2021
ANOTHER DAY
A narrative-driven game that portrays the daily struggles experienced by those living in isolated environments during lockdown while sufferring with depression and anxiety.
The game was part of the Cornwall House exhibition during the G7 Summit in 2021, and is part of mental health charity Safe In Our World's list of mental health related games and apps. It also won the People's Choice Award at Falmouth University.
Read on for more details.
SUMMARY OF CONTRIBUTIONS
Working as a designer as part of a nine person team, I wore many hats throughout this game’s development. My primary role was that of narrative designer, working closely with the writers to ensure that the game’s narrative and gameplay were well-matched. I also implemented the dialogue and narrative beats that occur in the game.
I also took a central role in concepting and designing the various minigames that the player is tasked with completing throughout the game. These were designed as a gameplay device to highlight the mundanity of everyday life in lockdown.
I produced various art assets in the form of pixel art. This included desktop screens, email UI, collectable game boxes, and even assets for a hidden endless runner.
NARRATIVE DESIGN
Being a story-driven game, narrative implementation was crucial. Working closely with the writers on the team, I designed ways in which the narrative could be delivered to the player to best play to the strengths of the game. This primarily existed through internal thoughts in the player-character’s head. In-between each day, once the player goes to bed they are able to engage in dialogue with their own inner-psyche, allowing them to gain a better understanding of the character’s mental state as the game progresses. I chose a minimal presentation for this, focusing purely on the words presented to the player.
When in the flat, the player is also able to explore and engage with objects around the place, that the character then provides insights into. Similarly to the dialogue, these insights change over the course of the game, to reflect the characters mentality. I brought this system to life, through the use of visual scripting. I feel that its inclusion adds much more nuance and believability to the game, and provides further insights into the character for players who wish to seek them out.
CONCEIVING THE MINI-GAMES
Early on, the team knew that we wanted to convey the mundanity of everyday life spent in lockdown. Spending time ideating with other designers, we conceived a handful of mini games that the player would have to engage in to complete their daily chores. The goal was that these would become progressively more tedious and challenging to complete in order to reflect the character's worsening mental state.
The end product was six varieties of mini games that the player is tasked with completing over the course of the game. They include getting out of bed, brushing teeth, washing the dishes, doing laundry, putting clothes away, and hoovering the floor. Either completed by use of the mouse, or repeatedly tapping certain buttons, these mini games have purposely simple completion criteria, but within the context of the game and the character's mental state, add a profound layer to the game's storytelling.
SET DRESSING AND ENVIRONMENTAL STORYTELLING
Alongside the overt storytelling delivered through dialogue and mental insights, the environment was also utilised to deliver environmental storytelling. By purposely placing props around the flat, I was able to imply the player's deteriorating mental state and their lack of care for their surroundings.
As the game progresses over the course of the week, the flat becomes more and more messy. Dirty plates pile up, clothes are left discarded on the floor, and overflowing rubbish is neglected. I was mindful in my placement of these items, trying to have empathy for the character and imagining what my flat would look like if I were in their position.
DESIGNING THE DESKTOP
At various points throughout the game the player is able to access the character's laptop. When engaging with this, they enter a desktop screen where they can check emails, read their diary and play an endless runner game. It was my responsibility to design the interface and create the UI assets.
Using Aseprite, I created all of the artwork for the screens, as well as adding functionality in Unity. Notably, as the player character's mental state deteriorates, the desktop background progresses from bright and sunny, to dreary and cloudy, before finally becoming dark and overcast.
ARTISTIC RESPONSIBILITIES
As well as my various roles within design, I also took on some art responsibilities for the project, in the form of pixel art. I created nearly all assets for the previously mentioned desktop, as well as some covers for fictional video games. I enjoyed extending myself outside of design and was proud to contribute some artwork to the project.
