Squeaky's Lost Acorn
Producer
48 Hours
Lead Game Designer - Programmer
14 person team
Summary
Squeaky's Lost Acorn is a platformer beat-'em-up game developed during a 48-hour game jam, where I served as Producer, Programmer, and Lead Game Designer for a team of 14, primarily composed of artists.
This intensive project challenged me to manage a large, creatively-driven team under extreme time constraints.
To balance responsibilities and optimize our workflow, I delegated artistic decisions to a designated lead artist, allowing me to focus on task allocation, programming, and the implementation of core mechanics.
Despite the time limits, we produced a polished game with an introductory cinematic that showcased our creative scope and effectively utilized the team’s talents.
Key Responsabilities
Team Management and Task Allocation
Organized roles and delegated tasks, balancing artistic workload through the introduction of a cinematic that allowed all team members to contribute effectively.
Core Game Design and Programming
Developed foundational gameplay mechanics, including combat interactions and enemy AI, ensuring a cohesive player experience.
Creative Direction and Validation
Directed the game’s vision and approved artistic contributions while empowering a lead artist to make key creative decisions, maintaining overall alignment.
Rapid Prototyping and Iteration
Conducted quick iterations based on playtesting feedback, focusing on adjustments to player controls and enemy interactions.
Efficient Workflow Coordination
Implemented a structured workflow with regular check-ins to synchronize progress, using micro-sprints inspired by Agile principles to maintain focus and alignment.
Final Retrospective and Team Debrief
Led a post-project retrospective to discuss successes, challenges, and potential improvements, fostering a sense of accomplishment and team cohesion.
Approach and process
For Squeaky's Lost Acorn, I adopted a streamlined approach that balanced structured leadership with creative flexibility. With a large team of artists, I quickly identified the need to create a cinematic intro, giving everyone a meaningful contribution to the project and preventing workload bottlenecks. Delegating artistic direction to a lead artist allowed me to focus on production management, programming, and ensuring the core mechanics were functional and engaging.
Our workflow was inspired by Agile principles, with micro-sprints and regular check-ins every few hours. This method allowed us to remain flexible, tackle emerging issues in real-time, and ensure each member understood their role and priorities. Rapid playtesting and feedback integration were also critical, enabling us to refine mechanics and improve player experience within the game jam’s tight timeframe.
Mindset & values
Inclusivity and Role Ownership: Created an environment where each team member felt empowered and clear about their responsibilities, promoting creative ownership.
Adaptability and Quick Decision-Making: Embraced rapid problem-solving to manage both creative and technical challenges, keeping the project on track.
Player-Centric Focus: Maintained a focus on delivering a fun and intuitive gameplay experience, ensuring mechanics and controls were fine-tuned for optimal player enjoyment.
The project emphasized the importance of adaptability and strategic decision-making under pressure. Encouraging each member to bring their ideas forward within a defined framework fostered a collaborative environment, while structured workflows ensured we stayed on course. This approach, combined with effective feedback integration, resulted in a polished product and a satisfied team.
Outcome
Squeaky's Lost Acorn was a high-pressure, high-reward experience that strengthened my leadership and problem-solving skills in a game jam environment. Balancing team management with programming responsibilities taught me the value of efficient task delegation, clear communication, and adaptable workflows. This experience underscored my ability to guide a large team toward a cohesive vision, even within tight constraints, and reinforced my commitment to delivering quality gameplay.
ROADMAP
Defined the core gameplay concept, structured the team roles, and set initial tasks.
Concept Ideation and Team Organization
1
Balanced art production by incorporating a cinematic, allowing team members to showcase their skills; focused on polishing visuals and gameplay.
Cinematic Creation and Final Adjustments
3
Rapid Development and Playtesting
Developed core mechanics and conducted initial playtests, iterating on gameplay elements based on feedback.
2
Submission and Retrospective
Completed and submitted the game, followed by a retrospective to evaluate our approach, celebrate successes, and discuss improvements.
4
