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Gameplay
Responsabilities
As a Programmer, I...
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Programmed the player movement and hiding mechanics to ensure smooth and responsive gameplay.
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Developed a tutorial system that helps onboard new players and improves the learning curve.
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Integrated dialogue animations to enrich the narrative and bring the story to life.
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Created and programmed all game menus, ensuring intuitive and accessible navigation.
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Identified and resolved bugs throughout the process to deliver a polished, high-quality product.
As a Game Designer, I...
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Designed and implemented the key game mechanics, such as item collection, stealth and hiding, and time-limited levels, ensuring a challenging and dynamic experience.
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Conducted playtesting using Figma elements to translate the concept into visual components.
As an Producer, I...
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Organized bi-daily meetings to monitor progress.
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Promoted a dynamic flow of communication between the art, programming, and music departments.
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Edited the final gameplay video and documented the entire process for later evaluation.
Creation Process
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The theme of the Game Jam was "World Weavers", so we aimed to incorporate it into the game in a literal sense, drawing inspiration from the textiles of various cultures around the world.
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For this, an extensive research of references was conducted (the reviewed bibliography can be found in the GDD).
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The project aimed to add a unique twist to the classic platformer by incorporating stealth mechanics.
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Players needed to hold down a key to hide from a guard's flashlight, combining platforming elements with a sense of tension and strategy.
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However, the initial tests revealed a critical issue: players often couldn't anticipate the guard's approach.
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To address this, we implemented visual feedback with the flashlight flickering before the guard appeared and added audio cues with footsteps that grew louder as the guard approached.
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This combination enhanced the player's awareness, allowing them to react in time and making the stealth mechanics more intuitive and engaging.
Levels Design
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Together with my programming partner, Luciana Sime, we created wireframes for the level design, aiming to combine both vertical and horizontal progression.
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We sought a balance between the height of the platforms and the player's jump reach.
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For future iterations, we plan to incorporate the textile design more thoroughly and use its structure as a guide for platform positioning.
What I learned...
The Beauty of Each Culture
Learning about the textile patterns of different cultures and appreciating the unique beauty of each was an enriching experience that introduced me to new artistic references. This insight perfectly aligned with the core objective of SheJams: breaking cultural barriers and fostering a deeper understanding among creative communities.
The Importance of the Tutorial
In my previous game jam projects, I hadn't had the opportunity to develop a tutorial. This time, I programmed one to make the gameplay experience more accessible and understandable for players, easing onboarding and increasing user retention from their first interaction with the game.
Organizing Scripts
Maintaining an organized workflow is essential for development efficiency. In the Unity project, I ensured that everything was categorized into specific folders and used a plugin to color-code the scripts. This streamlined file management and searching, reduced development times, and improved team collaboration.
Always Have a Plan B
In the final days of development, issues arose with the audio middleware, prompting us to make a quick decision: use an alternate project branch and salvage the gameplay and animations, leaving the audio aside for the initial delivery. Thanks to this strategy, we were able to meet the deadlines and later update the project with the corrected audio.
Award Ceremony
The awards ceremony took place in September 2024, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. A Knit in the Museum received two recognitions: "2nd Place" and "Best Innovation".
