PORTDOOR
🚪 WHAT'S BEHIND THE DOOR?
Before I started making structured projects, I wanted to try something entirely original. This was my very first time building a game from scratch based purely on an idea.
A top-down 2D game built around mystery & strategy.
You teleport through doors without knowing where they lead. Memory-based mapping, strategic enemy avoidance, and exploration combine into a frantic survival experience.
⚔️ THE JAM RULES
Theme: What's Behind the Door?
Dev Time: Brackeys 2024.1 (1 Week)
Hardware: Potato Laptop Constraints
🧠 MY FIRST STEP INTO DESIGN
I was always more interested in design than pure coding. This project became my first serious attempt at designing mechanics and thinking critically about player experience!
🗑️ SCRAPPING IT ALL
I made a tough decision on Day 3: I completely scrapped the game and restarted from scratch.
It was terrifying to pull the plug mid-jam, but it taught me a crucial lesson about relying on a strong core idea and never settling for mediocre.
🚀 AFTER THE DUST SETTLED
I didn't abandon it after the jam ended. I polished the UI, flushed out persistent bugs, and added new levels!
I even successfully implemented a brand new SURVIVE MODE.
⏱️ DEADLINE CHAOS
I pushed my code exactly 30 minutes before the jam locked.
...And then I realized I accidentally uploaded my entire raw project directory instead of the playable zip file! 😅
📈 THE BIG TAKEAWAY
Constraints Breed Creativity
A potato laptop and a tiny 7-day window forced me to cut the fluff and laser-focus on one strong mechanic.
Simplicity Shines
A mechanic as incredibly simple as "where does this door go?" can feel overwhelmingly profound with the right design.
The Game Format
Always read the submission guidelines and absolutely double-check your exported builds (Lesson painfully learned).