The Bookkeeper
Game Designer, Producer
The Bookkeeper is a cozy simulation game about learning the craft and mindset of book restoration. Using touch controls, experience the satisfying, tactile nature of book restoration as you methodically deconstruct and repair books (through tasks such as cleaning the cover, washing the pages and hanging them to dry, and unbinding/rebinding the pages) for a wide variety of customers and explore multiple meanings of "restoration."
The Bookkeeper was featured at the USC Games Expo in 2023.
At a Glance
- Developed for iPad using Unity
- 4 team members
- Ideated, developed, and released in 15 weeks
As Game Designer, my role included:
Systems Design
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Rapidly ideating to design the experience goals and core loop of the game
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Prototyping mechanics (both physical and digital) based on steps in real-life book restoration
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Implementing approximately half of the book restoration mechanics, including:
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Accepting quests
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Appraising the book
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Cutting the binding
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Taking the pages out of the books
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Taking down and organizing the pages
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Narrative Design
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Creating a narrative inviting the player to explore multiple meanings of "restoration"
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Writing the full script for the game, including the main story and all quests
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Implementing all dialogue in-engine
Environmental Design
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Modeling the 3D environment of a cozy workshop
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Modeling books, tools used in gameplay, and quest rewards for the workshop
As Producer, my role included:
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Tracking task progress and completion via burndown charts
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Creating task tickets and QA bug tracking
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Developing pitch decks and presentation materials to recruit team members