Team Rocket | Top Down 2D RPG game | AI Designer (Art&Sound) | Producer | Programmer | Game Designer

Overview
Team R is a short 2D top-down action puzzle that challenges players to switch between three celestial beings, the Sun, the Comet, and the Black Hole , each with a distinct ability that interacts with its environment.
The project was developed in just one month as part of the Mid-Course Develope{h}er Project, led by Lydia Dover, and served as both a design lab and a collaborative learning experience.

Our main goal was to prototype a tight gameplay loop based on timing, rhythm, and environmental reaction - proving that strong mechanics and concept design can carry a complete player experience even within a small scope.

Gameplay Concept

The player navigates through a collapsing cosmic maze while switching between three characters:

Comet - Dashes into aliens to kill them.

Sun - Explodes icebergs that block the path with fire balls.

Black Hole - Pulls in asteroids with its gravity.

A massive expanding black-hole boss acts as a time-based threat: if the player does not escape fast enough, it consumes everything.
Success requires balancing each ability and reading the rhythm of the environment -
turning a single level into a miniature strategy puzzle.

Team Roles
🌞 Shani Mezer [aka Me] | Producer • Game & Narrative Design • Tech Art • Sun & Icebergs
👾 Omer Cain | Code Architecture • Black Hole Character & Astroids & Massive Hole
🎨 Daphna Sharon | Concept Art • Comet Character & Aliens

My Contributions

Design Thinking
I designed the logic that connects the three abilities into one coherent gameplay rhythm, making each power meaningful on its own while interdependent in the puzzle flow.

Tech Art and Prototyping
I created all animations, SFX, ambient music, parallax backgrounds, and UI using AI-assisted workflows and Photoshop polishing.
This allowed the team to prototype a fully playable visual build quickly and focus on the core mechanics and player feel.

Production and Creative Direction
I coordinated the workflow between code, art, and design, ensured scope control, and guided aesthetic consistency across the experience.

Design Process

Ideation - We started from the idea of celestial forces with opposing energies and explored how each could affect space objects differently.

Rapid Prototyping - Using Unity’s 2D toolset, we built and tested each mechanic separately before merging them into one cohesive level.

Iteration - Playtesting revealed pacing issues between ability cooldowns and trap density. Adjusting physics timing and player feedback made switching faster and more intuitive.

Visual Prototype - Once the mechanics felt right, I generated quick AI-based assets for backgrounds, effects, and UI to visualize the final feel without slowing development.

Miro Work Flow :
https://miro.com/app/live-embed/uXjVJAtRsW4=/?embedMode=view_only_without_ui&moveToViewport=5922%2C876%2C3641%2C3048&embedId=993585050653


Challenges and Solutions

Scope vs. Depth - With only a month, we focused on one level but layered its mechanics to feel complete.

Balancing Abilities - Ensuring each power was equally valuable required continuous tweaking of range, speed, and cooldown.

AI Integration - Using AI art for prototyping demanded careful curation and editing to maintain a cohesive art direction.

Results and Reflection

Team R became a fully playable vertical slice that demonstrates how gameplay rhythm, environmental feedback, and character mechanics can create depth even in a small demo.
The project strengthened our understanding of mechanic-driven design, team collaboration, and AI-supported workflows.

We plan to expand it with an XP system, new worlds, and progression mechanics, turning this demo into a richer cosmic puzzle adventure.

For now, it stands as one of the most educational and rewarding collaborations I have led - proof that you can build a universe in a month when gameplay comes first.