Game Projects
Professional Experience
Cookie Land
SOFTGAMES Canada
Free-to-play Match-3 Game | Role: Game Designer & Producer
Cookie Land is a free-to-play match-3 game developed by SOFTGAMES. This HTML5 game was featured on several game portals and it is currently one of the biggest match-3 titles on the Facebook Instant Games platform.
This social-oriented match-3 game takes the player to a world of sweets and pastries with hundreds of levels to solve.
Roles in the project:
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Design new features that successfully address product priorities based on KPIs and product roadmaps.
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Improve the UX from concept to release through wireframes, prototypes and technical specifications for artists and developers.
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Use business intelligence tools to design metrics-driven features and improvements based on actual user behaviour.
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Manage and iterate the game economy based on player data and correlations between multiple game systems.
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Manage and iterate the difficulty curve of over 3000 levels using real player data.
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Facilitate conversations between developers, artists and other team members towards common goals.
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Evaluate game performance through metrics and KPIs to plan action points accordingly.
Multiple Match-3 Games
SOFTGAMES Canada
Free-to-play Match-3 Games | Role: Game Designer & Producer
At SOFTGAMES Canada I had the opportunity of working on several free-to-play match-3 games. The smaller titles allow the team to test different themes and experimental features.
These HTML5 games were featured on several game portals and are amongst the biggest match-3 titles on the Facebook Instant Games platform.
Games:
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Garden Tales
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Sugar Match
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Candy Rain
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Fish Story
Roles in the project:
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Design new experimental features based on the company strategy and target result metrics.
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Plan and design features that can be easily incorporated into different titles.
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Analyze the performance of new experimental features before applying them on flagship titles.
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Facilitate conversations between developers, artists and other team members towards common goals.
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Evaluate game performance through metrics and KPIs to plan action points accordingly.
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Design tools to reduce the gap between design, art and developers.
Guardians of the Waters
Laboratory of Learning Objects (2018)
Multiplatform Game (Mobile / PC) | Role: Game Designer
Guardians of the Waters (Guardiões das Águas) is a multiplatform (Mobile / PC) educational game, for kids from Grade 2 to Grade 4, about basic sanitation and water treatment.
The project features 6 game modes and is compatible with the Kinect One in the PC version.
It is currently available in Brazilian public schools.
Roles in the project:
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Designed 6 different game modes, adapting the gameplay for both platforms (PC and Mobile).
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Designed over 50 level segments, using the Rational Level Design framework.
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Conceived the game proposal document that was pitched and approved by the investors.
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Documented and wrote most of the script and the dialogues.
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Oversaw the game look and feel.
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Guided game test sessions with the target audience.
Water Generations
Brazilian National Water Agency (2017)
Educational Game | Role: Game Designer
Water Generations (Geração Água) is a resource management educational game developed in partnership with the Brazilian National Water Agency, for students in Grades 7 to 10.
It is currently available in Brazilian public schools.
Roles in the project:
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Designed the gameplay loop.
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Conceived and successfully pitched the game proposal for the project stakeholders.
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Adjusted the level layout, blockout and decoration to ensure a better user experience.
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Planned proper game pacing, so that there are highs and lows in player interest curve during the gameplay.
Awards:
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Brazil’s Independent Games Festival (BIG Festival) 2018 - BIG Impact: Educational Category | Finalist
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2nd Golden Cube Award (Cubo de Ouro) 2018 - Best Geek Social Project | Finalist
Paleo Game
Private Commissioned Project (2016)
Mobile Game | Role: Game Designer
Paleo Game is a mobile educational game about evolutionary biology, commissioned by a Brazilian Ph.D. professor as part of their thesis.
The game has local multiplayer with several questions and minigames on the subject, for students in Grade 4 to Grade 8.
Roles in the project:
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Designed the gameplay loop.
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Planned and designed 3 minigames with local multiplayer features.
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Prototyped and implemented the level layout.
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Planned choke points in the game board to enhance gameplay.
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Designed the game systems, their rules and interactions.
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Ensured the game look and feel was within the project goal.
Profit Inc.
Laboratory of Learning Objects (2016)
Educational Game | Role: Game Designer
Profit Inc. (Lucro S.A.) is an educational business tycoon in which the player manages a company according to custom economic scenarios.
