Classic Porcelain Habitat
Tropical Lagoon Habitat
Infinity Spa Habitat
Lava-Latte Duck
Artic Teal Duck
Citrus Squeeze Duck
Galaxy Glider Duck
The Grand Aviary
ASMR and Sensory Design

Inspiration

I was inspired by the popularity of cozy, low-stress games that focus on creativity, collection, and relaxation rather than competition. I wanted to create a lighthearted experience that combines the universal appeal of rubber ducks with satisfying progression systems and calming sensory feedback.

My goal was to design a game that players could enjoy in short sessions while still feeling a sense of discovery and accomplishment.

What it does

Rubber Duck Habitat Curator is a simulation and management game where players create and customize bath habitats to attract and care for unique rubber duck species.

Players adjust environmental variables such as:

Water temperature
Bubble density
Lighting and aromatherapy (future features)

By creating ideal conditions, players increase duck happiness and earn Squeak Currency, which can be used to unlock:

New duck species
Habitat upgrades
Additional customization options

Players track their discoveries in the Duck Dex and ultimately work toward building the Grand Aviary, a showcase featuring their rarest ducks.

How I built it

I designed the game around a four-stage gameplay loop:

Prepare – Adjust habitat settings.
Introduce – Place ducks into the habitat.
Curate – Monitor happiness and earn currency.
Expand – Unlock new content and customization options.

The MVP includes:

Environmental sliders for temperature and bubble density
Habitat compatibility tracking
Duck placement mechanics
Happiness-based currency generation
Duck collection tracking through the Duck Dex

I also developed the visual direction around clean interfaces, soothing animations, and ASMR-inspired sound effects to reinforce the game's relaxing atmosphere.

Challenges I ran into

One of the biggest challenges was balancing depth with accessibility. I wanted habitat management to feel meaningful without becoming overly complex.

Another challenge was defining a realistic MVP scope. While I envisioned features such as:

Advanced breeding
Social trading
AR integration
Expanded environmental systems

I needed to focus on building and validating the core gameplay loop first.

Creating intuitive player feedback was also critical. Players need to immediately understand how habitat changes affect duck happiness and progression.

Accomplishments that I'm proud of

Creating a relaxing gameplay loop that remains engaging over time
Designing a collection system centered around the Duck Dex
Establishing a scalable foundation for future content
Combining customization, progression, and sensory design into a cohesive experience
Defining a realistic MVP that prioritizes player experience and production feasibility

What I learned

This project reinforced the importance of focusing on core gameplay before expanding features.

By concentrating on the Prepare → Introduce → Curate → Expand loop, I was able to identify which mechanics delivered the most value to players.

I also learned how important immediate visual and audio feedback is in simulation games. Responsive systems help players understand the impact of their decisions and create a stronger sense of reward.

What's next for Rubber Duck Habitat Curator

Future development plans include:

Aromatherapy and mood lighting systems
Seasonal migration events
Additional duck species and habitats
Daily challenges and progression systems
Advanced duck breeding mechanics
Social trading and collection sharing
An AR-powered Duck Cam experience

My long-term goal is to grow Rubber Duck Habitat Curator into a standout cozy simulation game while preserving the relaxing, stress-free experience that defines its identity.