Why this is being released

Today I release my first solo game.
It started as a study in puzzles and mazes.

How it started:

Before now I hadn't truly studied the creation of puzzles or mazes. So when I started this project (3 weeks ago) I focused on creating paper prototypes of puzzles.
I cut up strips of paper, drew on them, and saw how things could move (see below).
I questioned what mechanics could be a part of a puzzle-dungeon or a dynamic maze. I tried to understand what could be done algorithmicly and what required human curation.
After bouncing some ideas off my partner, I took a few paper prototypes and transcribed them into digital formats (see below).
Then it was time to create a version of my studies in Unity (see the game).  

And that is why this game exists. It is the manifestation of a study in maze/puzzle design/mechanics. 

Where it is today:

This first version has 5 levels and focuses on the most simplistic set of mechanics; Walk around the maze and rotate a wheel left or right to move sections of the maze. I wanted to answer the question: "can a game be fun and challenging with a minimal set of mechanics?"
After building the basic prototype I liked what I saw and decided to spend time making it more immersive. I leaned into the Dungeon aesthetics and rounded it out with appropriate sound. Over the last 3-4 days I've been polishing this prototype into something I can share with my partner. 
She will test it tonight, and we'll see where it goes from there.

I decided to release this game to the public in conjunction with my partner's testing as a way of considering the first iteration of this project done.

I hope to use this as a platform for additional puzzle-building studies on technique and mechanics.
Doors, keys, movable objects, etc. But if it ends with this 5-level prototype, I will be satisfied.

If you're reading this, please drop me a line in the comments letting me know what you think.

Paper Prototypes

Digital drawings of prototypes

Making it happen in Unity