What is birb Runner?

Imagine you’re a birb. With human legs. Wearing pants. Running in a Synthwave World. Birb Runner is a 3D game where you play as a hybrid bird navigating through challenging platforms and obstacles in a world driven by music where your movements are synced with the rhythm.

LIVESTREAMED AT USC GAMES EXPO 2021

Play the Game

PROJECT OVERVIEW

GAME DETAILS

Genre: Runner, Music
Platform: PC and Mac
Game Engine: Unity
My Roles: Co-designer · 3D Modeler · Level Designer · 2D Artist

LOGISTICS

Project Duration: August 2019 - December 2019
Team Size: 3
- Roahith Rajendiran - Co-designer, Engineer
- Justin Schornstein - Composer

PROCESS

MY CONTRIBUTIONS

❖ Created rapid prototypes to explore ideas and concepts for this project.
❖ Designed and implemented the level by integrating verticality and multiple pathways to encourage players to explore the space.
❖ Designed the character using Procreate, 3D modeled it in Maya, and helped import animations from Mixamo.
❖ Illustrated Opening and Ending Storyboard Sequences using Procreate (total six illustrations).
❖ Updated Dev Blog weekly, co-managed design documents, and kept track of production using Trello and Burndown Chart.
❖ Held weekly playtests and recorded feedback into excel sheet.

Project Macro that outlines the major sections of the game.

Burndown Chart used to track our tasks and progress during Production phase.

Burndown Chart Line Graph showing our task load throughout Production phase.

Dev Blog Banner. Art by Joanna Shen.

Screenshot of Dev Blog document. We updated our Dev Blog weekly along with custom banners for every week.

Trello Board to track tasks during Production phase.

EXPERIENCE GOALS

❖ Have the audience feel awe, wonder, and pure childlike amusement as they step into a fantastical world and play as a bird with human legs (and pants).
❖ Have the audience experience periodic and rhythmic states of relaxing exploration and rewarding challenges.

DESIGN GOALS

❖ Create a synthwave-inspired environment where the music is synchronized with animations and level design.
❖ Art Direction: 3D low-poly world with synthwave color schemes.

Gameplay

About Birb Runner

Birb Runner is an exciting 3D fantastical game where you play as a birb with human legs wearing pants and running through a synthwave inspired world. The game was developed in Production class (CTIN 532) taught by Richard Lemarchand at USC’s Game Design MFA program, where we partner up with one other person in our class to design a game from ideation through final release within 15 weeks.

❖ A not-endless runner with a wholesome narrative about a birb who embraces his differences.
❖ Synthwave inspired world and dynamic music created just for this game.
❖ Developed from ideation through final release within 15 weeks.