LINN: Path of Orchards
About Linn
Linn is a modern 2D puzzle platformer touch-based game with a unique art style which aims to give players a genuine experience of discovering an ancient dynamic environment. Using just a swipe of the finger, the character can jump, dash, and fly through the air.
Linn was originally a mobile & tablet game targeted for the App Store and Google Play. The game was instantly featured as top 5 of the week on the App Store US, and game of the day in App Store UK. That was when we began to see the potential of Linn, and decided to push our small team's boundaries and aim for more!
After a year of hard work, we manage to publish the game on Xbox Live, Nintendo Switch and now PlayStation 4!
About Linn
Linn is a modern 2D puzzle platformer touch-based game with a unique art style which aims to give players a genuine experience of discovering an ancient dynamic environment. Using just a swipe of the finger, the character can jump, dash, and fly through the air.
Linn was originally a mobile & tablet game targeted for the App Store and Google Play. The game was instantly featured as top 5 of the week on the App Store US, and game of the day in App Store UK. That was when we began to see the potential of Linn, and decided to push our small team's boundaries and aim for more!
After a year of hard work, we manage to publish the game on Xbox Live, Nintendo Switch and now PlayStation 4!
My Roles And Responsibilities
UI/UX Designer
Defining user flows, designing features and wireframes and the game's user interface were all part of what I did. Keeping an eye on the in-game user experience was another concern, and I conducted various small playtest sessions to see if players understood what would be expected of them, where to go, and how to complete levels.
Game Artist
As the visual artist, I was responsible for creating concept art that matched the gameplay and then finalizing the art assets in Adobe Illustrator and importing them into Unity.
Challenges
- Scoping the GameTwo months of preproduction in a game accelerator led us to change the entire scope of the project. We were asked to make as much gameplay as we could in two months, and then based on what we have, they were going to decide if they will accept us to the program or not. We had everything, core mechanics, art style, concrete level ideas, but all we managed to make in two months was 2 minutes of gameplay. And that was then when we realized we need to scope the game down if we want to have a game by the end of the year.
- New Scope, New User Experience ProblemsChanging the scope led to major changes in game design, which led to changes in the game's visual functionality. 10 minute boss-fight levels turned into small rotating puzzles, which needed to be clear enough for players to find their way. Before creating the final version, I struggled with how to design an art asset that is both beautiful and functional. Having a clear player path in an environment that is always moving and rotating was my main challenge in implying user experience concerns to artistic aspects of the game. But in the end, it worked!
AWARDS AND ACHIEVEMENTS
- Grand Prize of Applovin, Casual Connect 2018 London
- Game of the Year prize, Iran Indie Games Festival
- Best Game in Design, Iran Indie Games Festival
- Best Game in Genre, Iran Indie Games Festival
- Best Game in Art, Iran Indie Games Festival
- First of top 5 of the week in US Appstore
- Game Of the Day in UK and Ireland Appstore
- Featured in more than 4000 feature lists in Appstore
- Rank 3 in puzzle games in US App Store
- Rank 1 in puzzle games in UK App Store
CONVENTIONS
- Theran Game Convetion 2018 | Tehran | Iran
- Indie Showcase, Casual Connect London 2018 | London | UK
- INDIGO, Dutch Game Garden 2018 | Utrecht | Netherlands
- Indie Playground 2018, DreamHack | Austin | USA
- Game Devs of Color Expo 2018, | New York City | USA
Photo Gallery
