic flying ability check, and revealing the movement and limitations of flying to players.
Level 4: Duck Cross Dark
The fourth level unites all previous challenges. Bats emerge from the darkness, forcing players to keep moving or fly high to evade them. A fast-moving wolf adds another layer of danger, requiring quick takeoffs. The health system deducts one heart for bat attacks and all hearts for encounters with the dog, balancing constant threats with sudden lethal danger.
Level 5: Duck Cross Current
In this level, ducks repeatedly cross the river, facing dangers such as sleeping snakes, alert crocodiles, human hunters, and harsh weather. Players must skillfully balance running and flying to overcome these hazards across the four seasons. Rather than focusing on increasing difficulty or reflex challenges, this level serves as an experiential journey filled with unexpected surprises and dangers.
Ending
In the ending, the grown duck meets the mate of life. As the player slowly steps into another duck and falls in love, the black screen fades away: the familiar egg breaking scene come into view. This is the circle of life, the end and the restart of Duckrossing.
Sound Design
Many elements were carefully planned and refined through multiple iterations to achieve the final result. For example, we recorded various duck sounds, from American to African species, to find the perfect balance between a cartoonish tone and realistic authenticity while avoiding the exaggerated “Donald Duck” style. In total, about 80 to 90 sound files were integrated to capture the diverse environments the duck encounters, from bustling cities to remote forests and lakes, ensuring players truly feel immersed in the duck’s journey.
The sound design of Duck Crossing takes a multidimensional approach. It aims to recreate the realistic experience of being a duck while maintaining a cartoonish, fun atmosphere that still reflects on the serious issue of animal cruelty in the real world.
The workflow has two main stages. Most of the process involves waiting for the game system to be completed before integrating the designed sounds and connecting them with the dynamic sound system. Examples include using a round-robin system for footsteps and wing flaps to enhance immersion, and increasing frostbite sounds as the duck’s condition worsens. The goal is for the sound to be fully integrated with the game, interactively enhancing the player’s experience rather than merely being attached to the system.
ART
Given my role as the sole team member with art experience, particularly in Adobe Illustrator, I took on the responsibility of creating all art assets for the game. Considering time constraints, overall workload, and my skill level, I opted for a relatively simple style, using basic graphics and a limited color palette to convey scenes like time changes, night atmospheres, and the four seasons and in-game NPCs, such as bats and crocodiles. However, during the creation of the top view of the vehicle, my stick figure version was eventually replaced with artwork generated by the Illustrator's own AI after a team discussion.
Additional Documentation
Project Management
The sheet below is the development progress sheet we used to assign works, track progress, and record user feedback when turning early version of Mencrossing into Duckrossing. You can view and download the pdf version of the sheet below.
Exhibition & Playtest
Playtest at the Interactive Media Annual Showcase
Awards
On May, 1st, 2024, at the Interactive Media Annual Showcase held by School of Communication, University of Miami, Duckrossing won the "Best Undergrad Project in Games" and "Best Undergrad Project in Show."
"Best Undergrad Project in Show."
"Best Undergrad Project in Games"
Set up at Annual Showcase
Best thanks to Yu Zhou for leading the project and creating most of the art assets, and to Shangshu Shi for the sound design and level design support.