Aroga is a narrative-driven point-and-click game about dealing with anxiety to leave the house. Using a hammer, the player breaks down objects and explores previous events to talk through how they got to their current point. My role within the project was contributing to the Game Design and creation of all art assets within the project.
Game Design Process
The Theme for this Game Jam was "Escape the Room" with a special object that needed to be included in the game, which was a hammer. Instead of physically breaking down walls or items, we wanted to explore something a bit more abstract. This led us to explore the topic of agoraphobia, as sometimes it is not physical boundaries that are keeping us in a single place but rather mental ones. Throughout the game, the player has to break down certain objects from their past using the hammer, in order to reflect upon the experiences that have affected them and ended up triggering their anxiety.
Art Process
For the art assets, I chose to make the game quite bright and warm even though the topic of the game could be perceived as sad or depressing. The idea behind this was to showcase that many people struggling with this type of anxiety may not appear "obviously" sad. This lead me to the main colour palettes which are a light cream, orange and blue since it makes the room itself feel cosier and warmer. When it came to designing the actual room, I wanted the player to be able to see that the character spend a lot of time in here and had done their best to make it a cosy and liveable space. By adding clutter, the room appears lived-in but comfortable without making it overy messy or disorganised. From the word "Agora" we were lead to a family of moths named "Aroga" (Agora spelled backwards) which became the name of our game. Because of this, I wanted to incorporate moth patterns within the art assets as a nod to this play on words and the title of our game. You can see this clearly in the moths on the main menu screen but also more subtly like the pattern on the character's bed sheets.
Revelations is a top-down investigation game where you play as a paranormal investigator. Nothing is ever as it seems. The player explores a block of flats to uncover the truth behind the supposed haunted apartments, collecting and gathering evidence as you go. My role within the project was contributing to the game design and the creation of all art assets.
Game Design Process
The Scream Jam 2022+1 had no overall theme therefore its only requirement is that a horror game be made. Inspired by our love for shows like Scooby-Doo and X-Files, we wanted a mystery that was not as obvious as it may seemed at first glance. We intended to create an environment that ticked all of this classic horror genre conventions when it came to a paranormal investigation but that upon further inspection the real culprit would be less supernatural and more capitalistic in nature. In the game, the player has to explore a block of flats in order to discovery why it is haunted. A key part of this, is investigating objects and talking to the other residents of the building. If the player strikes out on their own a bit more and manages to discover the extra clues, it will become clear the appartment in question is not actually haunted but rather it is a scheme for a real estate agent to buy the property at a cheap price.
Art Process
For the art assets, I choose a pixel art style since it creates a more retro and nostalgic feeling which is common in the horror genre. In terms of colour palettes, I used a lot of darker browns and greys to create a feeling of dirtyness and grunge. Even though it is still a lived in building, it was clearly one that had been there for a long time which meant a darker palette like this helped with giving age and weight to the setting. Several perspectives where used in the game which meant I had to adjust the art assets accordingly. The main game is top-down, therefore the majority of the assets are as well. However some items were also able to be viewed within the player journal which required a flat front perspective. Moreover, the small cutscene made use of a fisheye-perspective to really highlight how ominious the environment was that the player was about to enter.
Shattered is a short 2D narrative-driven game about someone going through a major change in their life who turns to the support of escapism and a snarky cat. The player explores a spaceship to complete tasks, exploring their feelings around the current situation as they go. My Role within the project was Game Design and Creating the art assets.
Global Game Jam 2023
Shattered
January 2023
Itch Page - https://globalgamejam.org/2023/games/shattered-4
Game Design Process
The theme for the 2023 Global Game Jam was "Roots". With this in mind, we wanted to explore the feeling of having your life uprooted and how you might cope with this situation. This led us to create a narrative-driven game about change and escapism. At its core, this is a story about someone trying to cope with a large-scale change in their life by immersing themselves in a different world which is a feeling many people can relate to. Our protagonist way of coping with this change is to imagine themselves as the captain of a spaceship together with their cat. Throughout the game they have to fix a variety of machines to restore the ship to full power and contact the outside world. However, with each fix, the fake reality they have established for themselves breaks down further eventually shattering the escapist fantasy and returning them to their regular house. During this process, the cat speaks to the character, trying to make them face the inevitable reality break.
Art Process
Since there are two distinct sections in the game, a spaceship and a house, the assets had to clearly communicate the different sides. For example, the spaceship living quarters turned into a regular bedroom over time. Therefore I choose cold blues and metals for the spaceship elements of the game which created a contrast with the warm cream tones and wooden patterns of the house parts. With each level of progression, furniture and structures would swap out for their "real" counterpart. Moreover, to signify the "break" in reality, the screen would become increasingly more cracked and eventually almost shatters as the player-character confronts their own methods of escapism. Moreover, the cat companion also changes overtime, slowly shedding pieces of their robotic spacesuit and eventually turning into a regular cat that does not have the capability of speech.
Our game Moving On is a 2D point-and-click game about moving on with your life after a breakup. Moving furniture to explore components of the character's current life and previous experiences. Working in a team of Four, I was part of the design process and provided all art assets for the game.
Game Design Process
The theme for the 2022 Global Game Jam was "duality". The main inspiration for the game was a breakup that a teammate was going through. A breakup is both an end and a beginning, a life change that affects almost everything. Therefore this seemed like a good opportunity to explore duality through the lens of a relationship ending. The core of the game is that sometimes giving something up from your past means that you gain something new. In the game, the player has to drag objects from the old "couple" house to the new "single" house. As the items cross the threshold, they change into something more appropriate for this new beginning, mirroring the change in lifestyle and needs. The game is accompanied by an emotional soundtrack and reflective written pieces about this major life event.
Art Process
Since the main focus of the game is around the different houses and their furniture, I had to create designs that clearly communicated the shift in lifestyle. I chose to make the old house a bit more traditional whilst the new house would be more modern in make, showing the passage of time between the couple getting togther and breaking up. In terms of colour palettes, I used a lot of warm and pink tones in the old houses whilst the new house ended up with cooler and more sober colours. Due to the changes, all assets in the game needed to be made in duos. Whilst the exterior items were more about the different visual styles of the houses, the furniture needed to signal the change from a partnership to a single endeavour. For example, two matching mugs became one personalised mug. The location for some of the items also changed, making it more suitable for the individual rather than having to compromise with a partner.