Pounds of Piranha

Genre: Puzzle | Role: Project Lead, Designer
Engine: Godot | Team Size: 2 | Duration: 30 Days | Platform: PC

Accolades

• Created for Game Off 2023 Game Jam, receiving positive feedback for its depth, replayability, and scalable design.

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Overview

Pounds of Piranha is a unique puzzle game where players manipulate weights on a scale to clear paths for green fish while ensuring they avoid red fish. Developed in Godot, the game challenges players to think critically and creatively, using mechanics that are both simple and endlessly scalable.

Players aim to clear paths for green fish by placing weights on a scale, adjusting the numbers on the playing field. The challenge lies in optimizing turns and preventing red fish from devouring green fish. With its gold-rating system, the game offers depth and replayability for both casual and competitive players.

Core Gameplay Features:

• Dynamic Puzzle Mechanics:
  Players adjust weights to change numbers on the playing field, clearing paths for fish.
• Challenging Objectives:
  Avoid red fish while ensuring green fish reach safety in as few turns as possible.
• Replayability and Scalability:
  Endless potential for level creation with simple adjustments to numbers, fish placement, and mechanics.

Design Process

Theme & Conceptualization:
Inspired by the jam’s theme, “Scales,” the concept originated from the idea of digital weight scales and the clean simplicity of digital numbers. This translated into a puzzle game where numbers serve as barriers. The fish mechanic was inspired by Finding Nemo (courtesy of a well-timed family movie night) and added a logical, engaging element to the gameplay.

Level Design Philosophy:

• Simplicity and Depth:
  The mechanics were designed to be easy to grasp yet provide a deep and strategic challenge. Players could casually play through levels or aim for gold ratings by minimizing turns.
• Endless Scalability:
  Each new mechanic exponentially increased the number of possible levels, from adjusting numbers to adding fish and new obstacles. The concept naturally lends itself to endless level design, making it a strong candidate for mobile adaptation.

Replayability Systems:

• Introduced a gold-rating system that rewards players for completing levels efficiently, balancing accessibility with high-skill challenges.
• Provided flexibility for players to approach puzzles at their own pace while creating a rewarding experience for competitive play.

My Contributions

As Project Lead and Designer, I was responsible for:

• Game Design:
  Developed scalable mechanics and designed puzzles with increasing complexity, balancing depth and replayability.
• Level Design:
  Created a wide variety of levels using modular mechanics and rapid iteration on a dry-erase board.
• Project Management:
  Led the project and coordinated tasks with the programmer, ensuring the game was completed within the 30-day deadline.
• Creative Vision:
  Conceptualized and implemented the core idea, tying mechanics to the theme of “Scales” and crafting an engaging player experience.

Challenges & Solutions

• Scalability:
  Leveraged modular mechanics to ensure endless level design possibilities with simple adjustments like adding digits or moving fish.
• Balancing Difficulty:
  Introduced optional gold-rating objectives to provide depth for skilled players without overwhelming newcomers.