In 2016, after years working in Advertising, I’ve decided to try something new. To create a Game Studio called Gorlami!. Here’s the story of how that happened. 

Phase 01 - The Big Bang on my mind

In 2014, I started working as a Digital Marketing Manager at Joy Street, a game company specializing in educational games for schools and nonprofits. My role involved promoting their games and developing marketing and media strategies for the company. 

Through my daily interactions with the development team, I gained a fascinating glimpse into every aspect of game creation, from art and animation to coding, QA testing, and more - One developer's suggestion sparked something in me: learning to code could be a hobby. I began with Swift, a language for iOS development, but it wasn't a good fit. Terms like "Boolean" and "float" flew right over my head.

Not willing to give up, I switched gears to learn Unity and C#. Suddenly, it clicked like magic. This new world of possibilities ignited my passion. I could create games, apps, and anything else my imagination desired.

The coding itch wouldn’t quit, so I had to turn this hobby into something more. It was in 2016, while I was talking to Rodrigo, a designer friend of mine, that the idea to create a game studio was born. We wanted to do something bold, something with a wink. The name we chose? Gorlami!, a reference to the movie Inglorious Bastards by Quentin Tarantino.

Creating a Brand

Gorlami! was born and our goal was very simple - we wanted to create Advergames, games specifically developed to promote a particular product, service or brand. But we had a problem at our hands: no one knew us or what our games could look like. 

Instead of panicking, we saw this as an opportunity to level up. We decided to build a portfolio of bite-sized, fun games that would showcase our skills and could pave the way for Gorlami!'s future.

Here’s a quick preview of the projects we created:

Project 01 - Angry Bedou’s 

Project Description

A Bedou is an old entity that lives inside every one of us. They're usually cool and easygoing, but you don't want to be around when they get hangry. The game was a quick and fun distraction, and you had to take care of your player feeding them with everything they asked for. OR ELSE

Project 02 - Hippo - The Chondriac Adventures

Project Description

The worst fear of this hippo is getting sick. Help him run away from viruses and get all the medicine he can, while wearing 7 different costumes. What? It's important to look good while you're trying to look healthy.

Project 03 - Trumpocalypse IV

Project Description

There is a disaster coming and you are the only one who can stop it. Trump and his inner demons are trying to attack the USA but you have the biggest american icons to help you out. Now, c’mon! Lets make America great again in our way. Kick his wig off!

MY ROLE - PHASE 01

On this phase I had to wear multiple hats - I was the Game Developer, Producer and led the outsourcing efforts for assets needed like music, code and art. 

My responsibilities included: 

Sprint Planning - Each sprint I’ve worked with the team to create a sprint plan detailing what the team needed to accomplish and how we planned to work. 

Product Backlog - Creating the product backlog to track progress and keep the team informed on what’s currently happening on the project. 

Communication - Being the key point of communication within the team, pro-actively helping team members that are blocked or are experiencing issues.

On the day to day operation, my work involved: 

• Oversee sprint planning, create and own the product backlog, and keep track of progress throughout sprints
• Oversee production cycle of each project, managing schedule, staffing, and delegation of responsibilities
• Create and own the Asset & Development Plan in consultation with the rest of the team
• Monitor other documentation and ensure its accuracy across the project
• Serve as Scrum Master
• Lead team through Sprint Reviews and Sprint Retrospectives, and document those conversations
• Plan and manage QA and user testing for each milestone

POSTMORTEM - PHASE 01

Managing a game studio for the first time proved to be a significant learning experience, filled with both challenges and successes, but building our first game stretched our abilities and provided valuable insights. 

This postmortem will share key takeaways from our journey, highlighting both the effective strategies we implemented and the pitfalls we encountered. 

What went right: 

• We started early and had time to fix any issues on the design of the games
• We playtested extensively during early stages
• We kept the scope of the games small
• Team members weren't afraid of interdisciplinary work
• Setting goals for each sprint gave us a sense of challenge from concept to completion

What went wrong:

• Trusting without verifying - specially regarding mobile store rules for publication
• Should have pushed for more diversification on the level design of the games
• Some tasks overran their bounds, and team members got tunnel vision
• The schedule and duration of the project was more intense than anyone involved initially anticipated

What I learned: 

• Improved time estimates across the team over each project
• Respect of the pipelines is crucial
• Iteration is not only good, but necessary - First we needed to get it working, then we could worry about making it pretty
• Modular kits made creating levels a lot easier specially for Trumpocalypse
• Information is key - every team member should touch every part of the project
• Experimentation is valuable—especially at the beginning
• When planning a project, it’s important to keep in mind the audience and the platform you’re working with 

Phase 02 - Build it and they will come

With the portfolio finished and tons of lessons learned, it was time to approach agencies and studios itching to enter the gaming world but lacking the know-how. Our brand and diverse games were our calling cards, ready to open doors and attract clients.

As luck would have it, an opportunity knocked while we were building momentum, we participated in a Startup program created by Recife City Hall, and Gorlami! was the only game company selected in the process. 

This provided us with our first office space and access to valuable mentors who guided us on our journey.

