Whack-a-Vamp: When Backup Ideas Bite Back

Ahead of Halloween this month, one of my Articulate Storyline projects took a spooky turn. Whack-a-Vamp began as a backup plan—a quick side idea in case my main project (Wanda the Witch) didn’t work out.

But as it turns out, even vampires can be trickier to tame than witches.

 

Check it out in review: https://360.articulate.com/review/content/96d19db4-e6f8-4647-9c1d-0080370a65c7/review 

From backup plan to brain-twister

What started as a “simple” arcade-style mini-game quickly turned into a trigger labyrinth worthy of Dracula’s castle.
Each vampire needed to appear, vanish, and splatter just so, with timing loops, variable conditions, randomisation, and sound effects all working in unison.

There were moments where the logic felt less like Storyline and more like sorcery.
Still, after plenty of experimentation (and a few resurrected slides), the graveyard finally came to life, complete with vamps rising from their graves, splats, and a countdown clock that keeps players on edge.

How it works

• 👻 Arcade inspiration: Based on the classic Whack-a-Mole, but reimagined as Whack-a-Vamp for a Halloween twist.
• 🕹️ Gameplay: Click or tap the vampires as they rise from their crypts before they disappear back into the night.
• ⏱️ Countdown chaos: You’ve got 30 seconds to rack up as many points as you can.
• 🔊 Spooky soundscape: Splats, and a little bat-themed ambience to set the tone.

Lessons from the crypt

This project reminded me that “simple” games in Storyline are rarely simple—especially when you start layering in random events, looping layers, and state-based sound triggers.
But that’s also what makes eLearning design so fun: even backup ideas can surprise you, challenge you, and rise from the dead in unexpected ways.

Closing thoughts

So here’s to a Halloween that’s extra spooky—and extra gamified.
If you see a vampire rising from a grave this month… don’t run.
Grab your stake (or your mouse) and Whack-a-Vamp!