DivergAnts
DivergAnts
DivergAnts is a work in progress colony simulation featuring distinct ant castes with unique behavioral traits and abilities. The project integrates pheromone-based indirect control with emergent colony dynamics, creating a system where player decisions have cascading effects throughout the colony. Currently being adapted to incorporate roguelike elements per publisher interest, with a focus on media influence mechanics affecting ant culture.
Location
Portland Oregon
Skills Utilized
Systems Design, AI Behavior Development, Emergent Gameplay Design
Technology Used
Unity, C#, Visual Studio, Git, Adobe Photoshop
year
2025
Overview
Exploring emergence through ant colony dynamics.
DivergAnts began as an exploration of how different behavioral traits within a colony can create emergent patterns when combined with environmental pressures. The simulation uses a pheromone-based indirect control system where players influence rather than directly control the ants, creating a dynamic and unpredictable gameplay experience.
Key features of the colony system include:
Multiple ant castes (Queen, Scouts, Soldiers, Caretakers, Workers) with unique behavior profiles
Dynamic pheromone trails that guide ant decision-making
Environmental hazards and resource management challenges
State persistence between map transitions (above/below ground)
Adaptive colony responses to player influence
This system demonstrates how simple rule sets applied to individual agents can generate complex, emergent outcomes at the colony level - a foundational principle of systems design that mirrors how real-world complex systems operate.
My Approach
System adaptation for roguelike progression.
The current development phase focuses on adapting the simulation into a roguelike format where players influence ant colony culture through media artifacts. This transformation required significant rethinking of core systems while maintaining the emergent nature of the original concept.
Key components of my approach included:
Reformulating the pheromone system to accommodate "media influence" mechanics
Creating interconnected caste chambers with distinct environmental characteristics
Implementing a TV-themed UI system that bridges player actions with colony responses
Designing progression systems where colony development affects available options
Balancing indirect influence with meaningful player agency
The design challenge involved preserving the core emergent systems while creating more distinct gameplay loops and progression paths. By treating media as a form of environmental influence rather than direct control, the system maintains its emergent qualities while providing more structured player engagement.
Results & Impact
Evolving systems and publisher interest.
The development of DivergAnts has demonstrated the power of systems-based design to create engaging player experiences that evolve organically through play. The project showcases my ability to design complex, interconnected systems while maintaining accessibility and coherent player experiences.
Some notable outcomes include:
Publisher interest in adapting the concept for commercial development
Successful implementation of state persistence between different map areas
Creation of visually distinct castes with recognizable behavioral patterns
Development of a TV-themed UI system that reinforces the media influence mechanics
Integration of psychology principles to create believable emergent behaviors
DivergAnts continues to evolve as I refine the balance between emergence and structure, creating a game where players discover surprising interactions while experiencing meaningful progression. The project serves as both a technical showcase and a creative exploration of how systems thinking can drive innovative gameplay.
What is systems design in games?
Systems design is the practice of creating interconnected game mechanics that work together to generate emergent player experiences. Rather than scripting every possible outcome, systems designers build rule sets that interact in dynamic ways, allowing players to discover unexpected strategies and experiences. This approach creates games with greater replayability and player expression, as the interactions between systems can produce outcomes the designers themselves may not have anticipated.
How does your psychology background inform your design approach?
What types of game systems do you specialize in?
What tools/engines do you work with?
DivergAnts
DivergAnts
DivergAnts is a work in progress colony simulation featuring distinct ant castes with unique behavioral traits and abilities. The project integrates pheromone-based indirect control with emergent colony dynamics, creating a system where player decisions have cascading effects throughout the colony. Currently being adapted to incorporate roguelike elements per publisher interest, with a focus on media influence mechanics affecting ant culture.
Location
Portland Oregon
Skills Utilized
Systems Design, AI Behavior Development, Emergent Gameplay Design
Technology Used
Unity, C#, Visual Studio, Git, Adobe Photoshop
year
2025
Overview
Exploring emergence through ant colony dynamics.
DivergAnts began as an exploration of how different behavioral traits within a colony can create emergent patterns when combined with environmental pressures. The simulation uses a pheromone-based indirect control system where players influence rather than directly control the ants, creating a dynamic and unpredictable gameplay experience.
Key features of the colony system include:
Multiple ant castes (Queen, Scouts, Soldiers, Caretakers, Workers) with unique behavior profiles
Dynamic pheromone trails that guide ant decision-making
Environmental hazards and resource management challenges
State persistence between map transitions (above/below ground)
Adaptive colony responses to player influence
This system demonstrates how simple rule sets applied to individual agents can generate complex, emergent outcomes at the colony level - a foundational principle of systems design that mirrors how real-world complex systems operate.
My Approach
System adaptation for roguelike progression.
The current development phase focuses on adapting the simulation into a roguelike format where players influence ant colony culture through media artifacts. This transformation required significant rethinking of core systems while maintaining the emergent nature of the original concept.
