Gerda: A Flame in Winter – Liva’s Story

My Role: Lead Programmer
Time on project: .5 years (fall 2022 – spring 2023)
Average team size: 20 people
Available At: Steam, Switch
Publisher: Don’t Nod
Platform: Windows/Switch
Input: Keyboard + Mouse / Controller
Engine: Unity 3D
MetaCritic Score: TBD

Main Contributions:

  • Game framework:
    • Reorganized game content to allow for DLC content stories.
    • Switch porting:
      • Implemented the DLC framework and integrated it with the Switch API.
      • Setup asset management for minimum cartridge size.
      • Packaged the assets in collaboration with our published to allow for submitting Switch DLC.
  • Animations:
    • Refined character controller and feet IK solution to reduced environment clipping and getting stuck.
  • Organizational:
    • Managed up to 5 programmers throughout the development of the project.
    • Responsible for technical communication with our publisher regarding app submission and platform setup for Steam and Switch.
    • Participated in the localization process with contact directly to the localization team and our publisher.
  • Pipelines:
    • Developed and maintained a custom localization system.
    • Developed and maintained a custom visual scripting tool “Graphenheimer” which was used by our design department for all level scripting and the narrative team for all the dialogue.
  • Community:
    • Monitored our Steam socials and support-inbox to provide support for our players.
    • Streamed the game during several social events.

Awards:

Theme and Gameplay:

Desperate and downtrodden, the mission remains: regroup, patch up your wounds, and hit the German army again using sabotage, infiltration, spying, and even assassination. Opposite to Gerda’s empathic approach, Liva is not afraid of using violence and often struggles to tell revenge from justice.

Liva’s Story was a DLC campaign that leads up to the main campaign of Gerda. The player will visit similar locations and get a chance to interact with some of the lesser fleshed out characters from the main campaign. Mechanically the game plays very similarly to the main campaign, however, with an increased emphasis on action and managing your team. In between each mission the player gets to interact with their team members and have to chose how to handle the different personalities and conflicts that might arise as a consequence of this. The game is slightly more linear that the main campaign, but still focuses on consequences of actions and replayability through diverging mission paths.