From Novice to Golden Rooster: Crafting Emotional Game Design Through Cultural Rituals

I never set out to design a game about chance. I designed one about choice.

Growing up between the drumbeats of Rio’s Carnival and the silent elegance of Japanese anime, I learned that true immersion isn’t found in payout algorithms—it’s in the pause between bets. The golden rooster isn’t a myth; it’s the moment you choose to step onto the stage when the music plays. Every round is a ritual.

I used Unity not for mechanics, but for motion. Unreal Engine wasn’t for graphics—it was for feeling. When players click ‘bet’, they’re not rolling dice—they’re dancing with their own rhythm. The crowd doesn’t cheer for wins; they breathe with the heat of桑巴—of presence.

I watched novices rush toward big bets like children at a fairground. But real mastery begins when you slow down: R$1 per round. No jackpot matters if your soul is still.

The community isn’t about winning—it’s about sharing screenshots that make others cry and smile at once. We don’t chase gold—we carry it in our steps.

This game? It’s not an app. It’s an altar on your couch after midnight—where you turn off noise and let silence speak.