Remnants
Remnants is the working title I've given to one of the ideas chosen by my survey participants. The initial idea is as follows:
'A species creates a simulation in a desperate attempt to preserve themselves in a post-apocalyptic scenario, but the perspective is from an outsider species attempting to piece together the mystery and story of their civilisation through both the simulation and the real world.'
For each of my three ideas, I'll be running through what I believe to be the most developmental and essential headings of the project proposal at this stage.
I'll be approaching these in the future tense, as I won't have conducted all the research and prototyping yet, so this is more to outline what I will be doing as opposed to what I have already done - I'll then add to this as I progress.
Initial Abstract
"500-1000 word synopsis to include description of the general project and reasons for choice.
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Introduce it, describe it.
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What is your research so far?
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Provide key examples of visual research"
Remnants will be an exploration focused game driven by player curiousity. The player will be thrown into a post-apocalyptic world, assuming the role of a humble Martian seeking to discover Earth's secrets. In doing so, the lone Martian falls down a rabbit hole uncovering all of the mysteries about what happened to Earth, and what happened to humanity. The player will discover the remnants of humanity deep within the ruins of a laboratory, where they will uncover an ancient simulation, preserving the very last traces of humanity.
Natural occurrences have laid waste to the hardware keeping the simulation alive, and the final traces of humanity face extinction. Desperate to help, the Martian must flip between simulation and reality to uncover more and more information, repairing the simulation as they go under the guidance of the few remaining human minds within the simulation.
User Experience: Critical Analysis
"An indication of the critical and analytical framework and key research sources for the project include how your believe your project will be supported by these.
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What are the topics you researching specifically that are not games related?
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Key academic books/ journals/ articles"
My research into simulation theory and the relevant scenarios in which a simulation would become a necessity have provided a strong foundation for this, but additional research will take me in the direction of environmental storytelling and level design.
Design Appendix: Concepts
"Concepts of preliminary designs for visual aspects of your project. Examples of screen layouts, characters, graphics, moodboard’s and colours etc in digital formats.
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include tests and test reflection
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iterations and feedback
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models/ sprite sheets"
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The main piece of concepting work I carry out will be for world itself. I want to try and create locations reflective of a post-apocalyptic world reclaimed by nature that shows the remnants of humanity within it.
Design Appendix: Prototypes
" Create and list self-contained functional components and early prototypes you expect to make should be listed and eventually linked here.
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list out initial ideas
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Paper prototypes ?
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Simple mechanics concepts ?
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Can you embed? "
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I will most likely be heading into Minecraft to create prototypes for Remnants, as it possesses the exploration element in built into it already, I just have to build things and prototype some specific mechanics and interactions, such as flipping between simulation and reality.