Jorge M. Carvalho 🐳 Wishlist Townseek on Steam! 🧭
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jorgegamedev.com
Jorge M. Carvalho 🐳 Wishlist Townseek on Steam! 🧭
@jorgegamedev.com
5.2K followers 570 following 470 posts
Portuguese Game Developer 🐔 Co-Founder and Lead Developer at @whalesandgames.com 🐳 He/Him ✨ Working on #Townseek, a relaxing exploration-trading game! Wishlist on Steam at s.team/a/1659360! 🧭
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jorgegamedev.com
Here are some photos from this year's @devgamm.bsky.social here in Lisbon! 🥳 I'm having a great time this year again enjoying both talks and workshops.

If you see me or anyone from our team with our hats, poke us for some @whalesandgames.com and Townseek stickers! We've got plenty to give around. 🦈
A selfie photo of Jorge, John and Moski doing the thinking face emoji during DevGAMM Lisbon 2025. A photo of one of the halls with many people around at DevGAMM Lisbon 2025. A photo of the second floor of the hotel with some red couches at DevGAMM Lisbon 2025. A photo from the top of the stairs with many people around at DevGAMM Lisbon 2025.
November 6, 2025 at 6:28 PM
jorgegamedev.com
Shoutouts to @moskidraws.bsky.social!
MoskiDraws dressed up like a leopard at IKEA.
November 4, 2025 at 3:45 PM
jorgegamedev.com
As you know, I'm not recovered yet from recent undue stress. If I may self-indulge for my birthday, I'd like to ask you something for today. 🙇

If you have the time, I'd really thank you if you could write down or doodle, something about what Townseek or our team at @whalesandgames.com means to you.
A doodle of Whalechan and Capt. Jawline side-to-side. Whalechan is our anime mascot from Whales And Games, being an adult woman with whale-looking hair and a top hat. She's holding our whale mascot Polite Whale, who also has his own top hat and tie. They're both coloured in blue. To the right, Capt. Jawline, our steampunk shark mascot for Townseek, grins at the viewer while crossing his arms on top of his large coat. He's coloured in orange. Both are positioned on top of a light blue background.
September 5, 2025 at 2:30 PM
jorgegamedev.com
Today is my 29th birthday! 🎉 The last year was one of the most euphoric but also stressful years of my life.

In the last year, our team received two awards, I had interviews and stayed long-term in Mexico. I also got hospitalised, had to be taken to emergencies, and dealt with a lot of work stress.
A photo from the DevGAMM Awards taken after Townseek received the award for Best Game from Portugal. The photograph shows John and me with our arms around each other while we hold the award check with the Portuguese flag colours on it. Diogo Rato and Jeferson Valadares from Associação de Produtores de Videojogos Portugueses stand alongside us. A photo of the Indie X stage of when Townseek was showcased on RTP Arena. In the picture, I'm sitting to the left and representing Whales And Games, while the hosts João "Bonny" and Ana "Fish" are sitting to the right across the table. On the table, a lot of Townseek and Whales And Games memorabilia can be seen, including a blue top hat with a crab on it, a small stand with a Townseek picture. There are also several cut-outs of Townseek elements and some awards our studio has earned. A photo of Moski and me during the trip I mentioned I made to Mexico, where we're posing in front of one of Tampico's main kiosks. Moski is wearing a blue shark hat while I'm wearing a blue top hat with a crab on it. Both of us have navy blue shirts, with Moski wearing one with several indie games on it, while I'm wearing the shirt from the Wholesome Direct where we were featured. A photo from when I was hospitalised. I'm wearing simple hospital clothes while lifting a plushie of a round dog that was keeping me company. I'm in an enclosed hospital space, with curtains around.
September 5, 2025 at 2:30 PM
jorgegamedev.com
See you on the other side of the Silksong hype folks. ✨

I've genuinely been looking forward to it. The first game was a very deep experience to me and the worldbuilding absorbed me like crazy.

