A narrative-driven 2D indie game composed of short slice-of-life vignettes exploring queer and disabled experiences through conversation, exploration, and gentle interactive moments. Each level is co-designed and created by queer and disabled developers, grounding every story in lived experience.

<p class="bb_paragraph" ><i>The Things Left Behind</i> is a narrative-driven 2D indie game built from short, intimate slice-of-life vignettes about queer and disabled life.</p><p class="bb_paragraph" >In this game you move through everyday moments shaped by care, honor, humor, intimacy, and connection. Each self-contained level invites you to explore, talk, notice, and interact gently with the world around you. The experience centers on presence.</p><h2 class="bb_tag" >Experience Quiet, Playable Moments</h2><p class="bb_paragraph" >Move through a child’s birthday party as sound builds and imagination becomes grounding.<br>Walk beside someone through a forest where conversation, collecting small objects, and subtle visual shifts reflect intimacy and transition.<br>Navigate a chaotic morning where tasks overlap and time feels slippery, capturing the experience of overstimulation and survival.</p><p class="bb_paragraph" >Each vignette stands on its own, with distinct art styles, mechanics, and tone. Together, they form a growing collection of playable experiences grounded in lived reality.</p><h2 class="bb_tag" >Designed Around Care</h2><p class="bb_paragraph" >• Narrative-driven 2D gameplay<br>• Short, self-contained vignette structure<br>• Dialogue and exploration-focused interaction<br>• Distinct art styles and mechanics per level<br>• No fail states, no score pressure<br>• Keyboard, mouse, and controller support<br>• Built in Unity</p><h2 class="bb_tag" >A Community-Centered Design Process</h2><p class="bb_paragraph" ><i>The Things Left Behind</i> is created through partnerships with disability and LGBTQ+ organizations that support workforce development and inclusive creative practice. Collaborators are brought into the project from the beginning. Partners begin by learning Unity-based game development, contributing to design and narrative decisions, and participating in playtesting and iteration. This is not a game about marginalized communities made from the outside. It is a game co-designed and built by queer and disabled creators, with paid roles, mentorship, and shared authorship embedded into the process. The result is a project where lived experience shapes not only the stories, but the mechanics, pacing, and emotional tone.</p>

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