Sea Run

SeaRun was developed  by a team of two people as part of their internship program at TuGame.

Endless Runner with a Purpose

Navigate treacherous currents and avoid dangers. However, this thrilling gameplay has a deeper purpose: raising awareness about the critical issue of sea pollution. 

Witness the Impact

Your underwater adventure takes you through a once-vibrant world now threatened by pollution. Witness the effects of our actions firsthand, from bleached coral skeletons to swirling debris. SeaRun uses powerful visuals to drive home the importance of protecting our oceans. 

Become a Champion for the Ocean

Through your journey with Seamus, you'll gain a deeper understanding of the challenges facing coral reefs and the vital role they play in our oceans. 

Concept 💡 

The initial spark for Sea Run came from a growing concern about the threats facing coral reefs and oceans. The two-person team behind Sea Run wanted to create a game that wasn't just fun, but also educational, raising awareness about climate change, pollution, and the importance of protecting these vital ecosystems.  

Design ✎ 

The lone artist on the team translated the concept into a vibrant underwater world. They sketched the majestic male seahorse protagonist, capturing its unique features and the beauty of the healthy reef ecosystem. But alongside this beauty, the artist also depicted the chilling effects of human actions - bleached corals, swirling debris, and a sense of urgency.  

Prototyping 🛠 

With the initial designs in place, the team focused on building the core mechanics of the game. This meant programming the seahorse's movement, crafting the underwater environment, and implementing basic interactions with the world. 

Creating a seamless and believable reef environment was an iterative process. The artist created multiple versions before finalizing the original reef design. He then built upon this foundation, making adjustments to represent the ever-increasing pollution of the sea. This ensured that the impact of pollution could be accurately portrayed across different backgrounds within the game. 

Testing 🧪 

The two-person development team knew that even a small crew could benefit from a robust testing process. They began by playing through early prototypes themselves, meticulously identifying areas that needed improvement in terms of mechanics, feel, and emotional impact. 

To broaden their perspective, they didn't stop there. They also sought feedback from friends and family, gauging their emotional response to the game's message and its playability. This early feedback loop helped refine the core experience. 

Later in development, the team received invaluable insights also from other Tutors students. This diverse group provided a precious feedback on various aspects of the game. The team reacted promptly, implementing changes that significantly improved the overall game quality in a short timeframe. This collaborative approach to testing ensured Sea Run resonated with a wider audience while staying true to its core message. 

Roadmap - Next Steps  

“What you would we like to do with the game if given more time?” 

The game that we made has still a lot of potential for the future improvements. These would be following features: 

• New Engaging Game Modes: For example, introducing exciting new ways to play, like a "Trash Cleaner" mode where players actively clean up the environment. Only imagination is limiting what we could add. 
• Own theme songs for each level: This would make the experience far better, but would also take a lot of time, considering that the tools we have in our disposal are far from the greatest possible. 
• Enhanced Survival Mode: Refine the survival mode for a smoother, more engaging experience, akin to classic endless runner games. 
• Expanded Personalization Options: Provide players with more ways to customize their experience, allowing for deeper engagement. 
• Robust Competitive Aspect: Implement a competitive system with features like leaderboards player interaction (server-based). This would take far more time what we had time in total, but it would be very exciting journey. 

Credits

Art assets, fonts, and story 

• Anselmi (Arthur) Harjama    

Unity 2D engine, coding, and scripts 

• Marcus Selin  

  Theme song, and impact sound 

• Anselmi (Arthur) Harjama    

Game over- and level passed sound 

• Marcus Selin