I'm happy that we've made it here, and that their team had the time to work on it as much as they have. 🍒
A screenshot of the Steam Deck interface, showing the Hollow Knight Silksong page, with the Play button highlighted in green. There's no playtime or achievements yet.
September 4, 2025 at 2:26 PM
jorgegamedev.com
This is a very specific request, but we're trying to get our @whalesandgames.com presence on these platforms going because of game marketing or something. 😵‍💫 If you're on them, can you help us with a follow please? 🙏

📸 Instagram: instagram.com/whalesandgames
📽️ TikTok: tiktok.com/@whalesandga...
A screenshot of the Whales And Games account on TikTok, showing a low follower count. The account has various vertical videos of Townseek, including videos of the in game towns, activities, and another video of the current show us your pets activity.
August 31, 2025 at 4:10 PM
jorgegamedev.com
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August 15, 2025 at 10:33 AM
jorgegamedev.com
The big thing happening with our team? Here it is! 🌮 I'm staying 50 days in Tampico in México alongside @moskidraws.bsky.social for a work marathon on @whalesandgames.com! 🐳

Our goal is in sight! That by March, Townseek is fully playable from the start to finish, especially the game's main story. 🧭
A photo taken at the Plaza de la Libertad in Tampico in México, with Moski and I being in front of a red coloured gazebo. We're wearing dark blue shirts, with Moski wearing a shirt with characters from various games and with me wearing the shirt for the Wholesome Direct 2023. We're wearing the Whales And Games themed hats, with Moski wearing a shark-shapped hat, and me with the top hat with crabpin in the front.
January 30, 2025 at 8:45 PM
jorgegamedev.com
Shoutouts to the surprisingly cute Staples A4 Paper Ream plushie that I spotted today! ❤️ The pencil plushie also deserves its own shoutout too. ✏️
A red shelf holding various plushies at a Staples in Lisbon, designed after their own merchandising. There are two plushies being displayed on the shelves, the first being a red paper ream with a happy face wearing square glasses, and which has hands and black shoes. The writing on the plushie says it's an "A4 Paper Ream for Copy and Print" in Portuguese. The second plushie is a yellow pencil named Xavi, also with a happy face with round glasses on top of a nose sticking out. Each plushie costs 10€ to purchase. A red shelf holding various plushies at a Staples in Lisbon, designed after their own merchandising. The photo is a closer shot of the previous photo, with a focus to the top plushie, which is a red paper ream with a happy face wearing square glasses, and which has hands and black shoes. The writing on the plushie says it's an "A4 Paper Ream for Copy and Print" in Portuguese.
January 26, 2025 at 10:50 PM
jorgegamedev.com
I've said this once, and I'll stand by it again. Please add Alt Text to your posts! 🫡 Our studio account may not have many posts here yet, but regardless of platform, we've been committed to adding alt text to everything since 2023! 🐳

You can check your own rating over at dame.is/ratingalttext! 🔍
An image taken from the Bluesky Alt Text Rating checker showing the rating for both the profiles at @jorgegamedev.com and at @whalesandgames.com. My personal profile has considerably more posts, with 426 posts, while the studio profile only has 12 posts. Regardless of the number of posts, both the profiles shown an alt text rating at "100%" and a coloured meter from red to green, with the gauge being on green with the max amplitude.
January 24, 2025 at 3:15 PM
jorgegamedev.com
For some positive news, these past months I've been providing project commentary as an industry guest to the gamedev students at my former university. 🎓

They're first semester students still working on simple prototypes, but if some of them stick to games, I think they'll go and make great things!
A photo of me sitting behind the desk in front of a group of first-year students at IADE. The students are sitting down across rows of red chairs, some of them giving thumbs up, doing V signs, looking at the camera, while others are distracted with their phones. I'm wearing my blue Whales And Games shirt, while holding a sticker of Capt. Jawline, the shark town host from Townseek. Next to me is Samuel, one of the full-time teachers at the course. On top of the desk in front of me is the Steam Deck I was using to take notes of the presentations.
January 20, 2025 at 10:45 PM
jorgegamedev.com
For people who travel frequently, does anyone know have a good AirTag alternative for Android? I'm currently eyeing the moto tag, but I'm a bit overwhelmed at the options. Any recommendations? 😵‍💫

