https://tim-winsky.squarespace.com/about daily 0.75 2022-05-25 https://tim-winsky.squarespace.com/contact daily 0.75 2022-04-29 https://tim-winsky.squarespace.com/work daily 1.0 2022-06-07 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/626c66e9e8b3f46e85b48f92/3e4cab80-53c3-4f84-b8d3-949d541b24d5/Screen+Shot+2017-02-22+at+1.03.17+AM.png Work - Make it stand out View Project https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/626c66e9e8b3f46e85b48f92/c03599eb-f98e-40c9-b89a-5bd241c2004e/jester_vs.png Work View Project https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/626c66e9e8b3f46e85b48f92/5a10e928-bcde-4cc4-bcf5-ec86821a7c93/istone_title.jpg Work View Project https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/626c66e9e8b3f46e85b48f92/06322ede-814a-476f-8150-e9c4420b02b4/JourneysHub_00_c_Titlecard.jpg Work View Project https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/626c66e9e8b3f46e85b48f92/6e20ead3-b121-4410-aec7-cc4f54c33ba9/timetangle.jpg Work View Project https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/626c66e9e8b3f46e85b48f92/57b988df-1bc6-423c-9524-9e35cd86b5b9/DDD_Title_jp.png Work View Project https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/626c66e9e8b3f46e85b48f92/a12e0724-0c83-4c64-8350-e54f6a5e3f8d/relax1.png Work View Project https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/626c66e9e8b3f46e85b48f92/db6c1afa-7c31-421e-8c50-614ab11fbd60/HEwL4E.png Work View Project https://tim-winsky.squarespace.com/journeys daily 0.75 2022-06-07 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/626c66e9e8b3f46e85b48f92/a6998e60-15ff-40b6-af5f-58e08ced3e18/journeys_animated.gif Journeys - About the project Cartoon Network brought in prominent individuals to brainstorm and prototype out-of-the-box VR concepts. Working with top creative talent from CN’s history was an incredible experience. As the sole developer, it was up to me to take raw creative energy and funnel it into a feasible project that could be made quickly and run well in VR without sacrificing our momentum. During brainstorming there were wacky ideas all across the board. From being a forest god – slamming your own trees into your attackers – to performing heists with extendable arms, there was no lack of fresh concepts. In the end, the jester concept made us laugh the most, and its design is open enough that we could incorporate some of our favorite other ideas within this game’s puzzles. A complete win-win. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/626c66e9e8b3f46e85b48f92/c003ec8a-7f74-497b-9054-6ee2f001ff5c/jest_tarot.gif Journeys - Challenges & Solutions VR Throwing It's a known fact that hand throwing in VR stinks, but a jester's gotta be able to juggle and toss like the best of them. I designed and implemented a set of prediction systems that lead to more accurate throwing than other VR experiences. Unorthodox dev cycle We used an experimental tool to allow traditional 2d artists to draw and animate in a VR space. The results were amazing for them, but led to non-traditional assets. I invented new workflows on the fly so the game would still run great and the artists could keep having fun using these creative tools. Puzzle iteration Too many players were getting stumped at various spots, and VR headsets are uncomfortable for many. I made the call that we need to help players feel smart quickly. This involved countless subtle effects, extra voice lines, and more than one solution for some puzzles. Others had to be redesigned and programmed from scratch to make them work. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/626c66e9e8b3f46e85b48f92/131dd410-bbba-4095-be9b-5efb5c801222/JourneysHub_00_b_KeyArt.jpg Journeys - Post-Release: King Mode Jest to Impress was well received, considered the best game of the Journeys VR bundle. I was contracted to elaborate on it, so I added an arcade-style endless mode that takes place (SPOILERS!) after you become the new king. It was fun to let loose and flex my skills. Featuring: • A ton of interactive items. Some repurposed from story mode, some brand new ones. • Several enemy types, each with their own attack pattern. • A juggling system where thrown items can be caught again and reused, making you really feel like a jester king. • Musical timing. All enemy actions and item spawning goes to the beat of the music, giving this mode a fun, groovy flow. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/626c66e9e8b3f46e85b48f92/164dcd00-2d77-4675-a803-3f7d4b239a11/button-steam-available-fixed-21.png Journeys - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://tim-winsky.squarespace.com/dig-dug-dungeon daily 0.75 2022-06-07 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/626c66e9e8b3f46e85b48f92/8c3b85cd-8f08-465c-b87f-6cf3f56d9c67/taizo.png Dig Dug Dungeon - About the project Being a fan of old school games made during the golden age of the arcade scene, I jumped at the opportunity when I heard Bandai Namco was looking to work with indie dev talent. This vertical slice was made in just 3 months. I worked along an artist and musician. In that short period we completed these features: A procedurally generated environment that shuffles the rooms around, creating a fresh experience each time. Clever modernization of an existing IP’s mechanics. Digging feels snappy and satisfying. The player’s pump has dual purpose: it’s used both to defeat enemies and solve puzzles. Mischievous enemies and traps. Many types of stage hazards require you to think before you leap. Enemies will occasionally hunt you down and keep you on your toes. Musical timing. Certain actions occur to the beat of the backing track. