Game Feel Matters Early
Small feedback details like knockback, screen shake, warning cues, pickup feedback, and audio changes made the game feel significantly more responsive.
Fuel Field
A fuel-driven arcade survival shooter built in Phaser 3, later expanded into a mobile release for Android.
Phaser 3
JavaScript
Android
Capacitor
Game Feel
CI587 Case Study
Gameplay Trailer
Project Snapshot
- Role: Solo developer
- Tools: Phaser 3, JavaScript, Capacitor
- Platform: Web and Android
- Focus: arcade game feel, fuel-based survival, mobile controls, release pipeline
- Status: Released on Google Play and playable on itch.io
What I Built
Fuel Field started as an Asteroids inspired movement prototype and developed into a fast arcade survival shooter built around fuel management, responsive movement, and escalating space hazards.
The main loop is simple: move, shoot, collect fuel, survive longer, and choose upgrades as the run progresses. The challenge comes from keeping the player constantly moving while making fuel feel like both a resource and a survival timer.
What I Learned
Simple Systems Can Carry Tension
Fuel gave the game a clear pressure loop. It made movement, risk, pickups, and survival all connect through one readable mechanic.
Scope Control Was Essential
The project worked best when it stayed focused on arcade survival instead of expanding into too many unrelated features.
Key Systems
- Fuel system: boost and survival are tied to a shared resource.
- Movement system: inertia based ship control with responsive tuning.
- Collision system: manual radius checks for bullets, asteroids, pickups, and the player.
- Upgrade system: score and run progression trigger upgrade choices.
- Enemy escalation: hazards increase over time to raise pressure.
- Feedback layer: warning text, tinting, floating text, audio, and hit feedback improve readability.
After the Coursework
After the CI587 submission, I continued developing Fuel Field beyond the original web version. The project was adapted for Android using Capacitor, tested through Google Play closed testing, and prepared as a public mobile release.
This changed the project from a coursework game into a live release pipeline. I had to deal with mobile controls, Android builds, app signing, store requirements, closed testing, QA feedback, and release preparation.
Mobile Release Work
Android Port
The Phaser web game was packaged for Android, which introduced new requirements around screen size, input layout, app lifecycle, audio behaviour, and performance.
Mobile Controls
The control scheme had to be redesigned for touch input, including movement, aiming, boost, and ability controls that worked clearly on a phone screen.
Closed Testing
The Android version went through Google Play closed testing, exposing issues that were harder to see during desktop-only development.
Release Pipeline
I worked through signing, build generation, store listing requirements, testing feedback, and release setup to move the game toward a public Google Play launch.
What Changed After Testing
- Improved navigation after QA found screens where the back button could trap the player.
- Reviewed upgrade flow so players would not take unavoidable damage while choosing an upgrade.
- Adjusted difficulty pacing after feedback that early asteroid speed was too punishing.
- Improved mobile readability by reviewing text size and UI clarity.
- Continued refining mobile controls so the game felt fair on touch screens.
Gallery
What I'd Improve Next
- Improve onboarding so new players understand fuel, movement, upgrades, and abilities faster.
- Refine difficulty curves based on mobile player feedback.
- Improve store screenshots and trailer presentation.
- Add stronger analytics so I can understand where players drop off.
- Continue separating mobile-specific UI from the core gameplay systems.