For context, this would be for use in European countries, to be attached primarily to checked luggage. 🧳
A promotional photo of a moto tag attached to a blue luggage case.
January 18, 2025 at 7:18 PM
jorgegamedev.com
It's our first work day of the year! ☕ Taking it chill and finishing up some leftover work from before the holidays. Stuff like finishing up the changelog from our last milestone build, declaring invoices from last month, and setting up the task list ahead! 🧭

What are y'all working on this week? 🐳
A screenshot of Townseek, showing the player next to a gigant snowman, wearing a red trophical shirt and a purple top hat and waving at the camera. That snowman is surrounded by other smaller snowman wearing a variety of hats and coats. The player's airship has a blimp made of eggs with propellers attached to them, alongside a Whales And Games flag, a wooden hull, and a mouse inside a cheese as the anchor. A penguin follows the player as their companion.
January 6, 2025 at 3:40 PM
jorgegamedev.com
The Jackbox Survey Scramble might be one of my new favourite games from @jackboxgames.com! 📦 Very easy to get into, extremely replayable, and the ranking of some of the answers left us dumbfounded.

And for the screenshot below, yes, everyone in the lobby gave that as the answer at the same time. 😅
A screenshot from Hilo, one of the modes in The Jackbox Survey Scramble. The mode has people guess popular and unpopular answers to a specific survey, in this case, of Recent Fads. Everyone in the lobby gave the answer "Skibidi" at the same time.
January 4, 2025 at 10:35 AM
jorgegamedev.com
Happy New Year! 🎆 I've been taking it chill to start the year and to organise thoughts and ideas. 🙏

Last year was weird. There were moments filled with immense joy, but at the same time, I was subject to so much stress that I only just learned I've had my wrist fractured for the past two months. 🫠
A selfie of myself outside a government building close to sunset. I'm wearing a black and grey coat from GDC over a red hoodie. I've also got wired earbuds on, alongside my glasses. Behind me, there are bushes and other people.
January 3, 2025 at 7:56 PM
jorgegamedev.com
Thank you to @johnelliottmusic.com, @zarcattack.bsky.social and @exilecast.bsky.social for joining me on a special Christmas dinner this week! 🎄

Since it's starting to get cold around here, we had hot and spicy ramen, wore cheap promotional Santa Hats, and had churros to celebrate the holidays! 🍜
A picture of John, Exile, Zarc and me sitting at a table at a Chinese restaurant. Everyone at the table is wearing different sweaters, such as Zarc which is using a Simpson's Ned Flanders sweater. The drinks are the only thing served on the table. A picture of beef ramen with egg, pickled greens and ginger. The broth is slightly red from the spice and the chill flakes on it. The bowl is on top of a place mat with a fork drawn on it. A picture of Zarc, Exile, John and me after having eaten at the restaurant and in front of some neon lights from a farturas and churros stall behind us. Zarc is wearing a Sexy Ned Flanders sweater, while everyone else has their coats zipped or buttoned up over them. A picture of Zarc, Exile, John and me after having eaten at the restaurant and in front of some neon lights from a farturas and churros stall behind us. Zarc and I are wearing cheap Santa Hats, while Zarc wears a Sexy Ned Flanders sweater, while everyone else has their coats zipped or buttoned up over them.
December 22, 2024 at 11:58 PM
jorgegamedev.com
We've just pushed our biggest milestone build yet for Townseek, wrapping up many months of work we've been doing in the background, right in time for the holidays. 🙏