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/626c66e9e8b3f46e85b48f92/f6b2fc0a-4955-4e71-a277-665929797e69/rando.png Dig Dug Dungeon https://tim-winsky.squarespace.com/jester-vs daily 0.75 2022-06-07 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/626c66e9e8b3f46e85b48f92/93154811-1190-4e5c-9268-619a14ab9cdb/cnhotel.png Jester VS - About the project After the success of Jest to Impress (part of CN Journeys VR) Cartoon Network requested a collaboration on their next experiment: multiplayer VR arcade games! Having a game released to an arcade was on my bucket list. How could I say no? This is a high intensity wacky party game for all ages, designed to offer new experiences through multiple playthroughs. 1 to 3 players compete to be the best jester in the kingdom. It’s set up in the Cartoon Network Hotel in Lancaster, PA. This is a pseudo sequel to the original Jest to Impress but most of the game had to be designed, programmed, and animated from the ground up. I’m pleased that the “gameshow but medieval” theme comes through even stronger in this title. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/626c66e9e8b3f46e85b48f92/e6924332-3c36-4131-a64d-fb2218634df3/omnicade.jpg Jester VS - Challenges & Solutions Networking I’ve dabbled with netcode in the past but for this project I needed to ensure a strong, stable connection between 3 player PCs plus a server to handle all of the game’s complex physics objects. I rapidly tested several contenders, then learned and implemented the most promising candidate. I used a custom Unity event system to help translate game logic to network events. Restrictive play space The CN Hotel has a meager 10x10 foot floor space to handle up to 3 players. It’s important that players don’t smack each other while flailing VR controllers around. This required layered solutions to resolve. The game strictly informs the player where to stand and draws many effects when they ignore these indicators. Minigames were continually tweaked to prevent players from reaching towards the same physical space. Short, replayable design To keep arcade traffic flowing smoothly this experience had to be under 6 minutes including onboarding. We also wanted players to keep coming back for more. It took a lot of iteration to cut back the onboarding to its core essentials. Then, I made more and more minigames, requiring multiple play sessions to experience them all. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/626c66e9e8b3f46e85b48f92/c6b5349c-5dbd-4471-bf7f-7ccb75076c61/0001.jpg Jester VS https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/626c66e9e8b3f46e85b48f92/a5a4e129-ab0f-4f33-b9f3-c7e6a3cab68a/0002.jpg Jester VS https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/626c66e9e8b3f46e85b48f92/bb619e20-9c47-4cf8-b5ec-31ba4552eb29/0003.jpg Jester VS https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/626c66e9e8b3f46e85b48f92/f3c0b44a-d41a-4b58-93d6-388d83f9e810/0004.jpg Jester VS https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/626c66e9e8b3f46e85b48f92/971c7af5-70c3-40de-9387-6f644add3199/0005.jpg Jester VS https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/626c66e9e8b3f46e85b48f92/c9c96a4b-d5a6-4bc0-a94b-4d0213227119/0006.jpg Jester VS https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/626c66e9e8b3f46e85b48f92/1dd51838-c055-4191-b7a7-ce51377fbc2c/0007.jpg Jester VS https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/626c66e9e8b3f46e85b48f92/2cdd08e0-080c-4a38-b0cc-488b20a20a84/0008.jpg Jester VS https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/626c66e9e8b3f46e85b48f92/5d551602-fdd8-4338-a65d-2fd548dd22f9/0009.jpg Jester VS https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/626c66e9e8b3f46e85b48f92/5158255f-c4a3-4c5e-94fa-8fc6d2acb58f/0010.jpg Jester VS https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/626c66e9e8b3f46e85b48f92/6322693f-b3e1-4eeb-9724-91989a5ff7a1/0011.jpg Jester VS https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/626c66e9e8b3f46e85b48f92/20071b01-373e-48f7-a428-9381cbfbc323/0012.jpg Jester VS https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/626c66e9e8b3f46e85b48f92/101fccfa-0527-4a64-887a-40a3e82240c3/0013.jpg Jester VS https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/626c66e9e8b3f46e85b48f92/c397062e-3db0-4b3f-b990-d9776b88e5a8/0014.jpg Jester VS https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/626c66e9e8b3f46e85b48f92/057faacb-7d0b-4e5f-8837-e7599b4ee5d9/0015.jpg Jester VS https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/626c66e9e8b3f46e85b48f92/d2772883-9b14-46ca-b8a9-cd8b6c8d521d/0016.jpg Jester VS https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/626c66e9e8b3f46e85b48f92/114328be-4fc4-4a47-a59c-d43ffb29ffdb/0017.jpg Jester