Level Concept

This is the basic layout for the first level of the game. The idea is to have anything that looks like it can be jumped on to be able to be.

Auto-Ethnography

Skating down a hill

The taste of nerves runs through your mouth just before you push off and it's gone in an instant. There is the familiar sound of the wheels rolling on the tar seal, almost grinding by the sounds of it. The rough road sends vibrations up through the board and into your feet as you begin to build speed. By now the wind is whistling past your ear and flowing through your hair and its cold, bitingly so, but also refreshing. By now you are full of excitement as you hit the bottom and your feet feel tingly now from the vibrations.

Listen to the sounds.

Playing Fooseball

You feel the hard smooth texture of the ball as you put it into play. The sound it hitting the ground is loud and sharp but this only lasts half a second as it is now being hit all over with a clack, clack, clack. The ball wizzes so fast that it becomes reaction rather than trying to follow with your eyes. Nerves are quickly replaced with excitement and back again as the game progresses. Your lower back starts to ache and your right thumb is sore from constant rubbing. There is a smell of fireworks now as the powder on the ball explodes from multiple hits and this triggers more excitement.

Cooking Porridge

There is a faint fresh smell from the oats as you pour them into the pot. The sound of the water joining is one great slosh. All the oats are just spinning around now with a little bit of white oozing from them. When the pot is put on the element there is a ticking, groaning noise. Steam starts to wash upwards and hit your face making it feel warm and then cool as you back off. The water starts to boil and making bubbling and popping sounds and the smell is now being released. The steam is flowing thick now and the oats have all gone white and formed into one mass as the water has disappeared.

Character Development

A scan of some of the concepts for my character. I like the idea of him being faceless so that he represents more than one person. The top mask I quite like for this with the grass skirt poking out the bottom and these big black eye holes that give nothing away. Also from the side view which is where all the motion actions will take place doesn't show any more of him than the front.

Pocket Gods Referral

I was advised to have a look at this game as it is very similar to the style of my proposed idea

Precedent Images

Here are some images I found to base my masks off of. I really like the idea of making it look like its made from wood.

Actual Sinking Island

I found an actual island called Kirabati in the pacific that is effectively "sinking" because of global warming which is exactly what my game is trying to portray.

http://www.smartplanet.com/blog/thinking-tech/global-warming-causes-island-nation-to-sink/10632

Game Idea 1

Rising Ocean Levels

Have this idea greatly exaggerated with the player character having to constantly move upwards to avoid drowning. The water will be rising quicker and quicker with the only way to slow it being to either.
Flick off switches
Unplug cords
Destroy coal factories
Knock ice into the water
etc.

Consider the setting as a tropical island that is going under.
Character is a native tribesman of the island with a giant voodoo mask taking up the majority of his body.

Path of Exile - Erik Olofsson (Producer, Lead Artist)

Erik is the lead artist on the upcoming game Path of Exile. He is an Industrial Design Graduate
from Sweden who has completed work on an arcade machine, a clothing label and level design and
concept art for games and other purposes.He also wrote "Design Sketching" which is used in many
universities around the world.

www.grindinggeargames.com

Path of Exile is set in a post-apocalyptic fantasy world where the player character is exiled to
continent of Wraeclast. You are thrown off a ship and wash up on shore where you are immediately have to fight against drowned undead exiles who had come (and failed) before you.

You must fight your way back to the mainland for any chance to survive.
The aesthetic theme for the game is a gritty realistic art style, which as they quote "goes against
the current industry trend of cartoony RPGs." The game is an over the head action RPG of the style
that was made famous by Diablo. They wanted a really dark and gritty game that made you feel like
you really were exiled and that there wasn't much hope.

 I really feel this comes across in the game as you get the sense that the area is smaller than it really is as you cannot see all of it. This brings with it a sense of fear as you don't know what's in the darkness.
The biggest advantage of the game is its character customisation. With a large skill system, randomized
loot and an enourmous level system truely no two characters are the same.

www.pathofexile.com