Gatorbytes - A Free Game for Desktop and Mobile

In early 2024, at my day career, the design team was talking games. We were tasked to come up with ideas, and the team would likely move forward with one between projects and deadlines. This was a group effort of an amazing team, for when we had the extra time to work on it. Jump ahead to late 2025, and we have made a game! The game is on the company's website and is free to play. It is playable on your desktop computer or your preferred mobile device. With the game now live, I wanted to share it with you all. When I think about it, after twenty years working in games, this is the first digital game that I have worked on that was actually completed and usable. First, let's have a look at the game.

Gatorbytes is a vertical jumper where you try to escape rising water, a jumping alligator, while collecting fruit, keys, and more!

Again, I can not stress how much amazing work and talent the team brought to the table for this project. We would not have a completed game without all of us coming together. In the end, the game, music, and sound effects were all created in-house by us. Here is a look at the game menu on the screen. I will circle back around regarding the game stats. 

From the website, you can choose to play the game or look at the game stats.

Now, for my contribution to the project. In the early days of thinking about this project, we as a team talked about some game graphics that were made for our website and how that might be a good jumping-off point for a game. Using the imagery from the graphics, I worked up a limited scope concept. At the time, I wasn't sure if we would ever get off the ground, if it was even possible, and how much time and energy we had available. So in the end, I aimed small with the options to scale up if possible. 

To that end, I planned out a limited area vertical jumper where you moved from platform to platform collecting fruit as you tried to outrun rising water and a leaping alligator. Nothing groundbreaking, but we all have to start somewhere. Using the existing graphic on our site as a starting point, I worked up a series of infographics, sketches, and an animated demo. Here are my super professional sketches that I started with. 

In the end, I always end up on paper at some point in my process to make art.

I quickly made elements in Photoshop for the diagrams and imported them into Adobe Animate (Flash) to create the animated demo. I used Flash for many years, so it was fun to use it again. Here is the breakdown I made for the team to explain my idea and concept.

As you can see from the date on the image, this was taking shape in March 2024.

I used a mix of found and made audio elements to complete the animated demo. My concept and plan were well-received for the most part. There were some that wanted us to go in a more educational direction with the game. I knew this was likely our one chance to make something fun that didn't need to be educational at all. This was for us to have fun and learn with. In the end, my concept was selected, and the team began to work on it. Here is an animated GIF to show a little of the demo I made. I can not share the full demo I made.

It is a bit jumpy and has no sound, but you can get the idea.

At this point, much of the project was out of my hands. I was still involved with working out design concepts and giving feedback on the work being done. The team explored some different options with the presentation of the game, but in the end, we moved back to my original concept and expanded it into an endless jumper. There is no longer an end goal beyond surviving as long as possible and achieving the highest score. Here is a super detailed and professional sketch showing how the spring platform should look and work.

Spring platform goes POW!

It has been a true joy to be a part of this and to watch the team create such a fun game. We haven't reinvented the wheel, but we made something that is ours and reflects the center and the work we do. While the mobile version of the game fills your screen, on the desktop, you get the full experience with 'cabinet art' and instructions. 

I prefer to play on a desktop.

Now it is your turn to play, if you haven't already. There are ways to power up your score, the distance between you and the water, and more. Make sure you collect the fruit to unlock a key, you might find something with a lock that it can open. And always look out for the jumping gater!

Gatorbytes is easy to play, but takes time to master.

While this project might look like all fun and games, the team was actually working on some important work on the back end. The game is actually keeping track of most everything you are doing in the game and is updating the Leaderboard with the high scores and quantifying most of the events in the game and updating those to the website in real time. This was so we could better learn how to link these sorts of things to the courses and projects we usually create. Try to beat the high scores and get your initials up there! You might see some familiar initials on there.

Can you push all of the CABs off the leaderboard?!?

Speaking of real-time updating and tracking, as I mentioned, the game keeps track of most game events. This includes collecting the types of fruit, spring platform usage, times spent doing specific actions, and more. You can see the current numbers in the game stats section of the game.

Can you add to the game states?!?

I could not be happier or prouder of the team's work. As proof of concept and execution, I think it is a phenomenal success. We are already talking about the next game, and I have some ideas I will be sharing with the team very soon. 

That is all for another exciting Wednesday on the blog. See you back here on Friday! Until then...

For more samples of my work or to contact me regarding my availability, head over to my website: www.christopherburdett.com

Augmented Reality Test Using Interstellar Express Assist

As I first mentioned in July, the day job has us doing some testing and experimentation in augmented reality (AR). As we moved forward with the work, I utilized some of the work that I did on Interstellar Express to make several animated shadow boxes that you could interact with and explore. This is a direct extension of the work I shared with you in July. Mainly, it was a test to see if I could make looping gifs and then import them into Aero, make them clickable, and create something animated and interactive. After trying out some options and proof of concept tests, I generated the following video.

Augmented Reality Test Using Interstellar Express Assist

Initially, as a proof of concept test, I did a flat version, which you can still see in this video. I always intended these to be shadow boxes, but to ensure all the pieces worked and I wasn't wasting time, I made a flat version first.

We continued, and in cases continue, to do stuff with AR at the day job. I have one additional test from earlier in the year to share with you soon. The team has moved on to doing some work in 3D, and some back brought that work back into AR. I have been focused on other work lately, but in time I hope to share some work in that direction as well.