VS https://tim-winsky.squarespace.com/indiana-stone daily 0.75 2022-06-07 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/626c66e9e8b3f46e85b48f92/cb1c0377-44be-4e54-a6d3-9bb40ae54ced/iTunesArtwork%402x.png Indiana Stone - About the project This one’s at the core of my current career in game development. It’s a passion project developed in the evenings while working days at a litigation software company as an Install Wizard. It’s hard to explain, but I had my heart set on some kind of Indiana Jones parody using a voxel art style. While learning Unity, my “hello world” project to test basic collision and player input was a simple action game called Pogo Stone where the goal was to smash as many Indiana Jones-esque characters as possible while guarding a golden idol. Once I felt confident in my abilities to make a fully realized game for profit, I noticed app stores were inundated with infinite runners due to the wild success of Temple Run. Clearly, this was the perfect opportunity to leverage my concept as the world’s first anti infinite runner. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/626c66e9e8b3f46e85b48f92/f303fe42-6fe4-4bca-866c-02b407b5de0d/paint3d.png Indiana Stone - Challenges & Solutions Finding the right design It can be tricky to find the right mechanics when the player character is the antagonist. You can’t leverage exactly what worked in the genre you’re riffing off of. I decided to play off classic video game tropes, but in reverse. The “Indy” character has a lives counter, but in this game the goal is to get the hero’s lives to reach 0. Random, challenging but fair obstacles When placing random obstacles and power-ups, it’s easy to end up with unfair situations that cause the player to take damage no matter what, especially if they go for the power-ups. This game uses a complex “tunnel chunk” system with hundreds of hand-crafted segments. They’re pieced together in a way to keep high tension (based on difficulty level) with designated “safe spots” that power-ups can appear. Surprising depth with clever onboarding The trend at the time was single stage games with minor rewards to slowly grind for. My goal was a simple premise with a surprisingly high skill ceiling. All of this serves making the game truly memorable for those who dedicate their time to it. The game’s embedded achievement system unlocks extra boulder types with different attributes, extra difficulty modes, and additional one-off challenges. The one-off challenges are secretly tutorials for the game’s advanced mechanics, which lead to additional unlocks, including a super secret stage, boss, and ending. The result is a smooth experience that has something new to offer for hours upon hours, without any grinding. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/626c66e9e8b3f46e85b48f92/27396dce-863a-4307-80e6-5caf299ee1c2/istone_ending.png Indiana Stone - Post-Release I was lucky that the App Store decided to feature Indiana Stone under two prominent lists: “New & Noteworthy” and “Games We’re Playing.” This gave me ample time to enjoy the spotlight. Aside from the modest profits and glowing reviews, I later found that execs from Cartoon Network were thoroughly enjoying it. This led to them seeking me out. Soon after, I enjoyed a professional relationship with them for many years. https://tim-winsky.squarespace.com/time-tangle daily 0.75 2022-06-07 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/626c66e9e8b3f46e85b48f92/c5843c81-94d4-4290-a192-02bda37b1ac2/getcoins.gif Time Tangle - About the project Soon after releasing Indiana Stone: The Brave and the Boulder, Cartoon Network reached out to me. They wanted me to create a mobile game for them. At first I considered developing an original IP but it dawned on me that I was in a pretty unique situation. I’d been a huge fan of Adventure Time ever since Pendleton Ward’s original pilot, and it is not super common that my tastes line up with that of the masses. What followed was a surprisingly enjoyable dev cycle. My producer was a hobbyist game developer (who later became cofounder of Moonlight Kids) leading to a rare, hyper-productive dynamic. I’m proud of what we accomplished in only 18 months. This game features 6 vastly different environments and dozens of mission types using a “random quest generator.” There are fully voiced cutscenes by the original voice actors, towering bosses, and a rogue-lite endless mode. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/626c66e9e8b3f46e85b48f92/531f15e5-4959-43bb-8e19-cf6c64c94125/9bitfinn.png Time Tangle - Challenges & Solutions Finding the right art style My previous game used a simple voxel art style. This is kind of the exact opposite of the extremely curvy Adventure Time aesthetic. Using connections from my old college I found a recent graduate who happened to create a ton of professional-grade Adventure Time fan projects. With his help and a technical discovery on how to make the whole world curve under the horizon, we were able to prototype a convincing proof-of-concept in just one week. Leveraging the IP It was important that everything felt like it was taken directly from the TV show. We wanted to avoid making a game that was merely skinned like