Social Distancing
An epic quest for toilet paper
The year is 2020. The HUMAN POPULATION stands as one (six feet apart) as they wage war with the sinister NOVEL CORONAVIRUS. Their secret weapon: trying not to catch it at all, by planting themselves on their couches and flattening the virus's exponential advance. They have code-named their heroic strategy SOCIAL DISTANCING.
There is but one flaw in their plan. TOILET PAPER. They have fallen under the DECEPTION that SOCIAL DISTANCING will accelerate their gastrointestinal cycles so SEVERELY that they will exhaust an entire pack of 32 mega-rolls before their plan is complete.
Fearing the day you sit stranded on the can, staring at the feeble cardboard core of your last precious roll, you make a risky dash to THE STORE, hoping to add to your unnecessarily enormous supply…
when life gives you a pandemic
March 2020 - As my world locked down and entered the age of COVID-19, I was blitzed by this new phrase “Social Distancing,” stories of people rushing to the store to buy unnecessarily large amounts of toilet paper, and an abnormal abundance of free time. So I combined all those things into a game.
I didn’t want to launch into another long-form project like Hexa Hiker— spring quarter at Zoom university was starting too soon— so I concluded I would pull it off in two days. Spoiler alert: that didn’t happen, but I did manage to bust it out in two weeks. With Hexa Hiker and Axe Game under my belt, I worked quicker than ever in Unity and Blender, finally feeling thoroughly intermediate at the craft. I reached out to an old friend from high school and asked if she would bless the game with her musical talent, which turned out to be one of the highlight aspects of the game. I was proud that I was able to accomplish so much, so fast using a medium I had entirely taught myself over the past three years.
I put the project down as school picked back up and sent the build to a few friends, but I didn’t stop thinking about it. After collecting an abundance of new skills and tricks to polish games in CSE 490 over the summer, I went back and remastered it, had my friends try it and incorporated their feedback, and launched the game on Steam. My plan if I make any money off the game is to donate it to charities combatting the challenges 2020 has thrown at us.
Donation Updates
11/30/20 - The game has sold 14 units at the time of this writing, amounting to $35 after Steam’s cut. Revenue has to reach $100 before I can claim it, so keep telling everyone you know about it! The second any money shows up in my bank account I will turn around and donate it. Suggestions on where to donate are welcome! Thank you to everyone who bought the game so far!!!
12/16/20 - Wow!! We’re up to $71 with 27 copies sold!!! I am blown away. Hmu with charity ideas, I’ll do some serious research once actual money shows up in my bank account. I was genuinely not expecting this many people to buy it, thank you so so much for supporting my game.
1/1/21 - Happy 2020 2! We’re at 33 units with $89 in revenue. We’re almost to our first donation!
I’ve done some preemptive research on charities to donate to. Quick reminder that my goal is to donate to charities combatting the challenges characteristic of 2020— Covid relief, Artist funds, support for underprivileged communities, and the ongoing fight for racial equality. I’ve found four charities working uniquely in those areas:
Let me know if you have any feedback or recommendations regarding donation. Thanks again for your support!
9/21/21 - Still no payment from Steam, if I ever receive any money I’ll make sure to update this page!