About
From a young age, I have been passionate about video games and saw them as a refuge from a world that was often confusing for an autistic child. The boundless creativity showcased within the medium has captured my imagination since I experienced Shigeru Miyamoto’s design vision through franchises like Mario and Zelda.
Hands-on experience from famous indie titles like Shovel Knight also taught me that anyone, even a small group of people, can make a successful game. This was the main inspiration for taking the path of game design.
My main goal is to express my creativity through my game design projects and build up the skills required to be a dedicated concept creator and problem solver.
Project overview
Catnap Caper
Catnap Caper is a puzzle platformer inspired by my love of cats and the comfort that squishy stress toys can provide. This game follows “Moody”, a squishy cat who enters people’s dreams to eat “Kippers” and defeat the nightmares invading them.
Emotions are the central mechanic in the game, and they are triggered by interacting with abstract weather effects - different emotions give Moody different abilities, expressed through their respective colours. For example, sunshine makes Moody yellow with happiness and allows him to attack enemies with a swipe, while rainclouds give him the blues so he can grow plant platforms with his tears.
My aim is to combine the game’s emotions within the games levels to create a simple, yet engaging experience that’s educational for younger players, particularly those who are neurodivergent.
SAD MOODY: When Moody cries in "Sad" state his tears can be used to grow flowers, hover after jumping and defeat enemies.
GRUMPY MOODY: When Moody is in his "Grumpy" state he uses his immense strength to take down Giant Metal Nightmares!
CALM MOODY: Moody can jump higher in the "Calm" state and everything around him, from moving platforms to enemies, slows down,.
