Way Out
Digital Game | Creative Coding
#p5.js
About
Every one of us has a story, a narrative we tell ourselves or others about who we are. This story can reveal much about our interests, values, and history. For this creative coding assignment, I designed an autobiographical game. Drawing inspiration from my experience of being isolated at school, I made this unique game to tell my story and hopefully resonate with players having shared experiences.
Role
Illustrations
Interactive Storytelling
Game Design
Time
Nov 2 - 9, 2021
Co-op
Parsons MFA Design & Technology
(Critical Computational Lecture & Lab)
Ideation
As an autobiography game, I brainstormed from the feeling of being isolated at junior high school. I came up with wire loop games where players have to get to the exit without touching routes' walls made of wires. I found the context of wire loop games similar to my experience. Avoiding touching the walls reminds me of avoiding classmates while being bullied. Therefore, I decided to employ this mechanic to build this game.
Electronic Maze Toy from Aliexpress
Prototypes & Gray Boxing
After finalizing the game mechanics, I designed a maze featuring classmates' faces, where the player must navigate without touching anyone else to avoid being sent back to the starting position. I then created a storyboard for 5 narrative-driven levels that showcased my personal journey. Through gray boxing and prototyping, I tested various coding methods, including color detection, to determine the most practical approach.
Gray Boxing(a)
Gray Boxing(b)
Despite encountering challenges with color detection, I sought assistance from classmates and optimized the code using distance detection, ultimately achieving the desired gameplay. To enhance the game experience, I implemented angle-tracking, symbolizing the sense of oppression by making characters always face the player.
Level & Narrative Design
To immerse players in my narrative, I crafted 5 progressively challenging levels that symbolize significant days of my personal journey. Through immersive interactions and dialogue, players unravel the story as they navigate through each level.
Showing words I heard from my classmates that made me realize my being isolated
Depicting the condition I was facing
Sharing the difficulty and struggles
Utilized the movement of the character to symbolize the depression and encountering the turning point
Expressing my reflections and messages to people with shared experiences; Since I found my shelter, the obstacles/faces fade out due to other's help.
