Memino

Developed in just four days for the 2024 Game Jam under the theme “Make Me Laugh,” Memino is a lighthearted puzzle-platformer inspired by cat memes and internet humor. The game combines a “Paper Mario”–style aesthetic, featuring 2D characters within a 3D environment, to create a playful and visually distinct experience that culminates in a comedic ending cinematic.

‣Design:
⇢Conceptualized the overall theme and tone, focusing on humor, meme culture, and accessibility.
⇢Designed and implemented intro and level cinematics to enhance storytelling and player engagement.
⇢Imported and integrated 2D art assets using Unreal Engine’s Paper2D system to create a hybrid 2D/3D environment.
⇢Modeled and textured environmental assets such as a waterfall mesh and animated fish to increase visual immersion.
⇢Designed multiple gameplay obstacles and interactive elements, including jumping platforms, spikes, moving blocks.
⇢Created a puzzle sequence featuring falling platforms, requiring players to remember safe paths and avoid false tiles. Stepping on an incorrect platform triggers a fall into the void, resetting the player to the start of the level to retry.
⇢Implemented a final video cinematic within the level to reward the player for successfully completing the puzzle area.
⇢Developed an intuitive menu system with responsive UI elements to streamline user navigation.
⇢Collaborated with the art and music teams to align the visual tone and overall mood of the game with its comedic theme.

‣Programming:
⇢Programmed character movement and interaction systems to ensure smooth navigation in the hybrid 2D/3D environment.
⇢Scripted gameplay mechanics and physics interactions for dynamic obstacles and puzzle behavior using Unreal Engine Blueprints.
⇢Created the BP_Platforms system, controlling the fall and disappearance of platforms upon incorrect player input, and handled reset logic for level restarts.
⇢Integrated trigger-based cinematic sequences and event transitions using Blueprint scripting.
⇢Implemented background music and sound effects in coordination with the music team to synchronize audio cues with gameplay moments.
⇢Optimized Blueprint hierarchies and logic flow for stability and efficient iteration during the Game Jam timeframe.

Key Achievements
• Delivered a polished prototype within the Game Jam’s time constraints.
• Successfully captured the theme of humor through cohesive design and cat-themed content.
• Gained hands-on experience in cinematic creation, gameplay mechanics, and environmental design in Unreal Engine.