Time Twins: For Hire

Overview

Time Twins is the result of a 6 weeks of rapid prototyping and development. We started with the idea: what if you played a multiplayer platformer in the same world, but in two different timelines? The game features two characters, one in the medieval past, the other in the dystopian present, both fighting to save the world from threat of a mysterious evil figure. Players must cooperate to solve puzzles that involve adjusting the past to affect the present and sending modern tools back in time to help their medieval counterpart. Players must also avoid enemies unique to each timeline, requiring strategic coordination, stealth, and timing.

Play on Itch

Technical Implementation

I designed, implemented, and iterated upon core gameplay systems for Time Twins, including character controls, time travel mechanics related to objects (both collectables and in-world), quests & dialogue, and enemy AI. The game was built in Unity using C# for scripting.

Key Systems or Features

• Enemy AI: Enemies operate on a enum-based state system, with aggression based on proximity.
• Rapid Prototyping: This project was created over six weeks, rapidly changing based on weekly playtesting feedback.
• Game Design: Features unique puzzle game mechanics around time travel.

Technical & Design Challenges

One of the main challenges was implementing the time travel mechanics in a way that felt intuitive and engaging. I created a system where certain objects could be manipulated in the past timeline, which would then affect their state in the present timeline. This required careful consideration of object states and interactions to ensure consistency across both timelines. It was also a difficult balance to make puzzles challenging yet solvable, requiring multiple iterations based on playtesting feedback.

Another challenge was designing enemy AI that could operate effectively in both timelines. I implemented a state machine for enemy behavior, allowing them to patrol, chase, and attack based on player actions. This added an extra layer of complexity to the gameplay, as players had to consider enemy positions and behaviors in both timelines while solving puzzles. Initially, the game included combat, but playtesting revealed that combat detracted from the core puzzle-solving experience, leading to its removal in favor of stealth and strategy.

Code Architecture

Although this project was developed as a series of rapid prototypes, I prioritized modularity and reusability in the codebase. Core systems such as character controls, time manipulation, and enemy AI were designed as separate components that could be easily modified or extended. This approach allowed for quick iterations and adjustments based on playtesting feedback, ultimately leading to a more polished final product. Inheritance was a key aspect of the architecture, particularly for the enemy AI system, where different enemy types shared common behaviors while allowing for unique attributes and actions.

Gallery

Outcomes & Learnings

Time Twins taught me a lot about developing a game with complex and unique mechanics over rapid sprints and lots of changes due to playtesting feedback. I stretched my skills in not only coding games, but designing experiences that users want to play and find entertaining. Puzzle games are difficult yet very rewarding to create, and I look forward to my next one. This project was shown at the Audio Pixel Collider showcase at the Univeristy of Texas at Austin in November 2025.

Links

Play on Itch