Welcome Traveler, Do you need any drink?
Game Designer Worldbuilder · Systems Thinker
Welcome to my tavern.
I’m Baran, your Tavernkeeper and a game design student. Take a seat by the fire and explore the games, systems, and stories I’m creating along the way.
Systems, progression, economy & player experience
01 / The keeper’s ledger
A short introduction to who I am, what I design, and what kind of experiences I want players to have.
I am Baran Açıkkapu, a 21-year-old game designer with a background in programming and a strong interest in gameplay systems, progression, and player experience. I’ve played games since childhood, and I love creating them. I love comic books, fantasy novels, and immersive worlds, and I want to bring that passion into the games I design. I’m also a tabletop roleplaying and D&D fan.
I enjoy designing mechanics, gameplay structures, worldbuilding, progression systems, and heartfelt experiences through beautifully written characters that feel meaningful to players.
I like combining ideas with gameplay mechanichs and build structures around it, starting with the emotion I want the player to feel and turning that into a clear core loop and supporting systems. I enjoy staying hands-on through prototyping and problem-solving, while using feedback, playtesting, and player data to understand what works and what needs to change. I also value working across different disciplines, because good game design often comes from connecting creative ideas, technical limitations, and production needs. Most importantly, I treat design as an iterative process where assumptions should be questioned, tested, and refined rather than followed blindly.
I am focused on growing as a game designer, building a strong portfolio, and creating projects that show both technical thinking and design depth.
02 / Selected work
Selected games and design projects from my journey as a game designer, ranging from systems-driven multiplayer experiences to narrative and game jam work.
A sandbox multiplayer racing mobile project centered on customization, upgrades, progression, and player-driven competition. My work focused on game design systems such as upgrades, achievements, events, and reward structure. This project reflects my interest in economy design, progression systems, and long-term player motivation.
Accept Quest
A narrative-focused visual novel built around branching choices and strong story direction. Created for a game jam with the theme “death is not escape,” the project explores player decision-making through multiple possible outcomes. It was my first narrative design experience, created as part of a team. It highlights my interest in storytelling, emotional design, and interactive narrative structure.
Accept Quest
A 2D platformer where the player controls a bird trying to survive and return to her nest without burning out or freezing. The gameplay is built around maintaining the right balance and moving with careful timing. Created for a game jam with the theme warming up, the project introduces mechanics that connect player actions directly to the theme.
Accept Quest
A fast-paced runner game built in Unity with C#. The project focuses on movement, pacing, obstacle pressure, and arcade-style gameplay. It helped me practice building responsive gameplay flow and moment-to-moment player challenge.
Accept Quest03 / Notes by candlelight
My design process, from player emotion to core loop, supporting systems, feedback, and iteration.
Every project begins with a simple question: what should the player feel? For me, answering this question is the foundation of good design. It guides the rest of the process and helps me make decisions that create meaningful and engaging experiences. I want to create worlds with rich lore and amazing characters, but most of all I want to create memorable player experiences through mechanics and systems that feel good to interact with.
I define what the player repeatedly does and why it remains engaging. A strong core loop creates consistency and identity.
Progression, rewards, economy, challenge, and choice should support the core loop instead of distracting from it.
Good design communicates clearly. Players should understand what happened, why it happened, and what they can do next. That’s why I care about UI/UX thinking and feedback loops in design.
I improve design through testing, feedback, and revision. A system becomes stronger when it survives real use and thoughtful adjustment.
04 / The skill ledger
A snapshot of the skills, tools, and areas of design I continue to develop and strengthen.
Always in practice. These are the disciplines I’m developing through coursework, collaboration, and making games.
05 / Education & experience
Education, experience, internships, communities, and milestones from my journey in game design.
Studied computer programming in two year program. After i graduated, i enrolled in a four-year game design program at BAU. Learned programming, data structures, algorithms, and software development fundamentals before focusing on game design.
Developing my design foundation through practical projects, systems thinking, and creative exploration in game development.
Worked on a sandbox multiplayer car racing game, contributing to upgrades, achievements, flash events, and economy/lootbox systems.
Participated in student activities, collaborative projects, and community-driven opportunities related to games and design.
Built portfolio pieces that combine mechanics, worldbuilding, interface thinking, and playable ideas across different formats.
06 / The writing desk
Open to internships, collaborations, creative discussions, and opportunities in game design.
To the next collaborator,
I am currently focused on building strong portfolio work, improving as a systems-focused game designer, and creating memorable player experiences. If that sounds like your kind of work, I’d love to hear from you.