That's all for another exciting week on the blog. Next week will be weird, so I am not sure if there will be any posts, but you never know. Until then...

For more samples of my work or to contact me regarding my availability, head over to my website: www.christopherburdett.com

Interstellar Express Part 8 - Hotshot

Today, I am concluding my posts focused on my work from Interstellar Express, the educational game I art directed and made many assists. This week I am sharing some of the art I created for the stripped-down version of the project. Let's get back to the Interstellar Express Hotshot!

There were concerns that all the aliens, planets, environments, and neat stuff were too much and would distract from the project's purpose. To that end, we made a second version that was extremely limited and focused nearly entirely on the assessments. This called for a new intro screen, UI, and visual elements. Out are the train, planets, environments, interactions, and story. The larger complete version is still happening, but the Hotshot became a priority before 2020. I present you with selected art from Interstellar Express Hotshot.

The new launch screen features a selection of aliens and the Hotshot text I made.

I created a background, UI, and related elements to bring this slimmed-down version to life.

Upon completion, you get an interactive photo booth where you can select backgrounds and aliens to create a photo of some happy aliens.

And that brings us to the end of my work on the Interstellar Express project. It is always a possibility that there will be a need for additional assets in the future, but it has been nearly two years since I created any significant art for this project. Hopefully, it will launch in the not too distant future. When I hear anything about this happening, I will be sure to share it.

That's all for another exciting week on the blog. See you back here on Monday! Until then...   

For more samples of my work or to contact me regarding my availability, head over to my website: www.christopherburdett.com

Interstellar Express Part 7 - Environment Tiles

Today, I am continuing my posts focused on my work from Interstellar Express, the educational game I art directed and made many assists. This week I am sharing the art for the environment tiles I created. Let's get back to the Interstellar Express! 

Interstellar Express space screen

Final art by Lee Bretschneider

One of the features that I was most looking forward to making for the game is the environmental tiles. That said, I am still unsure if any of this work will be in the finished game. These tiles are to be used as part of a mini-game reward at different points in the game or at the end for a final treat. The tiles are meant to be flexible enough to be arranged in any order to create new and unique environments. Aliens will be placed around the scene, and the user will need to find them all. Each environment includes a tile that has no obstacles, one that has short obstacles, one that has tall obstacles, and one that is the space train station. I have arranged the four tiles and then a sample arrangement of a scene. I present you with the art for the environment tiles of Interstellar Express.

The generic alien world with its rolling hills and rocky brush.

The bug world with its mega flora.

The bird world with its towering trees and fields of clouds.

The elemental world with its steam geysers and icy outcroppings.

The lava world would not be complete without lava.

The lost desert world has a few cactuses.

The ocean world with its giant sponges and aquatic plants.

The robot world is a maze of long abandoned machinery.

The shapes world had mostly 90-degree angels and not much depth.

The space dinosaur world has plenty of ancient plants to enjoy while you search for the train stop.

Lastly, the train depot world has a lovely fountain and will likely never be used.

That's all for another exciting week on the blog. See you back here on Monday! Until then...  

For more samples of my work or to contact me regarding my availability, head over to my website: www.christopherburdett.com

Interstellar Express Part 6 - Environment Finals

Today, I am continuing my posts focused on my work from Interstellar Express, the educational game I art directed and made many assists. This week I am sharing the final art for the environments I created. Let's get back to the Interstellar Express! 

Interstellar Express space screen

Final art by Lee Bretschneider

The environment art was some of the most complex elements I created for the game. Each planet has a layered environment that will allow parallax scrolling. There is a background, which is stationary, and a looping middle ground and background. In addition to these three layers, the attraction element will be featured when you reach your final destination. These were a lot of fun and very different from what I usually create, so it was a great opportunity to flex some underused art muscles. I enjoyed making each layer separately and working with all three to push and pull the layers to create depth and visual separation. I plan to share some of the environments in motion, but that is for another post for another project. I present you with the final environment art of Interstellar Express.

 

The generic alien world with and without the attraction.

The bug world with and without the attraction.

 

The bird world with and without the attraction.

As a side note for this one, it was one of the first I finished, and when I had completed them all, I went back and completely reworked it. I had initially made it with white clouds and a blue sky. Once compared to the other, it fell a little flat and was visually similar to the elemental world. Shifting it to more of a sunset color palette made it much more visually exciting and unique when compared to the other planets.

 

The elemental world with and without the attraction.

 

The lava world with and without the attraction.

 

The lost desert world with and without the attraction.

 

The ocean world with and without the attraction.

 

The robot world with and without the attraction.

 

The shapes world with and without the attraction.

 

The space dinosaur world with and without the attraction.

Space dinosaurs are both advance and retro.

 

The train station world. Ultimately, I am unsure how much this will be used or seen in the game. The middle ground was never meant to fully loop.

The train car interior. This section should get a lot of use as it is the background whenever the aliens and universal translator interact with the user. The background outside the windows will be a space field created for a separate game element and will be reused here.

That's all for another exciting week on the blog. See you back here on Monday! Until then... 

For more samples of my work or to contact me regarding my availability, head over to my website: www.christopherburdett.com