Project 04 - Recife pra Frente

Project Description

Gorlami was tasked with creating a game for the re-election campaign of Recife's Mayor. Aiming to engage young voters and inform the users what has been done by his current administration. 

The game took the form of an interactive city builder, allowing players to virtually experience the Mayor's accomplishments like the newly renovated Botanical Garden and the launch of free coding programs for students.

Project 05 - Detona Virus

About the Project

After the success of our first government project, Gorlami! was handpicked by the Brazilian Ministry of Health to tackle a critical public health challenge: raising awareness about HPV vaccination and combating its spread in Brazil, where the virus remains prevalent among young adults. 

Project Description

Our heroes gain microscopic sizes in a laboratory experiment and are transported into the immune system to combat the great villain Harry Papilos V. And that's where you come in. Choose which hero you will live this adventure with and also count on the help of Dr. Vacin, who takes all your health and has important tips to face the 15 stages and 3 bosses.

At each step, you will understand how important vaccination against HPV and Meningitis C is, and how we have to give importance to the battle in the game as it is in real life.

Project 06 - Super Science Friends: The Game

About the project

Back in 2017, we stumbled upon an awesome animation on YouTube called Super Science Friends - They are a team of super powered scientists who travel through time fighting nazi clones, space ghouls and their own scientific rivals. 

Never seen it? Click here to watch the episodes for free!

We were instantly hooked and had a crazy idea: partnering with the creators to develop a "beat 'em up" game inspired by classics like Streets of Rage and Turtles in Time. We visualized intense battles, tons of jokes, and the pure fun of classic brawlers.

To make this dream a reality, we launched a Kickstarter campaign along with the animation studio to secure funding. While we fell short of our goals, the experience was invaluable. We learned a ton, connected with passionate fans, and solidified our own passion for making games.

You can play a demo version of the game here: Super Science Friends: The Game

Project Description

Due to a time paradox Adolf Hitler is back from the dead and has gathered all of the super villains together to kidnap the Super Science Friends! It’s up to Einstein to rescue them (and unlock them as playable characters)! Fight your way through 12 awesome levels each taking place in a different period of time (and space). Defeat classic Super Science Friends villains like the Soviet Space Ghouls, Thomas Edison and more!

MY ROLE - PHASE 02

On this phase at Gorlami!, I was responsible for the creative direction of the projects, as well as for the strategy of dissemination and profitability, making sure we had a healthy ROI (return of investment) of the projects within the company, managing customer and team interests and helping define the product vision commercially guiding the success of a product and leading the cross-functional team that is responsible for improving it.

I was also responsible for planning, executing and closing projects. Defining the project, building its comprehensive work plan, managing budget and team as well as expectation of stakeholders.

On the day to day operation, my work involved: 

• Team Leadership - I led a talented team consisting of 3 programmers and 3 animators throughout this phase, ensuring seamless collaboration and efficient progress.
• Weekly progress meetings - Conducted weekly meetings to track production progress, ensuring that the project remained on schedule and addressing any challenges or roadblocks as they arose.
• Resource Coordination - Coordinated resources and facilitated effective communication across cross-functional teams to ensure project success.
• Client Engagement -  I maintained regular contact with our client, presenting project milestones and ensuring that their expectations were met. This communication was essential for project alignment and client satisfaction.
• Continuous Improvement -  I promoted a culture of continuous improvement within the team, encouraging members to share their insights and ideas for enhancing our project development process.

During this crucial growth phase, Gorlami! saw its team expand from its initial founding duo of myself and Rodrigo to a talented pool of 8 individuals. This expansion welcomed developers, artists, and animators who brought their diverse skillsets to our creative vision.

POSTMORTEM - PHASE 02

This postmortem will share key takeaways from our journey, highlighting both the effective strategies we implemented and the pitfalls we encountered on this phase where we led directly with clients. 

What went right: 

• Getting around all the red tapes that working with a government client can offer
• Engaging Core Gameplay - The core gameplay loop successfully provided satisfying challenges and engaging mechanics, leading to positive player feedback and high retention rates
• Timely updates, compelling live events, and active community engagement maintained player interest and extended the game's lifespan.
• Clear communication, efficient workflow, and resource allocation within the development team ensured smooth development and project completion.

What went wrong: 

• JIRA had a lot of overhead excess features built into it, which raised the barrier to entry and lowered the adoption rate 
• Character Designs crunched due to time management difficulties and occasional miscommunications on deadlines 
• Monetization Model Imbalance: The chosen monetization model failed to generate sufficient revenue, with players finding IAPs (Internal App Purchases) overpriced or free content lacking.
• Misunderstanding the target audience's preferences led to design elements that didn't resonate with the core player base

What I learned: 

• To prioritize playtesting and iterative design: Rigorous testing and incorporating player feedback early in development can prevent major issues and ensure a polished final product.
• To strike a balance in monetization: Design a monetization model that provides reasonable value for players while generating sustainable revenue for the game's continued development.
• To foster team communication and collaboration: Implement clear communication channels and efficient workflows to avoid development roadblocks and delays.
• To refine target audience research: Conduct in-depth research and utilize accurate data to better understand the audience's preferences and expectations.