Fragments

Participation

Participation à la Tri-Jam du 08/08/2025, Haute École Albert Jacquard (Namur, Belgique).

Description

Fragments is an intense 2D game where reality changes at every step. Control inversion, invisibility, slow motion, extreme zoom... Each zone changes your perception. Are you ready to face these unpredictable fragments and master a world that changes all the time?

How to play Fragments

• Move with Q / D (AZERTY) or A / D (QWERTY)
• Jump with SpaceBar
• Warning: some zones invert the controls
• Stay alert:
  • You can become invisible
  • Some places are invisible
  • Slow motion and zoom can surprise you
• Goal: reach the end of the level to finish the game

Post-mortem – Fragments

The idea came a bit by chance, when I translated the theme Reality Changes the Further You Go. When I saw the word "Fragments", I thought of something broken, in pieces, unstable. This gave me the idea to create a game where gameplay breaks and rebuilds all the time, zone after zone. I imagined a player moving forward, but losing all his points of reference, like if the universe was constantly being redefined. From there, I built a concept where each zone changes the way to play: control inversion, invisible player, invisible platforms, inverted gravity, slow motion, extreme zoom, and even a full white screen with only a text to guide you.

The most fun part for me was to see how simple changes in control or perception could create unexpected situations. Mixing different effects makes each zone unique, and the fun comes from discovery and adaptation. There is a real satisfaction when you finally pass a zone that looked impossible. It’s also a great game to play with others watching they can comment, laugh, and make the experience even more fun.

The jam was not easy. Between chaining mechanics, stabilizing physics, and keeping the game playable, it needed a lot of quick fixes. But each problem was also a chance to push the concept further.

Improvements in progress

In-Game

• Bugs between different areas have been fixed.
• The artistic direction of the level has been reworked.
• A notification now informs you when you enter a new area.
• Character sprite change

On Page

• The description has been updated for different keyboards.

Remaining issues

• Transitions between inverted and normal zones are sometimes buggy, giving a “glitch” feeling.
• Player-platform collisions can sometimes push the player inside blocks or make them bounce strangely.
• Camera zoom changes can be a bit rough and make it harder to read the level.

Conclusion

In the end, Fragments is a small piece of intentional chaos. I wanted players to always feel surprised and never too comfortable  and I think that’s done. Sure, there are things to improve, but that’s part of the fun: each bug is a chance to find a new way to make the experience even stronger. It’s a game that doesn’t take itself too seriously, but I hope it will be remembered… even if it’s for making you yell at your keyboard.

Credits

Game design and development: Mael B. Time spent: about 2 hours 45 minutes

https://itch.io/jam/trijam-333-part2/rate/3799368

Assets

• Sprites du joueur : Lien
• Tilesheet principal : Lien
• Musique de fond : Lien
• Police utilisée : Perfect_Dos_VGA / Rainyhearts