Bones of Betrayal was a solo project murder mystery, built on a unique system of emotional deduction.
Waste Away was a group project to build a waste management simulator game, in which I was design lead.
Dance of Dusk was a solo game jam project where you have to dance around the shadows empowering your enemies in a side scroller hack and slash.
Bones of Betrayal is a game I developed solo over the span of a couple of months. It all stemmed from me wanted to make a game with a unique approach to dialogue as I felt current iterations didn't reach the emotional depths that could be possible. The aim of this project was to design and develop a visual novel detective murder mystery game that challenges players to decipher emotions through dialogue and utilise this emotional deduction to solve the case.
The core gameplay revolves around interrogating suspects and witnesses, but with the inability to read facial expressions. Instead, players must rely solely on the emotions conveyed through the characters' speech and respond accordingly. Building upon the work of emotion theorists like Paul Ekman, Jaak Panksepp and Klaus R. Scherer, this project explored how incorporating these emotional elements into gameplay mechanics can enrich the established genre.
The inability to read facial expressions forces players to rely heavily on the spoken word cues, emphasising the importance of listening and interpreting emotional subtext within the dialogue. Skeletons fit the static character brief while offering a visually striking and stylised archetype and intrigue within the underworld setting. Despite the shared skeletal structure, characters are distinguished through diverse clothing and accessories, reflecting their personalities, roles and social standing within the underworld. These are based on stereotypes from the murder mystery genre and are instantly recognisable in their tropes.
3D environments are rendered in a stylised cartoon art style, emphasising bold outlines and striking colours. This approach creates a visually engaging world while maintaining a sense of light-heartedness amidst the dark themes. 2D characters, including the player, are depicted in a simple sketch art style, evoking a classic hand-drawn aesthetic. The imperfections in this approach add to the gritty and deeply personal nature of the game. This contrasts with the 3D environments, adding a unique visual layer and emphasising the characters' lack of expressions.
Key locations within the street environment were strategically placed to serve as narrative touchstones and guide the player's exploration. Non-player characters (NPCs) were strategically positioned near landmarks, clues, or interactive objects to provide extra information. NPCs placement in the world have narrative implications, like the husband and the femme fatale being neighbours at the motel with mentions of thin walls, advancing the investigation.
Waste Away was an 8-man team endeavour, working with other student programmers, designers and 3D artists over a 3-month period. I was appointed the design lead for this project and so my duties lied in crafting the core gameplay loop, creating a balanced economy and designing the systems for progression.
Waste Away is a management and simulation game that puts players in charge of a waste disposal plant. In the game, players will need to efficiently manage and optimize the disposal of various types of waste while dealing with environmental and economic challenges. The goal is to run a successful and eco-friendly waste disposal facility while navigating the complexities of waste management.
The game's economy is a delicate balancing act, intertwining resource management, financial decisions, and environmental impact. Players must navigate income sources and expenditures. Grants, recycling revenue, and eco-friendly bonuses provide additional streams of income. Managing staff salaries, infrastructure upgrades, research, and maintenance costs is crucial to ensure the plant's long-term sustainability. The game's economy encourages players to optimize waste management processes. Efficient recycling and waste reduction strategies lead to increased revenue and a positive environmental impact. Players must carefully consider the costs and benefits of different waste disposal methods to maximize profits and minimize environmental damage.
The game progresses through a workday cycle, each with specific objectives and challenges. Research and buy new technologies and waste management methods through a tech tree of upgrades to improve efficiency and reduce environmental impact. Purchase upgraded equipment, more staff, and facilities to handle more waste and improve recycling rates. Success in each day is measured by environmental health and financial stability.
Dance of Dusk was a solo project fuelled by passion and a love for classic samurai cinema. This 2.5D side-scrolling hack-and-slash emerged from a weekend long game jam, a testament to some of my focused design skills and rapid iteration.
The core mechanic of Dance of Dusk revolved around a unique dance with darkness. As the lone samurai, the player had to strategically manipulate the enemies positioning to defeat the demons possessed soldiers that amplify their power in the shadows. My design challenge was to create a compelling loop where players mastered this dance - baiting enemies away from darkness and unleashing devastating attacks.
Evoking the spirit of old samurai films, I crafted a stark black and white aesthetic. Cinematic bars adorned the top and bottom of the screen, further immersing players in this world of honour and vengeance. This minimalist visual style emphasized the dynamic gameplay, where light and shadow became central in the aesthetic and gameplay.