01. Overview
Developed Neanderthugs for Mini-Jam 207, a competition themed Primal. The project is a top-down action game where players control a caveman navigating a prehistoric world. The game was built entirely from scratch within a strict 72-hour development window, requiring high-pressure decision making and rapid feature implementation to meet the deadline.
Despite the time constraints, the project delivers a complete experience with a narrative thread, functional combat, and multiple weapon types, showcasing the ability to prototype and polish a core gameplay loop in a very short timeframe.
02. Engineering & Systems
The game architecture was built using Godot's node-based system and GDScript, focusing on extensibility and efficient resource management.
- Abstract Weapon System: Engineered a polymorphic combat framework where all primal tools (spears, clubs, etc.) inherit from a single abstract base class. This design allows for the rapid addition of new weapons with unique damage types and attack ranges without modifying the core player logic.
- Enemy Pathfinding: Integrated Godot’s NavigationServer and A* algorithms to manage enemy movement. This system enables rival cavemen to calculate paths and chase the player through the top-down environment.
- Physics & Movement: Leveraged Godot's 2D physics engine to manage collisions and character movement. By fine-tuning friction and acceleration parameters, I ensured that the top-down controls felt responsive during combat encounters.
03. Rapid Prototyping
The primary challenge was translating the theme into a playable state from ideation to submission in just 72 hours. This was achieved by prioritizing high-impact mechanics, such as the combat loop and enemy navigation, and utilizing efficient GDScript implementation to keep the codebase maintainable under pressure.
The final result is a polished demonstration of rapid software development. By maintaining a clear separation of concerns through Object-Oriented patterns, I was able to iterate on the story and level design while the underlying mechanics remained stable. This project highlights a strong proficiency in game development tools and the ability to deliver finished software within extreme time-limited challenges.