Feeling very tired, but really happy that it finally feels like we've now crossed the scariest chasm of development. More to come! ✨
A screenshot of Townseek showing the player's airship next to what appears to be a floating box with many red balloons attached to it. The player's blimp is made of several boxes with cats on top floating with red balloons and a red kite attached to it. The hull is a standard ship with a lifesaver attached to it, except for the anchor, which appears to be a pack of potato fries. A milkshake with arms and legs is following the player and is doing a v-sign behind the airship while wearing sunglasses. The floating box appears to be another airship of some kind, with an orange cat cutout with a mouse on its head above it alongside the aforementioned red balloons. Both ships appear to be at a sandy cove with various pirate-themed buildings and docks, while geese, foxes, birds, and bees can be seen all around.
December 22, 2024 at 1:10 PM
jorgegamedev.com
Today is The Game Awards! 🏆 Remember that, while there's much to critique about its presentation and lack of real focus on the awards and developers, that there's also nothing wrong with just enjoying watching it with friends.

For me, the orchestra and musical pieces will always be the best part! 🎵
A promotional banner for The Game Awards, happening on the 12th of December. The banner features the trophy for The Game Awards on the background, being a low-poly angel-like statuete.
December 12, 2024 at 7:30 PM
jorgegamedev.com
Since last month, I've been dealing with a wrist injury that makes it hard to use game controllers.

Ironically, what I was working on then (and have now resumed) was revamping Townseek's controls to make it fully playable and comfortable with just the mouse. 🖱️

#indiegamedev #gamedev #accessibility
December 2, 2024 at 11:05 PM
jorgegamedev.com
Thank you all for the 4K followers here and on our studio account at @whalesandgames.com! 🦋 I've never had this kind of following before. It's now triple what I had on Twitter! I'm really thankful for all the support, especially in such a tough year. 🩵

I'll catch up on Starter Packs and DMs soon! 🏃
A photograph focused on Jorge giving a thumbs-up while standing in front of the Townseek booth at Indie Arena Booth during Gamescom, while John stands behind him. Jorge is giving a smile to the camera while wearing a blue top hat with an orange crab with a molecule attached to it. The Townseek booth shows the game's logo, and the various characters of the game peeking from behind the monitor showing the game's demo.
November 20, 2024 at 7:45 PM
jorgegamedev.com
I'm thankful to all the judges who considered our studio/game to be worthy winners, the event organisers, sponsors, and fellow nominees. I'm honoured that I can call such an amazing community my home.

It's time for us to respond to these awards in kind, seek onwards, and finish charting Townseek! 🦈
A photograph from the Spotlight Awards taken at the end of the show, with all the winners from the different categories standing on stage with all the winners holding their trophy lightbulbs. The Spotlight Awards logo is shown on a screen behind us. In the picture, John and I can be seen wearing our Whales And Games and Townseek hats, while I hold our trophy lightbulb in the air in a victory fist motion. A photo from the DevGAMM Awards taken at the end of the show, with all the winners from the different categories standing on stage, while holding their award checks. The DevGAMM Awards logo is shown on a screen behind us. In the picture, John and I can be seen wearing our Whales And Games and Townseek hats, while holding the award check for the Best Game from Portugal. A photo from DevGAMM taken immediately after the DevGAMM Awards, showing a big group of people celebrating the achievement and their time at the event. The group is composed of both us, other developers, and Portuguese content creators and media. I'm on the left of the picture doing a victory fist, while John holds the award check for Best Game from Portugal in the back.
November 17, 2024 at 9:39 PM
jorgegamedev.com
This last year, our team dealt with such big highs and huge lows that receiving these awards is beyond everything I could have imagined. 🙇

I'm forever indebted to @moskidraws.bsky.social and @johnelliottmusic.com for being the irreplaceable team-mates that they are, and to our friends and families.
A photograph focused on John and me at the stage, receiving the award. John and I are wearing our Whales And Games and Townseek hats. I stand in the front, giving a thank-you speech to the microphone, with my arm stretched outwards, while John stands in the back holding the trophy lightbulb. A photograph from the Spotlight Awards, taken from the audience perspective. John and I are standing on the stage. Our studio's logo is projected on the background, with Polite Whale and our studio's name over a blue background, showcasing that we won the award for Studio of the Year. John is holding the trophy lightbulb, while I deliver a thank-you speech. People in the audience are taking photos with their phones, and the presenters of the awards are to our right. A photograph from the DevGAMM Awards, taken from the audience's perspective. In the photograph, John and I are standing in front of the Townseek key art while holding the prize for the Best Game from Portugal for Townseek. I'm holding the trophy award and delivering a thank-you speech, while John holds the award check with the Portuguese flag colours on it.
November 17, 2024 at 9:39 PM
jorgegamedev.com
I lack words to express the gratitude I've felt the last few days. On Thursday, @whalesandgames.com was awarded Studio of the Year by Game Dev Lisbon. 💡

