About:
Seagineer is a PC / VR construction & battle game. Players tinker and toy with an arsenal of physics-based mechanisms to engineer the ultimate defense against their sworn enemies – the Leviatrons. These titanic, mechanical sea monsters have driven humanity to the brink of extinction. It is up to the player to take on the mantle of a Seagineer; an ingenious hero that wields the power of engineering. Join your comrades as humanity’s last hope for survival as you build and battle your way to victory!
For more info visit: http://seagineer.com/
I worked on Seagineer with a team of 8 other individuals for a period of 6 months. When I arrived at Future Immersive, there was already a prototype created for the project which required tremendous rework. Why? The game simply was not fun. I Identified the key issues with the design and found that the construction element and combat elements conflicted with each other in terms of player goals. With limited time and a deadline approaching to pitch the project for further funding, we quickly reworked the design, added a strong narrative element, and conceptualized several unique levels and monsters that would aid in the games progression. I was responsible for creating all design documentation as well as the pitch/funding documents, producing the trailer and reworking the prototype into a playable demo. Seagineer was approved for an OMDC grant, however the project remains on hiatus due to financial constraints.
My Role:
Game Designer &
Production Assistant
As Game Designer, I was responsible for:
► Evaluating and redirecting the design of the game into a more fun and cohesive direction.
► Communicating design ideas to peers using visuals, graphs & prototypes.
► Collaborating with programmers and artists to test & validate design ideas before implementation.
► Prototyping & testing game feautures, in-engine, using Unity & C#.
► Creating the game narrative, including world-building, character bios & dialogue.
► Documenting all game elements, including narratives, systems, and designs, on Confluence.
► Play testing and managing quality assurance for all features, while also balancing and tuning mechanics.
As a Production Assistant, I was responsible for:
► Managing all outgoing and incoming communication for the team.
► Outsourcing contracts with sound designers, voice actors and others.
► Seeking licenses for purchasable assets and content.
► Building various pitch-decks, presentations, and applications in order to acquire funding from grants and publishers; most notably for CMF, OMDC and publishers at MIGS.
► Handling Business Development and CRM by seeking and meeting with potential funders & publishers.
Design Goals:
Seagineer didn't originally have design pillars, which caused the initial issues with the design. We used 3 Pillars to hone our focus on what Seagineer would be.
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Build it Yourself! - We wanted the player to feel like they are assembling legos yet building battle-bots. We reworked our construction system so that the player has way more customizability with their vehicle designs and weapon systems. They can build the base of their vessel using several different components, and attach their weaponry with an arsenal of physics-based mechanisms, allowing for a tremendous variety of builds. We want the player to feel creative and have ownership of their designs.
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Prepare to Hunt! - We wanted the player to feel like an expert detective on Leviatrons. We designed for systems that would allow the player to explore the map and look for clues about the location of their target monster, while avoiding pitfalls and deadends and collecting info. We wanted the player to think critically about which monster they are hunting, what build to create, and where they might be located.
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Physics Fun! - We want everything in the game world to respond to the players touch. From the monsters to the props & environment, everything in seagineer can be manipulated with physics. The monsters and machines are all physics-driven to create hilarious and unexpected consequences to the players actions.
Post Mortem:
Critical Feedback & Communication
This was my first project working in the games industry and so I had a lot to learn about my communication strategies regarding feedback to my fellow developers. I was eager to make an impression, provide my expertise and share my opinions about our new project. I had to learn how to adapt to each person's reception of feedback. When I first started, I whipped up a nice long 8-page document explaining WHY the game wasn't fun, and what to do to fix it. The team agreed on why it wasn't fun, but they weren't as receptive to my solutions. The scope for my suggested changes was too large given our timeframe and deadlines and required a lot of rework on existing features. Developers are never happy to hear their work should be thrown away and here I come in, fresh off the streets suggesting just so.
Luckily I had a mentor to critique my methods of critiquing. I toned down my eagerness and reworked my proposed solutions to still incorporate much of the work that had been done. I then began to work with individuals to gain feedback on key changes before providing a grandiose presentation for the entire team. I got approval for corrections from devs, managers, and artists alike and made sure the scope of my changes was feasible and most importantly, wouldn't ruffle too many feathers.
Going forward I will always remember that I am not a lone wolf here to make a masterpiece. I am a cog in a well-oiled machine, and I need my fellow cogs for the machine to function properly. I will always check in with others, seek feedback, and vet changes to make as many people a part of the solution as possible.