MurderBirds (A Coop Experience)
Up to 8 players, one couch, and a flock of chickens who know only a world of murder — get it, a chicken coop? Built in 48 hours.
Overview
Murder Birds (A Coop Experience) is an up-to-8-player couch co-op party game built in a single weekend at the 2018 Global Game Jam. It's a complex emotional journey about some birds — chickens, specifically — who know only a world of murder. Get it? Like a chicken coop.
Eight players pile onto one couch and go feather-to-feather in fast, chaotic local multiplayer.
My Role
I was the engineer on the team at the Pittsburgh jam site (Nova Place), building the game in Unity across the 48-hour sprint — wiring up eight-controller local multiplayer, combat, and the moment-to-moment chaos.
We leaned into the jam's 'Feathered Friends' and 'Power Down' diversifiers.
After the Jam
The 48-hour build was just the start. After the game's debut at the jam, I kept working on Murder Birds — adding a proper main menu, tightening up and improving the local co-op, and giving the levels and characters a fresh coat of art well beyond what we could manage in a single weekend.
Developers
Chris Hatch
Engineer Extraordinaire
Bradley Wascher
Level Design, Level Art, Concept Art, Engineer Support
Dylan Cornell
Level Art, Weapon Art, Sound, Concept Art
Josh Brannon
UI, Character Art, Animation, Emotional Support
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