Soulmate: Search, Breed, Repeat

I participated in the 2012 Global Game Jam. The challenge is to create a game from scratch in 48 hours that is based on the theme that is revealed at the start of the competition. The theme this year was a picture of an ouroboros (see below). The symbol represents the cycle of life, death and rebirth.

My team was called Team Mate and consisted of Pouya Aflatoun (art), Clinton Shepherd (code), Michael Theiler (audio) and myself (design and production). The game we created draws upon the theme of a cycle in the physical world (you play inside a large circular world) and in the mechanics of what the player does: search for a soul mate, breed and then repeat the process.

There are two play modes: reality and denial. In reality, you have a biological clock that is ticking. So you only have a limited amount of time to find your soul mate. In denial, you have all the time in the world: the cycle never finishes and the game ends when you choose to end it.

Tutorial Instructions

We recommend that you start with "denial" mode so that you can get used to the game and how to play it. Feel free to just stay here and explore. Howevr, if you feel confident enough, escape "denial" and challenge yourself to harsh "reality".

• There are three characteristics: shape, colour and voice.
• Your soul mate has one characteristic in common with you and two different.
• Press “Z” to sing to others so you can hear their voice.
• If you find your soul mate, press “X” to breed with them and create a child.
• This increases the number of generations you have created.
• Carry on living as your child and find your child's soul mate. Repeat.

Screenshots from the game

Start Screen Choose how you want to play: endless or with a clock ticking.	Denial Mode In denial mode, you're still looking for your soul mate, but you can take your time to admire the scenery.
Reality Mode In reality mode you have a biological clock that is ticking. It will make finding your soul mate harder since you might run out of time. Sing to the other inhabitants to see if they're your soul mate.	End screen If you run out of time in reality or you choose to quit in denial, you'll find out how many generations you successfully created in your lineage.

Downloads

You can access the original version (including source code) which we created in 48 hours from: Soulmate on the Global Game Jam website. Or you can download the latest version (with less bugs and lots more polish):

• Windows version: download the zip, uncompress the file and run the exe.
• Mac version.
• Web browser version: scaled down version, requires Unity Plugin.