The next day, Townseek was awarded Best Game from Portugal at the DevGAMM Awards. 🏆

I'm very honoured to celebrate these alongside my team-mates.
A photograph from the Spotlight Awards taken as I delivered our speech for Studio of the Year. Our studio's logo is projected on the background, with Polite Whale and our studio's name over a blue background, showcasing that we won the award for Studio of the Year. I'm delivering a thank-you speech, while John stands by my side, alongside Commander Bonny, who was presenting the award show. Both John and I are wearing our Whales And Games and Townseek hats. A photograph from the DevGAMM Awards taken after Townseek received the award for Best Game from Portugal. The photograph shows John and I have our arms around each other while we hold the award check with the Portuguese flag colours on it. Diogo Rato and Jeferson Valadares from Associação de Produtores de Videojogos Portugueses stand alongside us. A photograph showing the trophy lightbulb and our awards envelope in better detail. The Spotlight Award trophy consists of a lightbulb that can actually be turned on, with the inscriptions of Spotlight Awards and Studio of the Year written below it. Next to the trophy, I'm showing the ticket we were awarded for a future event from the organisation, and the letter that reads Studio of the Year to Whales And Games. A photograph from the Best Game from Portugal trophy award, standing on top of my trousers, taken immediately after Townseek received the award. The trophy is a glass parallelogram with white letters with the name of the award and an etched metal base with the award's logo on it. Additionally, the glass also has a blue texture on the back.
November 17, 2024 at 9:39 PM
jorgegamedev.com
DevGAMM is hosting an online public pitch event tonight through their Discord server open to anyone to join and pitch their game to get feedback! 🥳

Invited by DevGAMM and Game Dev Lisbon, I'm honoured to be one of the developers that'll be providing feedback to the pitches! Looking forward to it! 😊
A blue banner image promoting the DevGAMM Online Public Pitch event. On the left, the banner shows a photograph of an in-person pitching event at a conference hall. On the right, the banner starts with the logo of the event, followed by the text "Online Public Pitch – Join our Discord!", and the logo for Game Dev Lisbon.
November 4, 2024 at 1:45 PM
jorgegamedev.com
Happy Halloween! 🎃 On the outskirts of a mysterious town during a full moon, howls fill the night air! 🌕

For @whalesandgames.com yearly seasonal artwork, Capt. Jawline has taken a side-gig as a scoutmaster, bringing the werewolf pack with him for a camping trip! 🐺

#digitalart #indiegamedev
An artwork celebrating the Whales And Games season for 2024! The artwork shows a forest where Capt. Jawline, a shark character, is dressed as a scoutmaster with a green cap leading a pack of werewolf scouts. Next to him is Polite Whale, also dressed as a werewolf whale and as a scoutmaster, with a huge grin! Beneath them, a group of two enthusiastic scouts follow, one with brown fur and another with grey fur. Both of them are looking surprised and curious at the dark, ominous castle town with glowing eyes in the background. Dapperfish is flying above Polite Whale, now turned into an orange bat and wearing a candy-corn coloured hat and is asking for "blood pls". Whalechan and Dapperchan, dressed as blue and purple witches, float on the pink clouds above, joined by playful bats. The feature text of the picture above the glowing moon reads "A Howl Lot of Fun!" with the Whaloween 2024 logo and the Whales And Games signature displayed at the bottom right corner.
October 31, 2024 at 8:30 PM