Key components of my approach included:
Reformulating the pheromone system to accommodate "media influence" mechanics
Creating interconnected caste chambers with distinct environmental characteristics
Implementing a TV-themed UI system that bridges player actions with colony responses
Designing progression systems where colony development affects available options
Balancing indirect influence with meaningful player agency
The design challenge involved preserving the core emergent systems while creating more distinct gameplay loops and progression paths. By treating media as a form of environmental influence rather than direct control, the system maintains its emergent qualities while providing more structured player engagement.
Results & Impact
Evolving systems and publisher interest.
The development of DivergAnts has demonstrated the power of systems-based design to create engaging player experiences that evolve organically through play. The project showcases my ability to design complex, interconnected systems while maintaining accessibility and coherent player experiences.
Some notable outcomes include:
Publisher interest in adapting the concept for commercial development
Successful implementation of state persistence between different map areas
Creation of visually distinct castes with recognizable behavioral patterns
Development of a TV-themed UI system that reinforces the media influence mechanics
Integration of psychology principles to create believable emergent behaviors
DivergAnts continues to evolve as I refine the balance between emergence and structure, creating a game where players discover surprising interactions while experiencing meaningful progression. The project serves as both a technical showcase and a creative exploration of how systems thinking can drive innovative gameplay.
What is systems design in games?
Systems design is the practice of creating interconnected game mechanics that work together to generate emergent player experiences. Rather than scripting every possible outcome, systems designers build rule sets that interact in dynamic ways, allowing players to discover unexpected strategies and experiences. This approach creates games with greater replayability and player expression, as the interactions between systems can produce outcomes the designers themselves may not have anticipated.
How does your psychology background inform your design approach?
What types of game systems do you specialize in?
What tools/engines do you work with?
DivergAnts
DivergAnts
DivergAnts is a work in progress colony simulation featuring distinct ant castes with unique behavioral traits and abilities. The project integrates pheromone-based indirect control with emergent colony dynamics, creating a system where player decisions have cascading effects throughout the colony. Currently being adapted to incorporate roguelike elements per publisher interest, with a focus on media influence mechanics affecting ant culture.
Location
Portland Oregon
Skills Utilized
Systems Design, AI Behavior Development, Emergent Gameplay Design
Technology Used
Unity, C#, Visual Studio, Git, Adobe Photoshop
year
2025
Overview
Exploring emergence through ant colony dynamics.
DivergAnts began as an exploration of how different behavioral traits within a colony can create emergent patterns when combined with environmental pressures. The simulation uses a pheromone-based indirect control system where players influence rather than directly control the ants, creating a dynamic and unpredictable gameplay experience.
Key features of the colony system include:
Multiple ant castes (Queen, Scouts, Soldiers, Caretakers, Workers) with unique behavior profiles
Dynamic pheromone trails that guide ant decision-making
Environmental hazards and resource management challenges
State persistence between map transitions (above/below ground)
Adaptive colony responses to player influence
This system demonstrates how simple rule sets applied to individual agents can generate complex, emergent outcomes at the colony level - a foundational principle of systems design that mirrors how real-world complex systems operate.
My Approach
System adaptation for roguelike progression.
The current development phase focuses on adapting the simulation into a roguelike format where players influence ant colony culture through media artifacts. This transformation required significant rethinking of core systems while maintaining the emergent nature of the original concept.
Key components of my approach included:
Reformulating the pheromone system to accommodate "media influence" mechanics
Creating interconnected caste chambers with distinct environmental characteristics
Implementing a TV-themed UI system that bridges player actions with colony responses
Designing progression systems where colony development affects available options
Balancing indirect influence with meaningful player agency
The design challenge involved preserving the core emergent systems while creating more distinct gameplay loops and progression paths. By treating media as a form of environmental influence rather than direct control, the system maintains its emergent qualities while providing more structured player engagement.
Results & Impact
Evolving systems and publisher interest.
The development of DivergAnts has demonstrated the power of systems-based design to create engaging player experiences that evolve organically through play. The project showcases my ability to design complex, interconnected systems while maintaining accessibility and coherent player experiences.
Some notable outcomes include:
Publisher interest in adapting the concept for commercial development
Successful implementation of state persistence between different map areas
Creation of visually distinct castes with recognizable behavioral patterns
Development of a TV-themed UI system that reinforces the media influence mechanics
Integration of psychology principles to create believable emergent behaviors
DivergAnts continues to evolve as I refine the balance between emergence and structure, creating a game where players discover surprising interactions while experiencing meaningful progression. The project serves as both a technical showcase and a creative exploration of how systems thinking can drive innovative gameplay.
What is systems design in games?
Systems design is the practice of creating interconnected game mechanics that work together to generate emergent player experiences. Rather than scripting every possible outcome, systems designers build rule sets that interact in dynamic ways, allowing players to discover unexpected strategies and experiences. This approach creates games with greater replayability and player expression, as the interactions between systems can produce outcomes the designers themselves may not have anticipated.
How does your psychology background inform your design approach?
What types of game systems do you specialize in?
What tools/engines do you work with?