AFTERSOME

  • PRODUCTION - AFTERSOME
  • PROJECT TYPE - Vertical Slice
  • DURATION - 3 Months
  • ROLE - Producer & Solo Developer
  • TEAM SIZE - 1
  • TOOLS USED - Jira, Confluence, G Suite, Discord, UE5, Maya
    •

    Aftersome is a first person adventure game about exploring the connection between a boy and his dog and their fated encounter with an approaching storm of the century.

    CONTEXT

    The goal of Aftersome’s Vertical Slice was to develop a focused, playable vertical slice within a strict 3-month timeframe, emphasizing:

  • A clearly defined and tested core gameplay loop.
  • A cohesive and polished player experience.
  • A realistic scope aligned with limited development time.
    •

    KEY CHALLENGES

  • Balancing and prioritizing all disciplines independently (design, art, implementation, production) while maintaining a clear vision of the end product.
  • Building sustainable development practices and systems to prevent scope creep while still achieving a meaningful level of polish.
  • Rapid iteration of gameplay mechanics over a short development time.
    •

    ROLE

    As the sole developer behind the project, I was responsible for all disciplines and project management.

    PROJECT MANAGEMENT

  • Defined production scope, milestones, and priorities to meet a fixed showcase deadline.
  • Broke down development into manageable tasks and deliverables.
  • Established a production pipeline using Jira and Trello suitable for a rapid development timeline.
  • Tracked progress and adjusted priorities throughout development using Jira and Google Sheets.
  • Wrote and organized project documentation, including design documentation of gameplay systems and mechanics. (Confluence)
    •

    GAME DESIGN

  • Balancing and prioritizing all disciplines independently (design, art, implementation, production) while maintaining a clear vision of the end product.
  • Building sustainable development practices and systems to prevent scope creep while still achieving a meaningful level of polish.
  • Rapid iteration of gameplay mechanics over a short development time.
    •

    ART & ART DIRECTION

  • Balancing and prioritizing all disciplines independently (design, art, implementation, production) while maintaining a clear vision of the end product.
  • Building sustainable development practices and systems to prevent scope creep while still achieving a meaningful level of polish.
  • Rapid iteration of gameplay mechanics over a short development time.
    •

    OUTCOME

  • Delivered a complete, playable vertical slice within the 3-month timeframe..
  • Established and proved a clear and functional core gameplay loop resulting in strong player engagement and retention during live demo.
    •

    REFLECTION

  • Strengthened my ability to cut scope and prioritize features core to the intended experience.
  • Improved my understanding of time management across multiple disciplines as a solo developer.
  • Learned the importance of defining what ‘done’ means early in development.
    •

    INTERESTED IN THIS PROJECT?

    Follow my socials for updates on Aftersome!