FutureING Planning Game
Design and maintain your automated production hall to maximize profit while fulfilling orders within time and budget constraints.
FutureING Planning Game is a multiplayer management game developed for mobile platforms and released annually for mechanical engineering students as part of the ATPO module at TK Koeln University. The game is a part of interactive experiences designed to enhance the learning process of students by teaching them soft skills like teamwork, planning, and resource management in a gamified manufacturing setting. Players work in teams to design a production hall by placing assembly cells, then manage automated production to fulfill daily orders while balancing time, budget, and efficiency.
Fact sheet
Genre
Multiplayer Online Management Game
Platform
Mobile
Project Length
2 years
Engine
Unity
Team Size
4 to 5
Trailer
Responsibilities
Core Systems Design:
Designed and iterated the production logic system that serves as the backbone of gameplay, determining all player interactions throughout the game
Designed core gameplay loops including planning phase, production management, and budget/economy systems in collaboration with co-designer
Collaborated with programmers to prototype and implement technical systems and mechanics
Finalized design specifications for the progression system in collaboration with co-designer
UX/UI Design & Optimization:
Led comprehensive UX redesign to simplify game interactions and reduce cognitive load for players
Reduced information complexity and streamlined player decision-making processes
Designed and implemented new interaction systems inspired by incremental mechanics to increase player engagement
Created and improved tutorial systems to enhance onboarding experience
Designed user interface elements to clearly communicate game state and provide visual feedback
Solo Design Period (2024-2025):
Took full ownership of game design after transition to solo designer role
Worked within constraints of existing game framework while implementing significant design improvements
Contributed to programming implementation alongside design responsibilities
Iteration & Quality Assurance:
Analyzed player feedback and implemented data-driven design improvements
Iterated on game balance, pacing, and difficulty progression
Led successful 2025 release with positive student reception
Technical & Production:
Built and distributed game releases for iOS platform
Managed annual release cycle and post-launch support
Coordinated with a designer, programmers, and artists throughout development
Project Gallery
Design Process
I joined the FutureING project in 2023 to redesign an existing educational game. Working initially with a co-designer, we developed a new progression system and I designed the production logic that would become the game's core. After transitioning to solo designer in 2024, I took full ownership of the design while working within the constraints of the existing framework. The 2024 release faced challenges, but I used that feedback to significantly improve the game. The 2025 release was successful, receiving positive reception from students.
Design Approaches
Redesigned production logic as the backbone system that drives all player interactions and decision-making
Simplified game interactions and streamlined information architecture to reduce player cognitive load
Added incremental mechanics-inspired interactions to increase engagement and provide satisfying feedback loops
Iteratively improved UI to clearly communicate game state and provide visual feedback
Balanced educational goals with engaging gameplay through careful iteration
Challenges
Working within the limitations of an existing game framework while implementing significant improvements
Transitioning to solo designer role mid-project and maintaining design quality
Balancing complexity of production systems with accessibility for first-year engineering students
Managing tight release deadlines for annual student cohorts
Recovering from an unsuccessful 2024 release to deliver a successful 2025 version
Greatest Achievement
Successfully transformed the game from an unsuccessful 2024 release to a well-received 2025 release through focused UX improvements
Designed a production logic system that elegantly handles complex automation while remaining intuitive for players
Delivered a complete redesign as solo designer while contributing to programming implementation
Received positive feedback from students validating the design improvements
Outlook (with more time)
Further refinement of game balance and difficulty progression across levels
Additional tutorial layers for advanced mechanics
More comprehensive analytics system to track student learning outcomes
Enhanced visual feedback systems for production status
Learning Objective/Outcome
Deepened expertise in systems design and creating interconnected game mechanics
Developed skills in UX-focused design and information architecture
Gained experience leading design independently and shipping games as solo designer
Learned to design within constraints while making significant improvements
Improved ability to iterate based on player feedback and deliver measurable improvements