eXtreme Pathways (Student Project)

eXtreme Pathways is a 3D low-poly puzzle adventure game targeted towards Australian high school students aged 14 to 18. The game is set on a roadway in rural southeast Queensland, set up to represent the player’s journey from high school into a possible future in STEM at QUT. To reach the end of the road and game, the player must complete a series of STEM-based puzzles, which unlock more puzzles further along the road, until they reach university. The player will encounter ‘potholes’, which represent their negative notions toward university and their ability or intelligence and will be supported by NPCs to overcome them.

eXtreme Pathways is in a 3D world space, but has some 2D camera perspectives, especially in the minigames, and thus, can be described as ‘2.5D’. The world is low-poly, somewhat cartoonish and makes use of bright, vibrant colours to capture an inquisitive feel for the player, while setting a casual, light, and non-serious vibe. The core mechanics are in the driving and drag-and-drop required to access and play the minigames, which suits the intended platforms, which are PC, web and mobile. The game fits the project brief by teaching players more about STEM through minigames, encouraging them into STEM fields at QUT, and dispelling their misconceptions about their own abilities and likelihood of attending university.