1. Hi there! What's your name? Want to introduce yourself?
Hello, it’s nice to be back! I’m Kayleigh, a combination illustrator/game developer, recent MFA graduate of CCAD (Ohio, USA), and self-identified soft egg. I use she/her/hers pronouns.
2. Did you participate in the last jam we held? If so, what do you plan on doing better this time? If not, what's your reason for joining?
I had every intention of participating in the Winter 2020 jam. Shortly after posting to the intro Q&A thread, my mental health (and productivity) took a nosedive amidst working on my Master’s thesis. Now that things are settling down post-graduation, I’m hoping to be more active in this jam...and I really look forward to making something fun with all of you!
This time around, I plan on developing a little interactive toy of some sort. I have a nasty habit of over-complicating my projects, so starting small and limiting my initial scope should hopefully curb that impulse.
3. What games are your favorites? Did any of them inspire you, or made you want to make your own?
I enjoy playing cozy, casual games like Animal Crossing the most, but will reach for a cute RPG or platformer every now and then. A couple titles I keep in mind when making my own include “Hamtaro: Ham-Ham Heartbreak” (GBA) and “Tearaway” (PS Vita). The simple minigames and pixel styles you find on Tamagotchi or other digi-pet toys have also been a major influence.
I’ve been inspired by Louie Zong’s musical toys here on itch, particularly dream.piano & guitar friend! His illustrations, animations, and music have this super-relaxing aura to them.
4. Do you have experience with game development? What did you do/with what engine?
I worked with RPGMaker MV and bitsy to release a couple games in the past, and briefly tried out Unity 3D with Blender for a small VR project. 3D modeling is quite out of my depth, so I currently use Unity 2D and Fungus (a Unity plugin) to implement custom assets and develop games. I tend to go solo with jams and make everything myself when it comes to assets...art, sprites, animation, music, the whole kit and caboodle.
Aseprite has been handy for my pixel work, which I highly recommend if you’re looking to streamline your animation/sprite-making pipelines!
5. Tell us about something you're passionate about!
I journal quite a bit these days, and I really enjoy it! I have a sizable collection of stationery, stickers, acrylic stamps, washi tape, and cute notepads...so checking in with myself via pen-and-paper helps keep the stash manageable.
6. What are your goals for this game jam?
* experiment with UI, interactivity, & sound design
* keep an up-to-date devlog & connect with other jammers
* submit a polished digital toy!