Introduction
Using the past recent workshops about animation cycles, sprite making, audio terminology and the work we were taught about Unreal Engine, we have to get into groups and begin planning for a 2D game.
So for this group work, we had to assign each other roles.
Aaron – Animation, Graphics
Regan – Programming, Audio Design
Leah (me) – Narrative, Gameplay
Mood Board
As a group, we created mood boards for games we think will suit this group work and to help with our planning. Obviously we will benefit from looking into games that are 2D or play the game from the same perspective throughout.
Here are a few example of 2D games and video games held from a flat, single 2D perspective all the way through. I have chosen these games because some I have played and enjoyed their style and gameplay, and others I think are visually appealing and fit the criteria for this project.
Game Idea
As a group, we have discussed what different ideas and styles we could use to plan our 2D game. The others in my group have come up with mood boards of their own, featuring their first thoughts about 2D games and this introduces different styles we could consider.
We decided we liked the look of the 2D exploration and horror game called Limbo, but based around Coleg Gwent. This is the game above, as seen in the mood board, that has a big contrast between light and darkness. The game consists mainly of shadows and identifiable silhouettes – no real texturing or colours are included for the majority of the game. We like this game style as we don’t see it often executed well and we like the sinister undertone it gives to the game.
What we need to consider
Upon first thought, our game idea will need a big sense of direction to keep the player interested and entertained. The way it will work will feature puzzle-like level designs that try to prevent the player from reaching their goal. There may also be chase scenes or persistent threats that add tension and a sense of fear to the game.
The general theme of the game will be almost gothic, dark and sinister. We want to use the idea of identifiable shadows and marking key assets and clues with hints of light – similar to the game Limbo has.
A game like this needs a good story, a reason for the character to keep pushing and a good end goal. The mechanics would only need to be simple, however solving puzzles may feature functions such as using pulley-systems to resemble the forces of gravity and puzzles that abide by the laws of physics (or not).
Story (Escape from Coleg Gwent)
Using the contrasting style and the game we have in mind, the story needs to feature an objective or a goal to be trying to escape from Coleg Gwent in the first place. Much like the spider chase scene in Limbo, we thought it was best to make Coleg Gwent chase the player… Here is a brief story we put together:
The protagonist (player) has to traverse through an environment of various puzzles, obstacles and traps in order to save fellow students hopelessly lost along the way. The goal is to reach a world of light, a world of safety, away from the grasp of the ‘Coleg Gwent monster’ (currently lacking a better alias).
The player will have a persistent looming sensation of danger as they are unknowingly being chased by a dark creature throughout the entire gameplay. However, this creature’s presence isn’t always known unless it wants it to be.
Sound Effects/Audio
In a game with little visual stimulus besides silhouettes and shapes, audio and sound effects are going to be crucial for adding tension and more atmosphere to the game. However, I also believe that in a game like this, silence can be used to create a surreal ominous environment if done right.
Regan is going to uptake the role managing the audio and SFX, which we can find via royalty free websites and sources. He can use trigger boxes in Unreal Engine to slowly add creepy or threatening audio files or music, perhaps to introduce the ‘Coleg Gwent Monster’.
Evaluation
This project has a strong concept and an entertaining design and narrative behind it, I think that it is exclusively a good idea for those of Coleg Gwent themselves, as it makes the game concept more personal and relatable perhaps.
However, there were a few obstacles we, as the developers, faced. Obviously COVID-19 posed as a consistent threat to progress and team work. This pandemic can easily cause delays amongst work and our goals, as well as remote learning and distanced learning. Most important, COVID-19 can cause a lot of people to lose motivation fast due to the factors going against us.
This blog planning this game concept was helpful however, we were able to improve our team work skills, even if not by much, and we were able to engage our minds and work together to generate an actual legitimate idea for a game which I was grateful for.
I think the story of this game idea was a good base idea. To improve it, I could’ve included other aspects of college such as the college buses (potentially could come crashing down from above or act as a respawn location), or the local food sold and used as a way of healing your character etc.
Conclusion
This workshop, as well as the other recent ones have helped a lot of people identify their strengths and weaknesses, personally I have always enjoyed being artistic and creative, and English story-writing has always come naturally to me – therefore I think I’d excel most at narrative and concept art for a video game. Regan was tasked with the programming and audio design – both of these roles helped him learn more about Unreal Engine, however I believe he enjoys modelling most when it comes to game development.
Leah Morrell Games Designer 