Survival Game Design: Lessons from Home Alone Survival
Game development is full of challenges, and sometimes, the biggest hurdle is getting others to believe in your idea. This was precisely the case when working on Home Alone Survival, a browser game based on The Amazing World of Gumball IP.
The proposal? A survival game inspired by Don't Starve, where Gumball and Darwin find themselves alone at home, with an empty fridge and nothing but scraps to fight over. While they struggle to survive, Anais remains caught in the middle of their chaos.
At first, the project faced significant pushback. Our team had never developed a survival game before, and we were also experimenting with a new engine. Understandably, my superiors were skeptical about whether we could deliver within the scope of a browser game. However, I firmly believed in the potential of this concept. To ensure the idea was viable, I took the initiative to strengthen my pitch proposal.
Building a Strong Core Loop
The first step in refining the idea was ensuring that the core gameplay loop was engaging and well-structured. Since our audience consisted of collector and achiever-type players, I designed a system that integrated collection, progression, tension, and survival. All essential components of the survival genre.
-
Survival: I implemented a health and hunger system where players accumulated hunger and thirst over time. If either reached a critical level, Gumball would start losing health until he fainted. However, because this was a Gumball game, I couldn’t simply mimic Don’t Starve’s mechanics. Instead, I replaced thirst with fun, making it necessary for the player to engage in entertaining activities like breaking objects or playing with Anais to keep Gumball from getting bored.
-
Collection: The game featured an inventory system where players could gather food, materials, and unique items scattered throughout the house. These objects played a key role in both survival and progression.
-
Progression: Rather than a full-fledged base-building system (which would be too ambitious for a browser game), I introduced the idea of a camp. Gumball could construct a small survival area to help him last until his parents returned. The camp offered various functionalities: cooking food, praying to Penny for “blessings,” and even playing tic-tac-toe with Anais.
-
Tension: Every survival game needs an element of danger, and for this, I turned Darwin into the antagonist. Since we couldn’t develop a complex AI enemy, I designed him to function as a persistent threat rather than a direct attacker. Darwin would move randomly through the house, and encountering him would trigger a targeting reticle that slowly locked onto Gumball. If Darwin “fired,” Gumball would faint, losing both health and inventory items.
With all these elements in place, the goal became clear: survive Darwin’s threats and manage Gumball’s needs until Richard and Nicole returned.
Presenting the Idea to the Team
Once I had a well-defined gameplay loop, the next challenge was getting buy-in from my colleagues and superiors. Given the novelty of the survival genre for our team and the risks of using a new engine, there was understandable resistance.
To tackle this, I decided to speak with each department separately. This approach allowed me to focus their attention on their specific concerns while acting as a bridge between teams. Instead of overwhelming everyone with an extensive pitch all at once, I tailored the discussions to each group’s expertise, gathering their feedback and addressing their technical and creative constraints.
With all the insights collected, I refined the proposal further and convinced my superiors to present it to the client. The final proposal emphasized the following key points:
-
We deliver a compelling, well-scoped survival game.
-
The game engine could serve as a foundation for future projects.
-
I had already resolved critical aspects like camera behavior, asset management, controls, and enemy mechanics.
A Game Loved by the Community
Thanks to this structured approach, developing a strong core loop, carefully managing scope, and fostering collaboration, the project gained momentum. What started as a risky pitch evolved into a well-rounded game that the community genuinely loved. Home Alone Survival stands as a testament to how perseverance, strategic planning, and teamwork can transform an uncertain idea into a successful and engaging game.
