Shigagami
October 5, 2022 at 12:00:00 AM
Shigagami
October 5, 2022 at 12:00:00 AM
Description
Shinigami is a game that my team and I developed during our game design class last fall semester. The project gave me the opportunity to apply and expand my skills in environment design, and I was responsible for creating the outdoor terrain and tiles that would help shape the game's eerie, suspenseful atmosphere. Given the limited timeframe of just two weeks, we had to work efficiently, and I’m pleased with how the final product turned out.
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The game is a horror-themed experience, where the key gameplay element revolves around limited visibility. Players must navigate through a maze, with only certain areas visible at a time, which adds a layer of tension and challenge. Ghosts roam the maze, and players must avoid being seen and caught. This creates an engaging balance of strategy, suspense, and survival as players try to outmaneuver both the environment and the ghosts.
Video
The game is a horror-themed experience, where the key gameplay element revolves around limited visibility. Players must navigate through a maze, with only certain areas visible at a time, which adds a layer of tension and challenge. Ghosts roam the maze, and players must avoid being seen and caught. This creates an engaging balance of strategy, suspense, and survival as players try to outmaneuver both the environment and the ghosts.
Process
The process of creating the environment for Shinigami began with a deep dive into the game’s theme and gameplay mechanics. Understanding the horror concept was crucial, so I studied similar games and horror environments for inspiration. I aimed to design an environment that would evoke a sense of dread and isolation, using dark, muted color palettes and simple yet eerie visual elements.
My first task was to create tiles for the outdoor terrain. Since the game required limited visibility, it was important that the environment didn’t overwhelm the player with too many details at once. I worked on creating modular terrain tiles that could be repeated to form paths, hidden areas, and objects that were strategically placed to add tension. These tiles had to be flexible enough to fit into a variety of maze-like layouts, ensuring that players could find new paths and directions without getting lost in a monotonous environment.
I also considered the lighting and how it could impact the game’s atmosphere. Since the game’s theme relied on limited visibility, I used dim lighting and fog effects to add an extra layer of suspense. This helped to create areas of uncertainty, where players couldn’t see what might be lurking just around the corner. Throughout the process, I collaborated with the rest of the team, ensuring that the environment supported the game mechanics. We were in constant communication to make sure the maze wasn’t just visually engaging, but also functional for players to navigate through and interact with. After the tiles were finished, I integrated them into the larger game world and tested different layouts to see how the environment affected gameplay.
Wireframes
The process of creating the environment for Shinigami began with a deep dive into the game’s theme and gameplay mechanics. Understanding the horror concept was crucial, so I studied similar games and horror environments for inspiration. I aimed to design an environment that would evoke a sense of dread and isolation, using dark, muted color palettes and simple yet eerie visual elements.
Reflection
Looking back at the development of Shinigami, I’m really proud of the environment I created, especially considering the time constraints we were under. Working with my team, we were able to design a horror-themed game that felt immersive and engaging, even with limited resources. For me, this project was a valuable learning experience, particularly in the areas of environment design and game world building.