Harvest Season
A 2.5d Simulation and narrative game
Welcome to Harvest Season, a charming 2.5D adventure. Step into the worn boots of a budding horticulturist in a quaint, pixel art world brimming with mystery and growth. Your journey begins in a rundown greenhouse that awaits your care. Tend to a vibrant array of plants as you gather seeds, nurture sprouts, and unlock their secrets. With every harvest your greenhouse blooms into a sanctuary. Explore vast environments to become a master gardener!
Engine -- Unreal Engine
Studio -- Student Project
Team size -- 4
Role -- Producer, Game Designer
Duration -- 6 Months
Release -- PC
Gameplay and Level Design:
Designing, implementing, prototyping, and balancing critical gameplay features and tools in collaboration with other members of the gameplay team.
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Level Design
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Level Blockout
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Environmental Storytelling
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Puzzle & Challenge Design
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Game Design Documentation
Production:
Lead a team of 4 developers to create Harvest Season from concept to completion.
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Managing Deadlines and Deliverables
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Agile and Scrum
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Confluence and Jira
Role(s) and Responsibilities
Design Process
Brainstorming
Objective
Generate initial ideas and establish the vision of the game or level.
Process
Ideate possible themes, locations, visual styles, gameplay mechanics, etc. until a cohesive vision is narrowed down. Then find reference images and material to inform those design choices moving forward.
Paper Design
Objective
Translate ideas into a formal design plan either on paper or digitally.
Process
Create top-down sketches or diagrams, mapping out layouts, key features (e.g., spawn points, enemies, etc.), and flow, while considering mechanics, scale, and balance to form a detailed blueprint.
Blockout
Objective
Build a rough playable prototype to test the design's fuctionality.
Process
Use basic shapes and design tools in engine (Unreal 5) to construct the layout, test movement, mechanics, and basic visuals firsthand. Then iterate based on early feedback to refine the core structure.
Playtesting and Iteration
Objective
Polish the design through real-world testing.
Process
Playtest to assess function and design. Adjust gameplay, geometry, mechanics, etc. interatively based on results.
Final Details and Art Pass
Objective
Polish gameplay and design while adding final assets and visuals in order to be shipped.
Process
Collaborate with artists and designers to add final textures, lighting, props, etc. Make final adjustments to gameplay and design. Ship completed project to the market.