My self-developed game, called: “Marine and Ember: The Guardians of ME” - is a project I did as part of my Final Year Project for my BA in Creative Digital Media. The Project takes the form of a Unity run prototype game, showcasing the first level of the titled game. The function of the game is to entertain those who play it, to provide an interesting story and characters that are based off of myself. The project also includes concept art of characters and environments, all created by me, as a way to sell my skills as a game designer.
The game will be a 2D side-scrolling platformer, story-based game for the PC, with a controllable character, sprite animation, and a level stage. This prototype has been developed in two ways. The purpose of the video is to show the full concept art and environment and the preparation of the game. The purpose of the unity prototype is to demonstrate the playability of the game by allowing the user to play through the first level, allowing the player to use a sample version of the game itself.
The Project
The character designs are based off the concept of your ‘left brain and right brain’. “The left brain is more verbal, analytical, and orderly than the right brain and the right brain is more visual and intuitive.” They are also based off the principle of ‘Yin and Yang’, “that all things exist as inseparable and contradictory opposites”. For this game that will be represented as opposing elements Water and Fire. The design for the enemies will be based of my interpretations of my Imposter Syndrome.
Imposter syndrome can be defined as “a collection of feelings of inadequacy that persist despite evident success”. ‘Imposters’ suffer from chronic self-doubt and a sense of intellectual fraudulence that override any feelings of success or external proof of their competence. “They seem unable to internalize their accomplishments, however successful they are in their field. Researchers have linked it with perfectionism, especially in women and among academics”. (Cockindale 2008).
Overall, the game prototype was designed with showcasing the character and level design in mind, while adding functions that allow the user to control the character to explore the 1st level. This is to provide a 1st hand experience of what the game will feel like to play. The story of the game could potentially lead on to more complex functions being developed, such as more complex game mechanics and accompanied game assets.
Character Design
