Development

- The development process overall

The development process went through several stages of revision and redirection but the final outcome still resembles our original concept. In the first stages, we considered themes such as the human spirit, colors, emotions, and faith, and ways we could abstract these ideas in AR. Once we were able to decide on a theme and narrative, we were able to break down the logistics and specific mechanics inside our game. We also wanted to explore something more experimental, hence the AR format instead of a traditional gaming experience. We referenced a lot of surreal game designs, specifically Love death & robot: Zima Blue in our initial brainstorming phases. Once the main narrative was established, our workflow was a lot more productive. 

- Design docs, development images, notes

Format: AR (experience-based)

Style: Surreal Future 

Concept: 

In the future society, human life becomes subject to the command of technology and mechanization, and the initial elements of humanity gradually disappear. But as human beings, we cannot forget the origin of everything: the emergence of the cell, then the formation of life, then the enrichment of thinking that gives rise to our faith and hope. The concept of religion becomes obscure. Human beings gradually rediscover the original, the most primitive faith, the faith in life and thought, and the most genuine self. 

Game Flow: Player enters the space -  room1 - room2

Concept Logic Flow:

From the initial emergence of life forms - collecting DNA, the origin of life - putting them inside the baby in the womb - triggers animation + next stage 

> Produces a rich structure of emotions and belief, rediscovering our true sense of self and hearts The sublimation of ideas gives us a vision of hope

Final Goal: Finish touring the space, rekindle with our origins, emotions, and our humanity. A player achieves the sublimation of self-dimension in the final universe in space.

Design: Subliminal, space, universal, ethereal colors. Collecting items that coincide with the room designs - obscured human body infused with technology. 

2 Rooms (with different types of future Beliefs Ritual):

Room 1: Life, Cell, Vision (the belief in life and the world)

Main Game Mechanism: Collecting DNA, exploring the formation of life 

Room 1 Assets: Cells, DNA, fetus, hands, some sort of veneration statue, microbes, human figurines, abstracted womb with the fetus

The concept of life in the future is gradually blurred, and most mechanical objects replace life itself. The purpose of the idea in room 1 is to reawaken human beings and think about conceiving life, forming life, living in the world, and finally seeing the new world with two eyes.

Room 2: Sentience, emotion, expression (the belief to our true self, emotional expression)

Because of the high development and mechanization of the future world, human beings want to evolve themselves to a higher form. But during this period, personal thoughts and emotions gradually disappear, leaving only a high level of technology. The precious thing about human beings is that they have deep and complex feelings and thoughts that machinery cannot experience and understand. The core here is to return to real life and the true self as human beings.

Game Mechanism: Collecting the essence of ourselves

Room 2 Assets: human + mech (cyborg), ethereal surroundings, essence balls that represent emotions/knowledge, human hearts

- Playtesting feedback

We weren’t able to get a lot of playtesting feedback since our project was site-specific and we were all communicating online instead of working together in person. We were able to show our video trailer to some people and this was the feedback: 

• The image and designs are very immersive and pretty to look at
• Had trouble knowing what to tap/collect
• Lack of transition between spaces/direction - more clear indication would be helpful
• Novelty is a plus 
• It would be nice to experience it without it being site-specific, or even in a more immersive platform/on a bigger screen 
• The stages of slowly discovering and exploring the environment is well done, creates a sense of narrative and autonomy