BOTANI GOTCHI

"Talkative potted plant Tamagotchi in a slow-living indoor garden with Don't Starve style."

Botani Gotchi is a peaceful mobile game. Combine the nostalgia of Tamagotchi with the soothing pace of slow living. Players care for their digital potted plants, nurturing them through interactions and conversations.

PROJECT OVERVIEW

Genre: Free-to-Play, Management, Casual, Pot Planting.

Features: Talkative plants & their postcard.

Imaginary plants.

A unique hand-drawn aesthetic.

Audience: Casual gamers, Nature lovers, Tamagotchi lovers.

Platform: Mobile.

Engine: Godot 4.

State: Released.

ROLE & RESPONSIBILITIES

Solo Game Developer—Game Design, Visual Art, UI/UX, 2D Animation.

Botani Gotchi is a cozy plant-growing game on Android where players nurture virtual plants in a Tamagotchi-inspired system. I worked as the sole UI and visual designer, crafting all in-game visuals, menus, and character assets.

The only external contribution was the background music, which I commissioned from a freelance composer.

GAME PILLARS

A game that aims to give a delightful experience by planting actual plants based on three primary pillars:

Interactive Plant Personalities: Each potted plant has its own personality, preferences, and needs.
Nostalgia: Hand-drawn aesthetics, quirky characters, and collectible postcards.
Opening a mystery box: Planting each unknown plant feels like opening a mystery box. Players will be excited to discover what kind of seeds they put in will grow.

GAME DESIGN

The foundation of this game begins with a simple and intuitive Game Loop—designed for immediate player understanding while still offering a fresh and engaging experience. The mechanics ensure accessibility without sacrificing depth, allowing players to grasp the system quickly while discovering layers of challenge and interaction as they progress.

In addition, the concept of tree planting plays a central role, inspired by my personal passion for nurturing life. The slow, steady growth of trees mirrors the rewards of patience and dedication—offering players a sense of progression that isn’t defined by an abrupt end. By modifying the life cycle of trees, I ensure that their journey continues, free from the sadness of inevitable decay.

CORE LOOP

Start an infinite planting loop from here.

Growth cycle: Comparable to the overall tree life cycle. Contrary to other plants, they don’t age and then die. When they are ready, they will leave the pot and start their own journey, leaving a postcard in their place.
Postcard: The player will receive mystery boxes, fresh soil, and seeds at random after reading a special postcard.

CORE LOOP FEATURE

Potting mix: Include details when planting potted plants to enhance the experience. Plant development is affected by the type of soil, pot, and fertilizer utilized. And getting these elements creates challenges.

SKETCH DESIGN

These rough sketches serve as the foundation for the game’s composition and proportions. By keeping the designs simple yet aesthetically pleasing, they help establish a clear visual balance while guiding the overall layout. This approach ensures that each element harmonizes within the game world, making it both structured and engaging.

PEST

Similar to raid bosses, pests appear when the player gets closer to their mission. Likewise, raising the enjoyment factor according to the plant's level.

Also, there are various uses for its remnants.

WORKSHOP

Expanding Depth & Variety

To enrich the gameplay experience, I have developed a diverse system of in-game items. Players can now create and customize objects freely through the Workshop system, allowing for greater flexibility and creativity. This system empowers players to shape their world, adapting and expanding their environment in ways that suit their individual play styles.

MONETIZATION STRATEGIES

Planting a tree in this game is like opening a gift—you never know what you’ll get. Each seed carries a delightful mystery, growing into something unexpected and unique. This element of surprise makes every planting experience exciting, reinforcing the beauty of discovery and the joy of nurturing life.

Additionally, randomized gift boxes serve as a special tool for players who wish to plant exclusive trees beyond the standard selection. These mystery boxes offer a unique way to expand their garden, adding an element of excitement and curiosity to the process.

In-App Purchases: The virtual currency has already been prepared. The player can speed up their garden by directly purchasing a higher-quality Lucky Daisy.

Non-intrusive ads: The player will receive a daily reward by watching a rewarded video ad.

Cosmetic Updates: Every two weeks, a fancy pot will be released.

Seasonal Bundles: Special plants and seasonal Lucky Daisy, which are tied to real-world seasons or events.

To enhance this mystery, the randomized gift boxes are designed using carefully chosen flower petals, seamlessly blending with the game’s theme. This approach reinforces the organic charm of the experience, making each new plant feel like a natural yet exciting revelation.

FINAL ASSETS

The artwork is meticulously drawn and arranged pixel by pixel on the sprite atlas to ensure that the game's visuals capture the charm of hand-drawn illustrations.

SPRITE SHEETS

WORKSHOP SPRITE ATLAS

UI SPRITE ATLAS

IN-GAME SCREENSHOTS

And when everything is put together into a game, it looks like this.

RELEASE

The game is now complete, and I will continue to update its content and add more plants over time.

You can download or play it online at the following platforms.

DEMO

ITCH.IO

DOWNLOAD

GOOGLE PLAY

REFLECTION / FEEDBACK

LACKING OF A PROPER MARKETING

Despite my efforts to create new accounts across various social media platforms—TikTok, Reddit, and YouTube—and produce content to promote the game, it has yet to gain significant attention, and many people are still unaware of its existence. The lack of effective marketing has been a major challenge. Therefore, for my next game, I will place a much greater emphasis on marketing to ensure broader visibility and engagement.

BAD TUTORIAL

I initially believed that a tutorial was unnecessary, as my game is incredibly intuitive. During testing, players could jump in and start playing with little to no explanation. However, once the game was released to the public, I received feedback that some players felt lost and unsure of what to do next. Given this, I realize that certain areas may benefit from a tutorial to enhance the player experience.

ART DIRECTION

While I am not opposed to AI-generated art, I have made a deliberate effort to hand-draw every illustration in the game, embracing the organic imperfections that come with traditional artistry. The slightly uneven lines, subtle distortions, and asymmetries give my work a sense of life, humanity, and intimacy, allowing players to feel a deeper connection to the game.

To my surprise, the response has been overwhelmingly positive—players genuinely love the art style. Even though it is not perfectly polished, they recognize it as 100% hand-drawn and appreciate its authenticity.

THANK YOU

Thank you for every download, every session played, and every piece of feedback—both positive and negative.

I acknowledge that my game still has its imperfections, but I deeply love and am proud of this project and continuously strive to refine and improve it. If you have any suggestions for additions, adjustments, or other enhancements, please feel free to share them with me!