Studio 2 Week 1 Pitch

Chase Profaca (He/They)

The basic premise for my idea is to make a 2d story telling game that will portray a story of the queer experiences through memories. I have planned to make at least 4 different memories that will result in about 2 different outcomes per memory depending on what the player chooses. Each memory will portray different aspects of the queer experience.

RATIONALE – WHY are you doing what you are doing?
Articulate the rationale and set of motivations or intentions for making your project.

I’m working on this project for multiple reasons. I want to help portray the queer experience as this would be done through my own experiences along with the experiences of many of my friends. By creating a fictional narrative that is derived from those memories, it would help to portray a more meaningful experience to those who relate.

I also wish to expand my knowledge of creating 2d based games and narrative option games. Since I haven’t made any in a while, nor have I made them in Unity. It would be a great learning experience to expand my knowledge. I could practice refining my style within 2d art.

CONTEXT – WHO else is doing what you are doing?
Identity your field and the related practice and/or theories that situate your project. Who is the audience in which you are making this for?

There have been many examples of interactive games such as Monster Prom or Coffee Talk that portray a story as you progress through the options. Another game that similarly portrayed an exclusively queer experience are Dys4ia which was created by a trans woman, Anna Anthropy, so that she could reach out and share her own experiences with the world.

My target audience would be both to queer individuals who may wish to feel that their own experiences are better represented and to those who may wish to be more understanding towards the community.

METHODS – HOW will you do what you are doing?
Describe the activities (pre-production, production etc.) you will undertake to develop and complete your project.
These can be conceptual, technical steps, craft and management considerations.

This also involves some self-reflection and honesty as to where your skill level is at in your field.

In terms of pre-production, I will be spending week 1 and 2 getting my designs, map layouts, and basic story premise set up. I would gather some ideas for what each memory could contain and the general themes that I want to explore in each of them. Creating a loose art and style board that can be finalised in week 3 and 4 would also be done.

Week 3 and 4 would be writing up the general script that I want the memories to follow and planning out on Twine how each option results in a certain outcome. Finalising any bits and pieces for the art and style board, then making all the basic objects for the game such as the background, walls, doors, and at least a still of the character finalised. I would like to start getting a simple walking animation and an idle mode for the character, but I may struggle to get the animations done at this stage.

Week 5 and 6 would involve me getting at least the starting room and intro set up, the character and its animations done (a basic version that can later be refined if necessary), and potentially 1 memory completed and finalised. Having all of the basic objects completed and backgrounds.

Potential issues with my timeline may be that my focusing issues may act up causing me to fall behind on my optimistic timeline. Other issues may involve other assignments requiring more of my time than I have anticipated. My coding skills may also hold me back from completing certain aspects of the assignment before folio 1.

OUTCOMES – WHAT are the tangible objects that must be made?
Outline what your submission will be and indicate any potential impact, significance or value this project may have.
The significance of the project should be to your field of practice, contributing to a gap in knowledge, or solving a problem.

The tangible objects that will be produced by the end of folio 1 is that I’d like to have the basic story structure and simplistic graphic visuals completed for two of the areas (the main room and the first memory). Having a version of the story made up using Twine so that I understand the branching story options and how they work.

I will have an interactive story novel by the end of the semester that will portray the queer experience using memories both fictional and real. I hope to be able to represent the medium of visual novels in a more interesting and unique way.

Field: Interactive Visual Novel

Style: 2d Art