The economic scenario editor allows the student to simulate how to run a business in different contexts, such as a high-interest rate market, a low tax market, expensive retail suppliers, among dozens of other settings.
Roles in the project:
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Designed game systems based on real-world data like accounting concepts and formulas.
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Improved the UI to shallow the game's learning curve, which was too steep based on player feedback.
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Designed an economic scenario editor, which allows the player to simulate different situations like high taxes, low-interest rates, etc.
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Conducted playtests and incorporated feedback to improve the gameplay.
Awards:
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Brazil’s Independent Games Festival (BIG Festival) 2017 - Best Educational or Social Impact Game | Finalist
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Apps.edu International Contest | Honourable Mention
The Amazing Adventures of Apollo & Rosetta in Space
Laboratory of Learning Objects (2015)
Game for Health | Role: Creative Director
The Amazing Adventures of Apollo & Rosetta in Space was developed for academic research. The purpose of this game is to train the Executive Functions, especially the Inhibitory Control, of children between the ages of 8 and 10. It features 7 different game modes. This game was developed as part of a Ph.D. thesis at Feevale University.
Roles in the project:
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Designed 7 different game modes for specific research needs.
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Designed a procedural difficulty curve system for all 7 game modes, following the Rational Level Design framework.
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Documented and wrote most of the script and dialogues.
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Analyzed and documented connections between neuropsychology and digital games.
Awards:
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PUC Young Ideas (Jovens Ideias) Contest - Category: Search is evolving (2015) | Winner
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Master Tip Award (Dica de Mestre) - Educator Category (2018) | 2nd Place
The Suspects
Laboratory of Learning Objects (2015)
Game for Health | Role: Game Designer
The Suspects (Os Suspeitos) is a mobile game to assist psychologists in treating college students with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). It features 5 different focus-based minigames, in which the player must identify the suspects of a crime in a shopping mall.
Roles in the project:
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Prototyped the game with a content manager to aid the pitch.
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Designed and successfully pitched the game concept for the project stakeholders.
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Designed 5 different game modes for specific psychological needs.
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Investigated the relationship between interest and reward on players with ADHD.
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Created the game pacing system to boost player retention.
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Designed over 30 level segments.
Personal Projects
Hector & Stella
Game Jam Project
Turn-based Dungeon Crawler | Role: Game Designer
Hector & Stella is a turn-based dungeon crawler, made during Feevale Game Jam, a sponsored game jam. The event theme was "Guiding Dog" and in the game, you get to control Stela, the guiding dog of a powerful wizard named Hector in search of a powerful scroll.
Roles in the project:
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Conceived and pitched the game concept.
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Established the art direction.
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Designed 12 levels using the Rational Level Design framework.
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Utilized redirection techniques to guide the player through the levels.
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Documented and wrote all dialogues.
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Crafted all sprites and the UI.
Awards:
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Feevale Game Jam (2018) | Winner
Type 'n Jump
Game Jam Project
Text-Based Platformer | Role: Game Designer
Type ‘n Jump is a text-based platformer, made during Ludum Dare 41. The game jam theme was "Combine 2 Incompatible Genres".
It ranked 90th in the Overall category amongst over 2000 entries, with around 163 ratings.
Some players even started speed-running the game, which was a very nice surprise 🙂
Roles in the project:
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Conceived and pitched the game concept.
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Designed the level layout to improve player flow.
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Identified and corrected points of failure and frustration in the level design through playtests.
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Established the art direction.
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Crafted all sprites and the UI.
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Designed and iterated the character movement system.
Awards:
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Ludum Dare 41 | Ranked 90th in the Overall category, amongst over 2000 entries.
About
Richard N. Silva
Self-motivated. Data-driven. Quick learner. | Toronto, Canada
My name is Richard Nunes da Silva. I am a creative professional with more than 5 years of professional experience in Game Design and Project Management. Throughout my career, I had the opportunity to work on several amazing projects, which I am proud to share here on my website.
Currently I am working as a Game Designer / Producer for Match-3 games at Softgames Canada.
I love designing game mechanics, systems and gameplay loops to entertain people. I work closely with other creative professionals, programmers and data analysts to solve design problems.
My passion for design, data-driven approach and commitment with milestones are my best weapons in any project.
If you have any questions, feel free to contact me.