Tiny Fusion — A Complete Game Jam Experience

Devlog: Tiny Fusion Development Log — GameDev.tv Game Jam 2025

Theme: Tiny World
Project Title: Tiny Fusion
Devlog Date: 2025-05-26

Game Concept

In Tiny Fusion, players begin at the atomic level as a hydrogen atom inside a dynamic 2D star. The objective is to absorb energy particles, raise the atom’s energy level, and trigger fusion to heavier elements—progressing through the stages of stellar nucleosynthesis up to iron.
The gameplay centers around timing shots through rotating shield rings, managing energy decay, and racing the clock to fuse elements before the star reaches the end of its lifecycle.

Core Systems Completed

Atom Animation System

• Converted TrailRenderer-based spinning atoms into sprite animations

• Built a runtime animator to swap between four energy states per element (_10, _50, _100, _250)

• Generated prefabs for 26 atomic elements (H to Fe)

Atom Core Controller

• Handles atom state, energy gain/loss, fusion, and decay

• Recognizes noble gases and prevents decay when reached

• Manages real-time transitions between element states and triggers visual/audio effects

Shield System

Procedural Shield Generator

• Generates arc-based mesh segments procedurally with full rotation control

• Uses Unlit materials with runtime HSV hue shifting

• Supports multiple rotating rings configured via ScriptableObjects

Gameplay Integration

• Each hit against a shield is counted and adds +1 second to the final time

• Players must time shots precisely through gaps to reach the atom’s core

• Visual pulse effects and sound cues signal impact events

Visual FX & Audio

Particle FX

• Gain, loss, fusion, and decay effects implemented via world-space particle systems

• Fusion triggers a radial shockwave and satisfying sound burst

Hue Shifting

• Custom HLSL shader enables dynamic HSV hue rotation for atoms

• Configurable via inspector and persisted via PlayerPrefs

• Particle FX also hue shift using runtime color math for consistency

Combat & Powerups

Projectile System

• Player rotates around the atom and fires projectiles inward

• Each shot has velocity, lifetime, and cooldown management

UI & Game Flow

Pause System

• CanvasGroup-based pause menu triggered with ESC

• Full support for resume, restart, and quit-to-title options

Leaderboard Integration

• PlayFab free account used for leaderboard tracking

• Final time includes +1 second per shield hit

• Leaderboard displays decoded element and formatted time (MM:SS:ms)

Element Tracker

• Displays current element symbol, name, and atomic number

• Logs fusion milestones with timestamps

• Integrated with both the pause menu and the game-over screen

What's Next

While Tiny Fusion was built for the GameDev.tv Game Jam 2025, I see a lot of potential to expand it beyond its current form. Future development could include additional atomic elements beyond iron, new shield mechanics like rotating patterns or adaptive defenses, and a more advanced progression system with unlockable abilities or challenges. I’m also considering a “stellar mode” that simulates different types of stars, each with unique fusion rules and time constraints. If there's enough interest, I’d love to polish the core loop further and possibly bring Tiny Fusion to other platforms with a full-featured leaderboard and endless mode.

Summary

Tiny Fusion has grown into a visually rich, mechanically polished arcade experience that combines atomic-scale physics with high-speed reflex gameplay. From rotating shield puzzles to evolving through atomic elements, the game rewards precision, speed, and mastery of timing. The scoring system integrates shield hit penalties for added challenge, and the leaderboard celebrates efficient fusion paths.

Tiny Fusion is complete and live! Thanks for playing—and see you on the leaderboard.