an Adventure Time property. We ingested a ton of Adventure Time content to make sure we had a consistent tone. All friends and foes and magical items were carefully implemented to feel consistent or to feel like natural extensions. It helped that we had access to the same sound library and voice talent as the show. Reeling in the scope In a project like this it’s easy to get far more ideas than is practical to implement in time. I knew from past experience that we had to carefully pick and choose what to implement. I designed layers of “multiplicative systems” where various elements of the game get mixed and matched to create a ton of unique feeling moments. While it wasn’t easy, it offered players better bang-for-the-buck compared to hand crafting every moment. https://tim-winsky.squarespace.com/scoops daily 0.75 2022-06-07 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/626c66e9e8b3f46e85b48f92/fb44d1dc-8c79-4c6e-a713-17aaba4b14de/Alice_CharacterArt.png Scoops - About the project This game is the product of a series of goofy events. Some friends and I used to walk past a bird store with a big cage in the middle and a giant scoop hanging from one side. We’d speculate that the scoop was clearly the method of delivering birds to the customers. After some prototyping, I settled on a dynamic that’s hectic and wacky like a game of Hungry Hungry Hippos, but with layers of strategy and finesse. I found it a good candidate for a simple-yet-polished game to release on a Nintendo console. As for Alice Scooper, the featured NPC who helps you along your way? One of my artists goes to church with the parodied rock star, so that part wrote itself. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/626c66e9e8b3f46e85b48f92/3b5c2ce7-bb51-4d8e-9dee-da1d1ee3dc13/BirdWatchingChannel_Street.png Scoops - Challenges & Solutions Tricky collision logic This is a wacky physics based game, but the player is penalized for making a mistake. This leads to a handful of situations that originally felt unfair to the player. I didn’t want to sacrifice the fun physics goofiness, so I developed what I call a “fudge system.” The game uses a series of colliders of different sizes and prioritizes certain ones based on predictions of what the player is trying to do. It still allows players to make mistakes but shifts things in the player’s favor in any ambiguous situations. 3DS development using Unity The 3DS is an extremely underpowered system (comparable to 2nd gen smartphones). In addition, Unity adds its own overhead. I wasn’t satisfied with any hitches or a poor framerate. Not a lot of Unity devs were making 3DS games so I was somewhat of a guinea pig. I worked closely with an engineer at Unity to troubleshoot a lot of issues that had to be resolved at the engine level. I implemented creative solutions across the board to fit everything in memory. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/626c66e9e8b3f46e85b48f92/44b7ee2c-91c5-4101-b4c2-9fa7a151918c/logoeshop.png Scoops - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://tim-winsky.squarespace.com/dr-ghost daily 0.75 2022-06-07 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/626c66e9e8b3f46e85b48f92/e113688a-ec66-4e4b-8bbf-a555e42a2177/badge_bw.png Dr Ghost - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/626c66e9e8b3f46e85b48f92/3acfd8a9-0a93-4e81-888b-f63f65ef5934/3Z9VbN.gif Dr Ghost - About the project This is a project created in 48 hours for Global Game Jam. The theme was “repair.” The implementation of this theme is perhaps… a tad outside the box. As a ghost doctor, repair a being’s body and soul by: 1. Imbuing its gravestone with its soul. 2. Smacking its zombified body with that imbued gravestone. Gravestones, souls, and zombies have randomized locations which leads to a tense race against time. A tension that’s not so different from trying to finish a game jam game in just two days. It was fun to make a small game with a curvy environment not unlike Time Tangle, but in a free-roaming local with a slick 2.5D art style. https://tim-winsky.squarespace.com/dream daily 0.75 2022-06-07 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/626c66e9e8b3f46e85b48f92/e113688a-ec66-4e4b-8bbf-a555e42a2177/badge_bw.png Dream - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/626c66e9e8b3f46e85b48f92/750b3594-fa2f-4578-bfd9-5eabff5870f9/8wWvj5.gif Dream - About the project This is most likely my most “wholesome” game, and there’s a good reason for that! It was created for Wholesome Jam in just 48 hours. The theme is “don’t give up!” When a runaway meteor knocks the constellations out of whack, something just feels off. A restful sleep seems like a distant memory. But relax, and don’t give up. By realigning the stars you can finally get the rest you deserve. After completing the game, there’s even an unlocked hard mode. Constellations now have randomized positions and rotations, making them much trickier to spot. Kind of like real constellations. https://tim-winsky.squarespace.com/resume daily 0.75 2022-06-09 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/626c66e9e8b3f46e85b48f92/19c90d1d-6770-406d-8d41-40b205307d32/IMG_0388d.jpg Resume - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.