Game Ideas
After the second presentation, I needed to start thinking about the kind of games I wanted to make. I know I wanted to have a game that would really tell a good story in terms of it being effective in having a story that brings awareness about trauma.
I have a note book that I have written a lot of my notes in over the semester as it helps me to be able to lay my ideas out. I struggle to sometimes get my ideas out so being able to keep a notebook has really helped me to figure things out.
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In this notebook I ended up writing out four ideas. I will write out each one here and the ones I took forward I will make a section for those with the art and the presentation I did too.
Overall, it was quite hard to think of different ideas, especially was I was trying to think of them being diverse within game types (i.e.- a click and point or just an experience). I ended up thinking quite hard about how I could make them each individual ideas with a lot of promise and these are what I was able to come up with (these notes are transcribed from my notebook):
Idea 1:
Referencing an idea I went through with James where you are in an experience and seeing how others trauma manifests through body movement and possibly sound. While I still wanted to go with this idea, but with the style or gameplay I wasn't sure that it would work in a practical sense? The idea of having it be an experience was cool, but then I found a way to make it better.
What if I did it as id you are the one who was experiencing these trauma responses while being on a train?
Maybe you could have it where you have to make the choices of where to go- it may relate to each trauma response?
Feeling someone breathing on your neck- you move to a window or sit down- see figures in the window?
More moving around- but means I can really explore different parts of the train.
Idea 2:
Found an idea from 19/8/21 in which I listened to a song called 'Café 1930 (Astor Piazzolla- Alexander Whittingham & Esther Abrami'. I originally heard it being used in an animatic by an animator and artist called SAD-Ist who used this song in their animatic 'Sunsprite's Eulogy' which was inspired by the Dream SMP fanfic 'Passerine'.
My idea involves a protagonist who had no emotions. The protagonist is made of chalk (or could be a robot). He goes through the process of realising he suffered a traumatic event- one that took his life.
On expanding it, it could be how he meets with old friends and how they don't recognise him- maybe if someone was behind it- his trauma may causes him to see things differently.
Idea 3:
Being a ghost and going through things. Like the second idea, it's much like the second idea but would also be like going through the trauma of how they died. Maybe you wake up not knowing where you are? Make your way through the space as you are plagued by your trauma.
Another way to explore it as if you wake up on the tracks of the train and then explore through the train trying to explore around.
Idea 4:
This one is more mechanical and deals with the idea of making it mechanical. You start with a player which cannot figure out what the controls are. The whole idea behind this one is to learn the mechanics- with this it's an allegory for learning to deal with the trauma- while it could still be confusing/ hard to tackle- still very literal in a way.
The way I have at least one technical one. Having a narrative may be a good idea though,
Now that I have gone through my four initial ideas, I ended up choosing the first three.
I also talked in my notebook, but I liked having it in art styles like 'Gris' or 'Omori' as I really like the styles of these games and think I would be able to make it look beautiful with these kinds of styles.
I also quickly wanted to show my workspace. To help inspire me with my works as well as doing a deepdive into trauma, I printed out stuff and made an info sheet that I taped up onto the walls.
I am really happy with my workspace. It feels so good to be around it and inspires me to keep working and reminds me what to do with my ideas/ what I am working on and styles/ visuals to inspire me!
Being able to spread out on the walls makes me really feel like I can be creative and not have to limit myself. It's weird way to interpret it, but I love being able to make the space more my own in my final year!