Single Maker

Single Maker is a subversive dating simulator for PC in which you break couples up on request of clients. I worked on the game as Game, Narrative & UX/UI Designer, and Programmer for the duration of 8 weeks. I was responsible for conceptualizing and iterating on gameplay systems, designing the UX and creating UI elements as well as narrative design, writing dialogue and programming gameplay systems. What started as a school group project turned into a solo project with outsourced art.

These screenshots were taken in-game.

Project documentation.

While having the idea in mind to create a subversion of the usually very streamlined dating simulation genre, I came up with the idea to make a break up simulator in which the player has to break up other couples. I was able to find games in which the player broke up with different partners, but ultimately never found a game in which the player had no connection to the couples themselves and broke them up on someone else’s request. So, I took this idea and tried to flesh it out. I was initially responsible for the game and narrative design, but halfway through the project I noticed that the rest of my team lost motivation, resulting in little to no communication. To not go into detail, this resulted in me taking on most of the tasks myself. I programmed a dialogue system, a day-and-night cycle and skill system, designed and created the UI elements, and edited background art to reflect a morning, evening and night time version. All in all, this project taught me how important it is to have everyone on-board, have good communication early-on in the project and to ask for help before things get to a point of extreme crunch and stress.