Design Statement
When I first listened to the theme track, I immediately thought about life.
It sounds cheerful and energetic, yet there is melancholy underneath, and then it ends suddenly—much like life itself.
That contrast became the starting point for Turt O’Clock.

You play as Pickle, a sea turtle rescued by a little girl.
From behind the aquarium glass, you watch her grow up, form relationships, and build a family of her own.

I wanted to explore how differently time can be experienced. For a long-lived turtle, a human childhood is only part of a much longer journey.
Even between people, the same years can feel different: one person is busy discovering the world, while another is waiting for them to come home.

The aquarium provides a familiar viewpoint while life outside it changes. Playful visits give way to distractions, absences, and new connections.
As Pickle grows, the space becomes smaller, until caring for the turtle means letting go.

The ocean brings freedom, but also a goodbye.
The abrupt ending echoes my first impression of the music: we live as though there will always be more time.

Game Instructions (launch steps, controls, and gameplay overview)
Play in your browser or download the Windows version.

Browser: click “Run game” on the game page. Fullscreen is recommended.

Windows: download and extract the ZIP, then run the game executable inside the extracted folder. Keep all included files and folders together.

Audio is recommended for both versions.

Controls:
- WASD or arrow keys: move and swim.
- Hold Shift: move faster.
- Space: interact, tap the glass, or pick up and throw a ball when available.

Follow the characters’ gestures and on-screen prompts. Explore the aquarium, respond to visitors, and interact with toys and food to progress through Pickle’s story.

On the beach, move right toward the waiting hand. In the aquarium and ocean, you can move in both directions. Take your time and enjoy the story.

Gameplay walkthrough video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xHVWvUrddP0

Did your project use any AI tools or assets? If yes, please specify.
Yes.
Watercolor illustrations and the turtle’s adapted painted texture were created using OpenAI / GPT Image.

OpenAI Codex / GPT, Claude / Anthropic, and Gemini / Google assisted with code, art, dialogue, procedural creature geometry, turtle rigging and animation, and original synthesized sound effects, ambience, and music-box melodies, under human direction, selection, and integration.

The turtle model, recorded soundtrack, gull recordings, fonts, and water shader resources are separately licensed third-party assets.
Full attribution and license notices are included in the game and project credits.