Game Title
Time Teddy

Developer Name
Glacier Guardians

Short Promo Blurb
Help Teddy find his mom in this 3D puzzle adventure game!

Full Description
Play as Teddy, a lost baby polar bear in the melting Arctic. Platform across floating ice, use your magic book to time travel, and complete tasks to reunite with your mom and save the future!

Promo Image(s)
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/11huQeUima2vG6q8cTL2H4Nua_ujHdXS_?usp=sharing

Promo Video
https://youtu.be/Jk25KdVaGkA?feature=shared

Artistic Statement / Use of Theme(s)
We embraced the theme of "Change the Story" by setting our game, Time Teddy, within a storybook. As we intended the design to be accessible for all ages, the game features easy-to-understand mechanics. Players can see visible changes resulting from their actions, particularly through the time-traveling elements integrated into the gameplay. This ensures that even small decisions significantly impact our near future.

Our attention to detail is evident in the art for the main menu and opening cutscene, which were based on the storyboard from the ideation phase. The main menu includes charming elements such as a polar bear plush on the bed and an orca on the shelf, adding to the immersive experience.

The storybook theme also influenced our UI design. Indicators for when the player is in the present or the future resemble bookmarks, and the pause menu is designed to look like a booklet, complete with a red bookmark in the corner. These elements contribute to a cohesive and engaging storytelling experience.

(Dain - 3D Artist) I intentionally designed the baby bear to be small and adorable so that we could create an immediate emotional connection between the player and the bear.
The characters and props I modeled and textured were a baby bear, scientist, mother bear, orca, and fish bucket. I utilized ZBrush/Maya for modeling and Substance Painter for texturing.

(William - 2D/3D Artist)When creating the concept for Teddy, I immediately created a polar bear as it fits with the themes of climate change. I also chose to add the backpack for gameplay purposes plus it looks cute.
For the concept of the mother bear, I originally had three ideas for what she would wear. These are a vest, an apron, and a scarf. While the apron was more motherly, we settled with the vest which ended up going through.
The props I modeled for the game included the buoy, tent, and measuring stick. All three of these were modeled using 3ds Max. This was also where I created the UV maps for the buoy and measuring stick. I used Adobe Photoshop to create the texture maps.

(Anna - Sound) When I first saw the baby bear design and the winter landscape, I knew I had to use sounds that imitate or replicate the winter feeling. It’s kind of hard to capture climate change for music, but I created three distinct pieces that contained sections of the game’s story, which was about climate change. I also saw the cuteness of the baby bear, so I added a bit more wholesome feel to the sound environment.

(Kacey - 3D Animator) For animation, I kept the motions cute and lively to fit our game’s visual aesthetic and to connect to the player emotionally. I also kept the posing clear and simple so it was easy and not distracting to play.

Development Summary
Our team was very efficient with how we used our time. Each dedicated sprint was used as intended and had an immediate focus as soon as the week started. This allowed us to work healthily, without much cramming at the end of a deadline. Each person worked independently based on their skill set to bring their creativity to our game. A few meetings a week also kept us in check as to what needed to be done, improved on, and cut from the game to bring the best possible experience. In the end, a second and third level were cut from the original plan of the game. This was in favor of the whole team as we decided to polish a single level that would highlight the best parts of our game instead. Throughout this game jam, there weren’t many surprises in terms of development, and nothing too hard to cut besides a few extra systems such as a hunger meter. Developing this game was quite successful with the time given without any major problems or disturbances.

Release Plan
Our game can currently be released as a 10-15 minute short experience that can be enjoyed by anyone who likes platforming and puzzles. Our team would be willing to add in more levels and other content to create additional experiences for our players.