Design Statement
The theme track suggested a journey from tentative curiosity to quiet confidence: first feeling my way forward, then gradually settling into a natural rhythm. I wanted players to experience that change through their hands.

In Boat, Where To?, each hand controls an oar. Early movements can feel awkward, but practice turns separate inputs into coordinated rowing. Each stroke adds force rather than moving the boat a fixed distance. Momentum and currents keep it drifting, encouraging players to read the water instead of simply holding a direction.

I chose an autumn river with warm foliage, soft water textures, and restrained interface elements. Reed channels, sandbars, crosscurrents, gates, and whirlpools test the player's growing confidence, while calmer stretches offer room to breathe. Water, wind, and varied oar recordings make movement feel tangible.

The ending turns personal progress into connection: earlier travelers leave a river of lanterns behind them. Reaching its leading edge, the player lights another lantern, illuminating a little more of the way for whoever comes next.

Game Instructions (launch steps, controls, and gameplay overview)
Launch the browser version from this itch.io page, switch to fullscreen, and select "Set Sail". Landscape orientation and headphones are recommended.

Keyboard: W / S control the left oar; Up / Down Arrow control the right. W and Up Arrow row forward; S and Down Arrow row backward. Tap for small corrections or hold to keep rowing. Press Esc or click the pause icon at the top center to pause.

Controller: A standard dual-stick controller is recommended on desktop. Each stick controls its corresponding oar. Push up to row forward and pull down to reverse. Small movements make gentle corrections; holding a stick continues rowing. Return both sticks to center to stop rowing and coast.

Touch: Hold your phone sideways. Swipe up or down on each half of the screen to control the corresponding oar.

Begin with the practice-lake tutorial. Use both oars together to move forward or backward, one oar to turn, or opposite strokes to turn sharply. Read the currents, navigate obstacles, and reach the end of the river. Collectibles are optional. If stranded, click the white "Reset" dot beside the rower to return to the latest berth. Difficulty can be changed in Settings.

Gameplay walkthrough video
https://youtu.be/vYbrWUDB7dM

Did your project use any AI tools or assets? If yes, please specify.
Yes. OpenAI Codex/ChatGPT was used to generate and revise game code, assist with debugging and design iteration, and produce parts of the text and English translation. OpenAI image-generation tools were used to create visual assets, textures, and title lettering. Music and sound effects were sourced from separately licensed recordings and were not AI-generated.