Artistic Statement / Use of Theme
Climate Jam 2026’s theme “Plant a seed!” is reflected in a game about responding to a real mud volcano that steadily poisons land, air, water and communities. The project is built in collaboration with a startup working on water quality in the affected region. Technologies (population relocation from risk zones, water-treatment plants, agricultural drainage systems, post-eruption cleanup and ecosystem restoration) are grounded in actual ecological measures and referenced research. Our intention is to raise awareness of a little-known crisis and to show that timely, balanced interventions can still improve the outcome. The low-poly 3D style was chosen for clarity and feasibility, letting the seriousness of the situation speak without visual distraction.

Development Summary
I developed the game solo over roughly one month, working a few hours a day when possible; a partner from the collaborating startup supplied scientific data, helped with testing and shared key design decisions. The core concept—ten turns, four scales, Progress Tree and one-time technologies—was solid from the start, so the only notable change was locking the experience to exactly ten turns. The hardest challenge was balance; the main things cut were unfinished environment assets and a few additional technologies I simply ran out of time to model. Playtesters responded positively to the real-world grounding and the visual style, while early confusion about the Progress Tree–Technology link was addressed with a clearer How to Play section.

(optional) Release Plan
The game is fully playable, free of known bugs, and currently available on itch.io for Windows. After the jam it will remain on itch.io while I complete remaining polish (environment details, sound and UI refinements). No broader platform release is planned at this stage.

(optional) Further Development Plan
With additional time the first priorities would be finishing the environment, adding sound, refining the UI and introducing difficulty levels. I would also expand the design with random events and situational challenges to increase replayability. No sequels or spin-offs on the same mechanics are currently envisioned.

Topic Tags
MudVolcano, WaterPollution

Sprint Participation
Yes

Game Engine, Platform, Format
Unity - PC (Windows)

Generative AI Disclosure
I used Gemini to style an avatar photo.

(Optional) Feedback Form
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSekwHlqCXWric0lP51vt68kWKyLLBKuRTULPHeJtwbR37G-Kw/viewform