Opportunity9

Survive on Mars, collect resources, and repair your spaceship

Period: September 1, 2021 → December 21, 2021
Last Edited: February 25, 2025, 4:58 PM
Type: Game
Author: MINHA JEON
Tools & Language: C++, Unreal
State: Done
Team: 5

2021–2 Game PX Design

Planning

Character

In this game, the playable character is based on the real-life Mars rover Opportunity.
In reality, Opportunity outlasted its original 90-day mission by continuing to operate for over 15 years.
We adapted this story so that in the game, after 90 days with no contact or return orders from NASA, Opportunity decides to build an antenna and attempt communication.

Objective

Survive the harsh Martian environment, collect and craft items to build an antenna, repair a spaceship, and escape Mars.

  1. Antenna Construction

    • After you place an antenna to contact NASA, you discover messages from other rovers that have “died” of overwork.
    • You receive a quest to repair a damaged spaceship and escape Mars.

  2. Spaceship Repair

    • Resist attacks from enemy crafts sent by NASA while gathering parts to fix the ship.

Technical & Efforts

  • UI & Sound

    • Created various UI animations (typing effects, blinking, warning pop-ups, etc.) to convey large amounts of information in a concise, eye-catching way.

  • Martian Environment

    1. Atmosphere
    • Custom sky for day vs. night. Blended skybox settings for a more lifelike cosmic atmosphere.
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  1. Minerals
  • The map is large, and minerals are scattered everywhere. To help players navigate, we added a compass showing the direction to key targets. A “target point” icon also guides players to objectives.
  1. Minimap
  • Displays nearby enemies, helping the player freely move in a large map and locate threats or objectives more easily.
  • Various Player Status Changes
  • Beyond simple external damage, the player’s power/energy changes according to environmental factors like temperature and rover durability.
  • Multiple sources cause different states:
    • Power levels changing over time
    • Temperature influencing internal heat management
    • Event-triggered changes

  • By integrating these status changes into characters, the map, and items, we captured more of the “space exploration” feeling.

  • Mining and Combat with Lasers
    • The rover uses a laser for mining minerals and fighting enemies. Inspired by real rovers using infrared beams to analyze soil, we adapted it into a combat/mining mechanic.
    • Added directional effects, sound effects, and a circular widget to make the laser feel more impactful.
    • Different minerals require different amounts of damage to break, have unique sound effects, and break apart in stages. This variety makes mining more engaging.
    • Certain minerals (e.g., lithium, perlite) require longer mining time but are valuable for crafting, such as building heat-management devices.

Behind the Scenes

  1. Reaching the map boundary triggers a “You have left the safe zone!” alert and rapidly drains HP.
  1. Temperature Details
    • Implemented a temperature range similar to real Mars: -140°C to +40°C.
    • The rover’s optimal range is -40°C to +40°C; going outside this range affects the rover’s heat status.
    • We varied the rate of temperature change over time to keep the gameplay interesting, rather than using a simple linear temperature shift.
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🔗 Video

🔗 Links

GitHub Repository