Sector:
Game design, Interaction Design, System Design
Challenge:
Combining the physical immersion, exertion, and thrill of an escape room with the accessibility of a digital
Role:
Researcher, Product designer, Interaction Designer, 3D Modeller
Time:
Solo personal project for 7 Days.
Escape games are some of the most demanding and physical presence requiring games.
How can we convert the same emotions and intensity from a physical form to a digital form without diluting what makes an escape game?
Process
Our first step was to analyze and understand the fundamentals and the user motivation behind a game.
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At its core, an Escape game is based on a basic Human Instinct to Explore Confined spaces and Escape dark areas Into brighter, Open areas that are associated with Freedom.
Also unlike other digital games, there is a deep connection between what you do and what happens in the story. There is a real sense of danger.
Ideation and Storyboards
Through the process, there was an emphasis on discovering "what is fun?"
Mind Map
Nintendo is a brand that echoes in the mind of every gamer. They are known for bringing a new thought process to an established style of play and disrupting what is expected.
All of their assets and music, etc stem from what YOU do.
Problems and Research
Most Escape games don't make the user feel in control of their decisions, it feels very scripted and causes a disconnect between the player, the genre, and the game.
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They also overlook pacing and narrative over visuals even though it isn't what the customers expect foremost like other genres. An Escape game could be made in a minimum of a google form to a Vr experience.
Situation
The player is confined in a Deep Chamber of a Sinking Structure and their Goal is to Escape This structure of 3 levels (with various mini-levels) all the way to the top.
Players Navigate through randomly Generated Mazes without a map to make every game more different from its previous game. These mazes have Obstacles to prevent you from crossing.
The game paces the distance between Safe spaces and Adrenaline Rushing spaces to allow enjoyable Gameplay.
Art style
During the initial meetings with Professors we were told that the game should release by the end of December 2020, and due to the Pandemic, there was a lot of content moving around about the older, happier times like Games and cartoons of the years gone by.
I wanted to capitalize on this sense of nostalgia to play a game they wouldn't be able to experience physically to make them feel Joy.
End Goal
The game has a single-player campaign that helps the players navigate Ancient structures in search of the lost pyramid while slowly revealing a relatable story of the character to connect with the player.
There is also a multiplayer party-battle royale that has a goofy winner who takes all races to the top.
Thank You
Through the game, I wanted to let the players experience a level of freedom and take responsibility for their own experience which is something the genre often overlooks.