Wires And Whiskers
'Wires and Whiskers' is a Coop Adventure game in which you and your friend play Wires, a small robot with ranged combat abilities and Whiskers, a mighty Mouse always ready to jump into the fray. Explore the constraint of the bunker where you and your friend were experimented on and escape your hellish prison
My Role
Wires and Whiskers is a cooperative action-platformer developed as part of my graduation project on Unreal Engine 5, in collaboration with a team of 6 designers, 4 artists, and with support from 2 sound designers. Our goal was to create a dynamic, action-packed co-op experience that remained accessible to all types of players.
I was in charge of designing the 3Cs (Character, Controls, Camera) and the combat system, allowing me to shape the core gameplay feel and responsiveness.
Characters
The game features two complementary protagonists:
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Whiskers, a fast and powerful melee-focused mouse, capable of dealing heavy area-of-effect damage through combos.
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Wires, a fast-moving robotic turret that specializes in precise, long-range single-target attacks.
We designed their gameplay to be asymmetrical but cooperative, giving each player a strong sense of identity and role. Both characters can dash to evade attacks and benefit from an aim-assist system, prioritizing decision-making over aiming precision.
Each character also has a unique cooperative ability:
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Whiskers can pull Wires toward her, saving him from danger and damaging any enemies in the path.
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Wires can launch Whiskers into combat, causing a large area-of-effect attack on impact.
Camera
Designing a shared camera for two players was one of the biggest technical challenges of the project. My responsibilities included:
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Conducting benchmarking of other co-op games to study their camera systems,
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Designing a dynamic camera system that adapts its focus and zoom based on the players' positions and actions,
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Collaborating closely with our technical designer to create a custom tool that allowed me to iterate directly in Unreal Engine 5.
1 : Central Zone (Deadzone)
The camera remains static if both players stay within this central area. This helps avoid unnecessary movement and keeps the experience stable and comfortable.
→ Deadzone – no camera movement.
2: Lower Zone (Look-Ahead Support)
If a player enters this area, the camera slightly shifts downward to improve visibility. Since the camera is tilted, this allows the player to better anticipate vertical obstacles or platforming challenges.
→ Deadzone maintained, but camera shifts focus point downward.
3: Outer Zone (Dynamic Zoom-Out)
If either player moves into this outer zone, the camera will zoom out to ensure both characters remain visible on screen. This maintains cooperative readability without breaking immersion.
Control
We implemented distinct control schemes for each character to reinforce their unique feel:
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Wires, inspired by twin-stick shooters, can move, shoot, dash, and use abilities simultaneously for fluid gameplay.
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Whiskers, designed as a close-combat brawler, uses action buttons to deliver responsive and impactful attacks.
I was also in charge of designing the haptic feedback. Since the game features simple actions, we focused on making combat feel satisfying and immersive through tactile feedback. Using Unreal Engine 5's built-in systems, I was able to fine-tune intensity, rhythm, speed, and vibration motors to create distinct physical sensations for each action and ability.
Enemies
Enemy design was another major part of my work. We chose to focus on clarity and simplicity, with difficulty emerging from enemy combinations and encounters, rather than individual complexity. Each enemy type has a single clear role.
Melee: dashes directly at players, testing their dodge timing.
Ranged: constantly shoots projectiles that must be avoided.
Explosive: Sprints toward players and explodes on contact, dealing massive area damage.
Tank: a larger, tougher version of the melee enemy, adding variety and challenge.
Sniper: triggers a unique phase that forces players to take cover, as its shots are unavoidable.
What I have learned?
Working on Wires and Whiskers was a highly formative experience that helped me grow both technically and creatively as a game designer. Here's what I took away from the project:
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Designing for Collaboration
Balancing asymmetrical gameplay while ensuring both players feel equally empowered taught me how to design systems that foster cooperation and interdependence. -
Iterative Design & Prototyping
From camera systems to combat feedback, I learned the value of fast iteration, prototyping, and regularly testing with others to refine player experience. -
Cross-Disciplinary Communication
Collaborating with artists, sound designers, and tech designers helped me better communicate design intentions and understand constraints across disciplines.