The progress of the project will be updated in the links below：
https://miro.com/app/board/uXjVORyiTjw=/?invite_link_id=997711915311
Group member introduce:
Our group will going to do a 3D horizontal exploitation game. The group was formed by three people. Two from 3D computer animation. Kaiwen Xiao and me. The last one is Zhuxuan Zhang from 2d animation.
And here is our project breakdown. Friendred suggested we put deadlines into each part of the work. I thought that be useful.
Story introduce:
The story basically revolves around a little girl. And it took place in her house. Players will watch an animation about the girl waking up one day, calling her parents but no one answers. The player needs to control the character to find out what happened. In the course of exploration, the player will gradually discover the truth and the whole story.
The story is a little bit complicated. I also want to put clues in the game without saying clearly to help the players spontaneously clarify their thoughts about what is going on in this game.
Players will find out the house is in the city of Narokse, an imaginary city. And there is a fight between this city and deity 10 years ago. It seems her parents made a deal with the deity to keep the girl away from danger. But the city was destroyed by that war. So, what did the deity do to the girl? That’s also something player need to find out during the game. And the ending will be different due to different exploration rates.
More details can be found in my previous blog.
Week 2: Collaborative unit – Detail description
How to play the game?
The game is based on a horizontal view but the player is actually in a 3D scene with a camera focus on the character. The player can interact with the objects in the scene by using key items. The story will be driven through a combination of game interaction and interlude animations. Finally, by gathering all the clues together, player will uncover the truth.
the view may be the same as This War Of Mine. But we will focus on one single room in our game.
We get a suggestion of don’t put too much content in the game. Otherwise, the play may don’t have the interest to look at. That’s also an important part for me to consider of how do I create the clues and the way to present the content to the audience.
Charcter Design
Diary or work:
We collaborate with Zhuxuan Zhang this week. So, the number of our group add to three. We are still looking for someone from sound art as our composer. Also, I do the presentation of our project on Wednesday. We got some advice and feedback. Because all the modeling, characters and materials had to be done from scratch, Friendred was a little worried about whether we could get it done on time.
Also, I got a feedback of don’t put too much text for the players to read otherwise they won’t read. I really agree with that idea. This is also something important that producers need to consider about in the an era of shallow reading.
What’s more, Kaiwen finished the character design as well as the model of character’s head. We mapped out the work to be done. And I pushed the story further.
Work to be done
Character – Character setting, modeling, texturing, rigging, weight painting.
Animation – 1. In game a) standing b) Move to right/ left c) Investigation action d) Emotional action (look around).
2. Interlude animation a) Introduce b) In-between c) Ending
Game function – set up scene, game interface, UI – item, the insertion of cutscenes, hold item and interact with a particular object. Dialog box – State the main character’s thoughts.
Model – due to the storyboard and the requirement of game scene.
Style — It can be different from room to room, or even crayon doodles, as the protagonist thinks it should be. And that can awaken players’ curiosity.
Model’s style time period – Victorian era
The confusion of time and space – Somethings that the protagonist does not understand appear in the scene, such as refrigerators in order to increase the confusion.
During the game we need to show that father loved the little girl even as he became increasingly paranoid about the pollution of deity.
Also I designed some of the game interactive options for better telling the story. And all of this is to emphasis that something goes wrong to the players.
- Peeling wallpaper from the walls of the living room.
- Dust on the table
- Newspaper on the living room/dining room table. The girl says “It’s raining hard these days. Father leaves home very early these days. There should be a rainstorm, but why is it so quiet?”
- Just walls on the position of window should be. The girl says “In my memory there should be a window.”
- Letter to [Father’s Name] Girl says “Eh? This is a letter to daddy. ” [Darling, the deity answered my request, he will protect our daughter in war, different as what you think, the gods are selfless.] “Well, this is from mommy to Daddy, she always believed in that deity.”
- The deity statue on the desk. Girl says “My father brought back the statue some time ago, and since then he never said good morning to me before going to work.”
Ending:
- If player chooses to smash the deity statue in the end, under a good exploration rate, true end will be discover. The girl will wake up in the ruins, and find out the city was destroyed long time ago.
- If player choose not to smash the deity statue in the end, bad end will be discover. The girl woke up in bed again, just the same as everyday. Still trapped in the phantom.