Overview
Turtle Trials is one of the standout highlights of my university experience. Developed by a five-person team, I took the lead in building core systems, managing the project, collaborating with our industry contact, and organising playtests. Our task was to create an educational game about turtle conservation that could engage a younger audience.
Chris, our contact from DES Queensland, really appreciated the arcade-style direction we took. The game’s simple mechanics allowed me to focus on refinement and polish, enough that we were invited to showcase Turtle Trials at the 2024 QUT IT and Games Showcase. Out of 21 teams, only three were selected, making this a significant achievement for our team.
Through this project, I also discovered a strong interest in data-informed game design, particularly through playtesting. A GDC talk by the God of War team on their approach to playtesting had a major impact on how I planned, conducted, and analysed our own tests. I aim to expand on this interest in the future and write a blog post detailing my process and learnings.
Contributions
Led the design, development, and production of the game from concept to delivery.
Programmed core gameplay mechanics, including player movement and obstacle interactions.
Enhanced visual quality through technical art techniques and polish.
Initiated and maintained communication with the industry partner, gathering feedback and requesting additional brief details.
Managed the playtesting process, analysing results and applying improvements (documented in detail on the design page.
Screenshots
Outcomes
Turtle Trials ended up being one of the most rewarding projects I’ve worked on. Out of 21 teams, it was selected as one of only three projects chosen to be showcased, a moment that really validated the time and care our team had put into refining the experience. The project not only represented a strong collaboration between our team members, but also gave me the opportunity to connect directly with our industry partner, who later became a professional reference.
Beyond the recognition, the showcase experience reinforced how important it is to balance creativity with production discipline, learning when to polish, when to cut, and how to make every feature serve the core idea. It was a great reminder that even student projects can open doors when the work resonates with both peers and industry professionals.
Process
Play Around!
Go check it out!
Just Some Stats
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Title
What I've Learned
Some Documentation
Contacts:
DES Contact
Christopher Chesher
Email me for their contact information.