John Swisshelm
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Trials of St. Lucia

Team:

Visceral Games

Role:

  • NPC Combat Design and Scripting
  • Boss Combat Scripting
  • Quick Time Event Scripting



Project Highlights:

Combat design for:
  • 12 NPCs
  • 2 Bosses
Language: Lua

Dante's Inferno is an intense action combat game where you battle demons through levels inspired by the epic poem's nightmarish vision of hell.

  • Dante faces a Gorger Worm and a Gluttony Minion, which explodes in a shower of deadly waste when vanquished.
  • Throne Demons can charge Dante with a shield bash, shoot fireballs, and roll to avoid damage.
  • Beasts act as minibosses, but provide a bit of enemy-stomping, minion-chomping fun when tamed.
  • The Hoarder-Waster spins around like a deadly top, but a well-timed block brings him to a stop.
  • The ability to absolve Gluttons was a late add that furthered the game's alignment system.
  • Francesco was betrayed by Dante in life, hence his back carries painful swords in the underworld.
  • Francesco summons Damned Crusaders at certain points of the fight.
  • Dante leaps to absolve Francesco by removing the sword in his back.
  • Alighiero, boss of Greed and Dante's father.
  • Alighiero destroys the arena and gains new attacks as the fight progresses.
  • NPC variants for the Dark Forest DLC.



















On Dante's Inferno, I scriptied combat behaviors for a dozen npcs and two bosses.

I also scripted all of the Quick Time Event sequences for responsive feedback and gesture-based input prompts.

Some of the NPC Abilities Designed:
  • Walking time-bombs that can be flung into other enemies.
  • A giant beast that knows to stomp when Dante is near its feet.
  • A minion that explodes into a shower of excrement.
  • A fireball of sparks created by striking an axe into the ground.
  • Flaming shields that prevent cross-based attacks.
  • A chaotic hopping swarm minion.
  • Worms that burrow underground until Dante draws near.





2014 John Bernhelm (formerly Swisshelm)
Dante's Inferno images and logos © Electronic Arts