Currently having fun with a new prototype project named the dream.
The DREAM
THE MAIN GOAL OF THIS PROTOTYPE IS TO CREATE AN EXPLORATIVE NON COMBAT EXPERIENCE WHERE PLAYER ROAMS AND ENGAGE WITH A NONSENSICAL WORLD STRUCTURED OF TWO SEPARATE LEVELS: A BEACH AND A HOUSE. i AM NOT AN ARTIST BUT I AM HAVING FUN DRESSING THE SPACE TO CRAFT A MORE ENGAGING VISUAL EXPERIENCE.
The player can find notes, unlock door, turn on radio to have music, talk to "people”, get a hug from a lucky cat statue or hearing things, sort of thing.
the beach
Iteration 2 - December 24 - Addition of art assets main landmarks, refined pathing and main interest locations points + iteration on gameplay flow and interactions + Island scale rework: tuned down
Iteration 1 - September 24 - Initial terrain and blockout with minor art assets to define areas
The beach main atmosphere is melancholic and isolated. But also, feeling at loss and confused. Some music can be played, some world interaction are available and some observation points trigger small camera movement and character thoughts to let the player be acquainted with the character. It’s some sort of safe space limbo.
the mansion
Below, a video of a narrative beat where player interacts with a brain activating a new state for the house
The mansion is the reminiscence where the story is told and where the player experience an odd exploration. Nothing is really meant to make sense not the logical sense of the interactions nor the layout nor the dressing. The player encounter a main flow puzzle that he has to solve to finish the adventure and things are hardly explained.
Encountering Issue during the Building Process:
Oh oooooh, because it was not suppose to become a house and I did not create a map and kept building implementing art creating mechanics and key moments as I went along just following a feeling, I am now in a place where I need to figure out the main footprint of this space, with the intention to add terrain and exterior playable space to lock scope and scale of that level.
BEHIND THE SCENES - Explaining the why’s
It started with the intention to create an atmospheric experience and it was suppose to bo an endless corridor. It became something else…
I am repurposing a prototype from an old game jam (old version of unreal 5.01) that contained a mechanic I created: the vision (really its like a flashlight). I give it a new function though where the player can make objects appear/disappear by flashing the environment. Which means in term of verb, inspect sort of thing as the world can react to it. This was a mechanic inspired from Alan Wake 1 (not 2, yes yes that long) as I always liked the use of light in games and as an active ingredient.
The main insipiration comes from a fascination for the bizarre supernatural, surrealism and horror and also a will to exporing themes that modern society relates to such as healing, trauma, coping mechanism, mental damage and family. I am trying to deliver a narrative through notes, character thoughts and events.
To cite a few references: Alice in Wonderland, Alan Wake, The Hours, Silent Hill, Resident Evil, Myst, Fashion, Magritte and Dali, Dark Soul, mental illness, David Lynch