Roots and sproots

Project presentation

Roots and sprouts is a cozy gardening game initially developed in 48 hours during the Global Game Jam 2023, then taken up and ported to the Nintendo Switch. The player explores a living island, harvesting and crossbreeding different plant species to discover new plants, ultimately restoring the ultimate tree: Yggdrasil.

The game\'s concept stemmed from my personal interest in Norse mythology, which I\'ve been exploring for several years. Numerous references are integrated, from the names of the plants to the island\'s structure and the solutions to certain puzzles, directly inspired by myths both well- known and obscure.The project also draws on more personal memories, notably Adibou\'s gardening mini-game, which strongly influenced the experimental and accessible approach to the gameplay.

Developed in Unity, I primarily worked on gameplay programming during the jam, then took charge of the entire console port. Particular attention was paid to the design of flexible and scalable systems, especially for plant management. I implemented a data-driven architecture based on Scriptable Objects, including the definition of species and crossbreeding rules, allowing the addition of new plants or interactions without code modification.

One of the project\'s technical features was also the implementation of a proximity detection system between plants.Unity\'s native collision system, relying on object movement, couldn\'t properly detect interactions between static elements.Therefore, I developed a specific solution to allow plants to "recognize" each other and trigger crossbreeding mechanics, despite the absence of movement.

Beyond its very constrained production context, this project represents an important step for me. It\'s the first game I initiated, developed, and brought to a concrete release, without any structure behind me, going from a game jam prototype to a game published on consoles.It therefore occupies a special place in my career, both as a testing ground for technical experimentation and as a personal project to which I am deeply attached.

What this project has brought me

This project provided me with a very comprehensive experience, both technically and personally. Taking a game jam prototype and turning it into a published game allowed me to experience the entire production cycle, particularly by handling the Nintendo Switch port on my own. This involved managing optimization, integration, and validation issues in a real-world release context, with the platform\'s specific requirements.

The collaboration with TyGAMES (a cooperative publisher) was also a significant step, allowing me to finalize the game\'s console release while learning about distribution, publishing, and app store deployment.

Beyond the skills I developed, this project represents a milestone in my career: it\'s the first game I initiated and brought to a concrete release. It allowed me to understand what it means to see a project through to completion, and it remains an experience I\'m particularly proud of.