Edit: I've found my team! Leaving this up for posteriority hahah
Heyo, I'm Cookie!! I'm a 2D/3D Artist with some experience programming in Unity (and Unreal). I have an idea that I'd be really excited to work on for this jam, and I'd love to do that with one or two likeminded devs!
I can definitely take care of any art-related assets, and I'll also be capable of writing, game design and programming if needed, but if you have experience in these three areas I would love to split some tasks to ease the workload. I'd be especially relieved if you're down to take care of the programming entirely so I focus on the artwork! Either way, I would definitely need a Sound Designer / Composer!
Some of my work can be seen here: https://www.artstation.com/christinaluntz or on my slightly ancient instagram: https://www.instagram.com/biscuitbunny333/. I also have some stuff on itch you can check out!
Some bits that are important to me are scope awareness, since that's kicked my butt a lot in the past, stress avoidance because I want us all to have a life outside the jam (I'll probably only have time for it on weekends and weekday evenings), transparency and communication so we can be clear if there's any issues (it's always okay if you want to quit the project due to any reason, please just let me know!) and also that you're 18+ of age due to personal preference. I'm also queer and a big ole yuri enthusiast, so if you don't enjoy/respect that, we might not really hit it off.
Anywho, my idea is to make a silly weirdcore creature collecting (+ possibly caretaking) game with f/f protags!
Have you ever seen those videos where people adopt lost/abandoned animals on their road trips? I've certainly seen a bunch! I also really love designing wacky creatures. Henceforth, the idea is as follows:
"A restless driver and her animal-loving wife/girlfriend find themselves far from familiar roads. Their long drive home was supposed to be perfectly ordinary and appropriately boring, but after a wrong turn the landscapes surrounding them become ever more... surreal. As the driver grows ever more anxious, the worst happens: they come upon a creature, waiting at the edge of the road. It looks weird and that is scary, but it unfortunately also looks like it needs help and oh my god we need to help it what if it won't survive out here please let's take it along with us!! The driver is, unfortunately, not immune against her partner's pleading puppy eyes."
This game's main premise is driving around surreal landscapes and picking up a bunch of weird animals in your vehicle. The rest is still up for the imagination: I could see fun in just keeping it as a creature-collecting thing, but it could also involve finding out which of the creatures definitely shouldn't be in the same car together or what caretaking needs they might have! That could add a resource-finding mechanic - maybe there are rest stops to stock up on wacky food?
The aesthetic will be in the weirdcore/surreal/backroom-esque/eldritch camp, but more with a comedic/silly tone rather than horror. A strong inspiration would be the Zooliminology Project by Quiietjay, search Golbo Care Guide on Youtube if interested! I think a 2,5D artstyle would be really fun (objects/environments 3d, characters/creatures 2d), but otherwise full 2D could also work well.
If you're interested in working on this with me, feel free to hmu here in the comments!