Chase Your Dreams

Chase Your Dreams is a message-driven game about pushing forward through obstacles and setbacks. The gameplay is designed around the idea that the pain collected along the way can still become meaningful if the player keeps going.

A final group project made by Kevin Lewis, Joseph Squires, and Cameron Beattie.

I was the main programmer for the game. I worked on the gameplay mechanics, prototyped the game, playtested it, and refined the mechanics until the project reached a version we liked.

Obstacle Types

• Includes three different enemy object types
• One enemy moves straight down
• One enemy follows the player on the x-axis
• One enemy follows the player in every direction

Pain Points

• The player collects pain points when they are hit
• The game intentionally pauses abruptly on impact
• The pause makes each hit feel disruptive and uncomfortable
• The mechanic reinforces the theme of pushing through setbacks

Giving Up

• The player can choose to quit early
• Quitting gives the player the same message as finishing
• The feeling changes because the collected pain points are lost
• This gives the game’s ending message a different emotional meaning

Finishing

• If the player makes it to the end, pain points are added to the final score
• The ending reframes the obstacles as something that mattered
• The mechanic supports the message of continuing despite setbacks
• The final score becomes a reflection of persistence

Keep continuing no matter how many obstacles you run into. If you stick it out until the end, the pain you went through can still become worth something.

Message

The game’s message came through clearly because the mechanics supported the theme instead of only explaining it through text.

Enemy Variety

The three enemy types created a stronger obstacle system than a single repeated hazard, making each section feel slightly different.

Ending Contrast

Giving up and finishing both deliver the same message, but the score outcome changes the feeling behind that message.

Replayability

• The game has limited replayability after the player understands the message
• Once the player finishes or quits early, the structure becomes clear
• Future versions could add branching paths or alternate endings
• More variation could make repeat playthroughs feel more meaningful

Progression Variety

• Add more enemy patterns
• Create more obstacle phases
• Add different types of player choices
• Expand the score system so pain points can affect the experience in more ways