The Visayan Voyagers, a group of Taga-West Computer Science students, brought pride to the University in a recent triumph at the Odyssey Festival 2024 held at SM City Iloilo, from August 10 to 11.

Driven by years of self-study and hands-on experience in game development, second-year students Lean Vince Cabales, Ken Meiro Villarreal, Zuriel Eliazar Calix, Kurt Allen Alorro, and Allyn Ralf Ledesma, have now found themselves in a well-deserved spotlight.

“One thing led to another—programming became a hobby, then a side hustle, and eventually a passion,” shared Villarreal.

The dream team

The team's journey began when Cabales and Villarreal sought out talented individuals to join them to participate in a contest last year. Ledesma, Alorro, and Calix were recruited to complete the team, with Ledesma serving as the project manager and the others contributing their unique artistic and technical skills.

Fueled by their love for games such as Minecraft and Roblox, they decided to create their own and join game developing competitions.

“We wanted to gain experience in developing games within a limited time frame and pitching them on stage,” shared Cabales.

For the Odyssey, they developed “Pacmania: Chomp and Brawl,” a revamped game that merges the classic arcade hits Pac-Man and Mortal Kombat, featuring a unique 1v1 mode split into “Labyrinth” and “Brawl Fight.”

This reimagining aims to blend nostalgic elements with enhanced strategic play, offering a fresh experience for both Pac-Man fans and competitive gamers.

During their freshman year, the team also released “Visayan Sojourn,” an alchemy-based cooking game on Android through the Google Play Store last April.

The Visayan Voyagers want their games to be a source of joy for the people, as they believe that games are created mainly for fun and entertainment.

Not without hurdles

Creating games presented its fair share of challenges for The Visayan Voyagers. Time management emerged as a crucial issue, as the team struggled to balance academic responsibilities with the demanding nature of game development.

“We didn’t really have proper management in developing those games,” Cabales admitted. But despite these hurdles, the team managed to pull through in the final stages of development.

For Calix, venturing into pixel art for “Pacmania” was a memorable challenge, as it was his first foray into the artistic medium. Meanwhile, Alorro, who is responsible for the game's promotional material, struggled with an art block during the summer vacation but managed to find inspiration and complete the work.

On the other hand, Ledesma emphasized the difficulty of meeting deadlines and the importance of effective task management tools like Trello to keep the project organized and on schedule.

“It is hectic to balance schoolwork and academic life with competitions. You need to squeeze every bit of energy just to finish,” Ledesma shared.

A bright future

The Visayan Voyagers' adventure in game development has been a journey of growth and discovery. Through their experiences, they have gained profound insights into the nuances of team dynamics, the importance of assigning roles effectively, and the art of balancing time and vision throughout the project lifecycle.

They hope that their story will inspire other students to pursue their passions and embrace the challenges that come with it. They are eager to participate in future hackathons and make their mark across multiple domains of the tech industry, including digital art and other innovative fields.

“Try and try; there are no losses, only wins and lessons,” advised Ledesma to aspiring game developers. The team also recommends familiarizing oneself with game engines for effective programming.

“Losing is normal, and sometimes things are outside of our control. Make [every] loss your motivation,” Cabales added.

What the future holds for them is yet to be seen, but the team is set to sail onto brighter and broader horizons.

The Visayan Voyagers will continue to blaze trails, proving that dreams are within reach for those who dare to pursue them.