How should I look today!
Objective
This project explores the emotional and social consequences of being perceived as different, drawing inspiration from a real-life incident to examine feelings of exclusion and alienation.
My responsibilities
Level design, Programming, UX and 2D Art
Design process
- Level iterations with Lego
- Level iterations on Godot
- Player flow design
Level iterations with Lego
Level iterations with Lego: Level designs were prototyped using LEGO bricks to plan and iterate on dimensions and details. Following this, the designs were iterated upon within the game engine, and a final pass was made on color schemes.
Level iterations on Godot
The gameplay was segmented into four distinct levels, with each being designed to evoke a specific emotion from the player. These emotional objectives are further illustrated in the subsequent image.
Player flow design
The entire experience is divided into three main parts, which are introduced to the player in this order:
- Character Customization: The character’s attire can be chosen by the player.
- Gameplay: Gameplay is explained in the section below.
- Story: The game poem’s narrative is explained in this section.
Playtest
The playtest involved 13 participants split into two groups. Seven individuals comprised the first group, receiving the initial version of the game poem, while the second group, consisting of six participants, received the revised version. Following this, I distributed a questionnaire to assess their comprehension of the narrative elements. The initial version of the game was tested by the first group and subsequently updated for testing with the second group.
Interacting with the playtesters during these sessions enabled me to identify and address usability issues. These adjustments were implemented to create the final version, now accessible online.
Player Feedback
I am very happy to share a few feedbacks I have received so far:
“This was a very thought-provoking experience!”
“…I like the simplicity of the art style, and how it still gets the point across really well. Also, the fact that the button says ‘yes, change me’ instead of ‘change my clothes’ fits the theme really well.”
“…first thing first, I think it serves the purpose. the message was crystal clear.I was not expecting anything close to it… I liked how after we played the game, and we ask what happened, and we get to know the story”
Tools used
- Godot
- Asprite
- Lego
- Pen and paper
Detailed Article and Links
To play, visit the game directly at Itchio Site .
Please feel free to reach out if you would be interested in helping and collaborating with us in the project. :)
FIN.