Geo Diver X: A Retrospective on Our Indie Game Jam Journey or Consider Releasing That Prototype

About a year ago, our team participated in the Unreal Engine Game Jam at Hive Helsinki 2023. Over the span of a month, a group of talented coders and brilliant problem-solvers dedicated themselves to creating a project inspired by media classics such as Outrun, Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann, and Space Harrier.

Initially developed in Unreal Engine 5.2, we later converted the game to Unreal Engine 5.4 for its release on Itch.io. None of us had experience with C++, so we opted to use blueprints for building the game. It was grueling work. We held meetings, secluded ourselves in a room, and hammered out the code necessary to bring our vision to life.

Applying the knowledge we had gained at Hive Helsinki, we structured our work process with a team consisting of three blueprint coders, a project manager, and several artists. Despite having no prior experience with Unreal Engine, we set out to create simple, modular components and gradually built up to an MVP.

Our goal was to craft a game akin to Space Harrier, blending 2D and 3D elements by using sprites for more complex visuals and 3D models for less detailed objects. Fresh off watching Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann, I was determined to incorporate drills into our game concept. We also wanted to avoid the typical direct fire against enemies found in on-rails shooters. Instead, we decided to give the game a twist by allowing players to deflect enemy fire back at them.

Working on this project with new tools, new teammates, and a month's deadline, all while juggling school projects with their own deadlines, was extremely demanding. We used Git as our version control system, and we were in for a surprise when we encountered binary files! Despite our best efforts, multiple coders working on blueprints inevitably led to some merge conflicts. Needless to say, we studied up on Perforce after the project.

One mechanic that ended up working out unexpectedly well was the boost. Originally intended as a development-only speed boost, it turned out to be so much fun that we incorporated it into the game. Dashing through rock pillars felt incredibly satisfying! This experience taught us an important game design lesson: even meticulously planned mechanics can prove redundant, annoying, or unusable in the final design. Playtesting is crucial.

After the game jam, the project lingered as we each moved on to other projects and school deadlines. Though we occasionally discussed Geo Diver X over coffee, it wasn't until recently that I felt inspired to clone the repository and finally package and export the game. Reflecting on the lessons learned and the creative journey we experienced, I feel a sense of closure.

I'm grateful for the meetings, the debates over mechanics, and the countless failures that led to our success. A heartfelt thank you to the whole team for their dedicated work on this project.

So, to all indie developers out there: consider releasing that prototype.