Sailing with Geotraces
Game Design & Creative Direction
A professional studio project focused on designing spatial gameplay systems and collaborative development pipelines.
Role: Game Designer, Lead Playtester
​
Tools: Level Design, Game Mechanics, Team Coordination
Project Overview
The Challenge
The Goal
How do you make a complex scientific process engaging without oversimplifying what makes it meaningful? Collecting and testing water samples aboard a research vessel is detailed, technical, and repetitive by nature, yet it sits at the heart of Geotraces’ real-world work.
​
The challenge was to translate those procedures into an experience that felt approachable and rewarding to play, while still reflecting the reality of life and work on a scientific ship in Antarctica.
Design a simulation that teaches through participation. By turning research tasks into clear, interactive systems, the experience allows players to step into the role of a scientist and understand the process through doing rather than observing.
My Role
Game Designer, Lead Playtester
I worked as part of a multidisciplinary studio team, focusing on experience design, gameplay systems, and level structure. I designed core mechanics, mapped the ship’s interior spaces, and coordinated closely with art and development teams to maintain design consistency across production.
​
I also served as the primary playtester during later stages of development, reviewing builds to ensure the experience aligned with the original design vision and remained clear and engaging for users.
Systems Design
Research System
​Players collect water samples, process them through testing stations, and interpret results as part of a guided research loop. Each step is designed to feel like a meaningful action rather than a menu-driven task.
Spatial System
The ship is designed as a fully navigable environment, with rooms and corridors that naturally introduce tools, objectives, and next steps through layout and visual cues instead of tutorials.
Development Highlights
-
Designed ship layouts, room maps, and level flow for a full research vessel environment
-
Developed core interaction mechanics, including movement and object handling
-
Translated scientific procedures into playable game systems
-
Coordinated between designers, 3D artists, developers, and client stakeholders
-
Conducted ongoing playtesting and design reviews to preserve experience clarity
Level Design
Screen Flow
Water Collection Minigame
Water Testing Minigame
Outcome & Takeaways
What Worked
Breaking complex research workflows into simple, repeatable actions made the experience accessible without losing its educational value. Players were able to understand both the “what” and the “why” behind each task through direct interaction.
What I'd Improve
With more time, I would refine how the experience communicates long-term goals across multiple research cycles, helping players better understand how individual tasks connect to the larger scientific mission.
What the Project Shaped
This project was my first experience working within a large production pipeline. It strengthened my ability to communicate across disciplines, protect design intent, and collaborate within a long-term, client-driven development process.