DESIGNER DIARY
OTHER HALF
Other Half is a concept game developed by Damn Boi Studios for ACAD’s 2024 Game Jam.
The story follows a robotic cat on a mission to find a new home planet for humanity. During its journey through the vast emptiness of space, the cat loses half of its body—its other half. Despite being mechanical, the cat thinks and feels like a human, experiencing isolation and longing as it drifts alone across the stars.
MY ROLES
-
Game Designer
-
Level Designer
-
UI/UX
-
Environment Designer
-
Sound Design & Music
-
Narrative
-
Gameplay Systems
RESPONSIBILITIES
-
Designed level layout and platforming sequences, focusing on smooth difficulty progression and player flow
-
Built the overall gameplay structure and pacing, ensuring clarity and engagement
-
Led environment design and level composition, shaping navigation and spatial experience
-
Defined the game’s visual identity and tone, aligning it with core mechanics
-
Designed UI/UX elements to improve readability, player guidance, and interaction clarity
-
Developed core gameplay content within a 3-day game jam, contributing to a Top-15 finish
MY DESIGN BREAKDOWN
Rotating Platform (Core Mechanic)
During the ACAD game jam, I explored the idea of shifting player control from direct movement to environment-based manipulation. Instead of moving the player through space, the core concept was to move the platform itself, altering how traversal is approached.
Due to the complexity of implementing full platform movement within the time constraint, the idea evolved into a rotating platform system. This allowed players to control orientation rather than position, creating a unique interaction where balance, timing, and spatial awareness became key to progression.
I developed an initial prototype to test this interaction, which resulted in engaging and unconventional gameplay. Building on this, I collaborated with my team to refine the mechanic into a more polished experience, improving responsiveness, level integration, and overall player feel.
The Following Image represents the gameplay of Other Half
Design Decisions
Why rotation instead of movement?
The decision to rotate the platform instead of moving the player was made to simplify controls while introducing a unique spatial challenge. This reduced mechanical complexity while shifting difficulty toward anticipation and positioning.
​
What changed? What did you realize?
​
Early prototypes felt confusing due to lack of player feedback during rotation. This was improved by adjusting rotation speed and adding clearer visual cues. The final version felt more responsive and readable, improving player control.
Additional Contributions
During the game jam, I took on a multi-disciplinary role, contributing across design, direction, and presentation.
I coordinated task distribution within the team, ensuring smooth workflow and alignment. Alongside this, I designed the game’s UI/UX, focusing on clarity and player readability. I also developed the visual identity, including logo design and overall aesthetic direction, to maintain a cohesive look and feel.
To support the gameplay context, I created a core narrative concept, which was further expanded through a comic panel to visually communicate the game’s premise. In addition, I composed the original soundtrack and produced the official game trailer using Blender and Premiere Pro.