Small game projects
From time to time, I enjoy making small one-off game projects for game jams and similar challenges. It's a great way to work with new people, try something new and exercise various disciplines in a low-risk environment. Here are some of the results of these super short-term productions I've participated in.
Going down in Fishstory 2021
A story based adventure to the bottom of the ocean
Development time: Three days (plus some days for the updated version)
My Tasks: Writing, Level Design, Sound Design, Voice Acting, Additional Programming, Additional art
Team mates: Jonas Tyroller, Noa Calice, Liam Calice, Klara Tyroller
For Going Down in Fishstory, I teamed up with my friends Jonas Tyroller and the Calice brothers from Blackthornprod for Ludum Dare 48. The theme of the game jam was Deeper and Deeper.
Since we decided early on to make a more linear adventure game, it was a great oportunity for me to exercise my narrative skills. I don't usually focus on story so this was a pretty novel experience for me.
Apart from the writing, I also took care of major parts of the level planning and design as well as voice acting for two of the game's characters.
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Don't Get The Job 2021
Interview at The Forum
Development time: Three days (plus some days for the updated version)
My Tasks: 2D art, music, sound design, voice acting
Team mates: River Forge, Bonicle
In this little game you have to try your best to annoy everyone at a job interview enough so you don't end up actually getting the job. Throughout conversations with three interviewers who all have their own personalities, you have to analyze what they are like and what to say so your interviewer hates you.
The game has a somewhat cartoony 3d-artstyle with flat colours and I had to create all textures to fit.
I also voiced every character. Instead of fully voiced text, we decided to go with several emotional "grunts" in the interest of time. Trying to make all three characters distinct from one another was an interesting challenge.
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Piece by Piece 2022
A base building space shooter, made like a game of telephone
Development time: Four hours per person
My Tasks: Finishing off the project, programming, additional art, balancing
Team mates: Liam Calice, Noa Calice, Aran from Sokpop, Jonas Tyroller, CodeMonkey
Early in 2022 I was invited by Noa Calice from Blackthornprod to participate in a game development challenge in which a group of 6 creators worked on a game, one person at a time without any communication in between.
I was the final developer in the chain. As such I had to find a way to tie up all the loose ends and finalize the game so that it could be uploaded. While the game was already mostly done, I felt like there were some mechanics that could be more integrated with the core system and felt that the game's pace could be balanced more slowly to emphasize the base building mechanics. Finally, I added some variety by making a second enemy type.
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Flubby Farm 2019
A base building space shooter, made like a game of telephone
Development time: Three days
My Tasks: Environment art, sound design, music, additional programming, visual effects
Team mates: Timo Falcke, Caspar Schirdewahn, Jonas Tyroller
For Ludum Dare 45, I met up with an amazing team of three other creators to make a little game that would end up being Flubby Farm. Together, we decided to make a card game in which the player can place and upgrade units that have to defend themselves against incoming predators.
My tasks here were mostly of audiovisual nature. Apart from the characters and some UI elements, I took care of most things you can see and everything that can be heard.
Crafting the atmosphere to go along with the strategic gameplay has been a fulfilling experience and I still like to pick up this little game from time to time.
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