The Little Shelter

PLAY

Project Description

Independent Development

Medium: Unity, C#, Procreate, Photoshop

Date: 2023.10

Game Duration: 5-7 min

Presented in Uncool Artist Fall Residency

The Little Shelter is a 2D platform side-scrolling game that grew from my thesis project, The Land of Nothingness. My goal was to convey the concept of discovering inner peace in the bustling modern city of New York through various artistic mediums. This project began during my fall art residency, where I sought to expand my expertise in virtual game tools and storytelling.

The game's narrative revolves around a young girl yearning to escape the daily pressures of city life. Her odyssey commences within the confines of her small room, leading her through a series of environments that provoke her sense of insecurity. Later in the game, she enters the pivotal "Desert of Choice," where she faces the decision of pursuing her dream of becoming an artist or confronting the reality of securing a stable job. These decisions lead to diverse levels, culminating in an empty grassland where she finds respite from the pressures of her surroundings. Here, she searches for her true life's purpose, ultimately finding peaceful repose beneath a tree and drifting into slumber under the beauty of the daytime sky. Upon awakening, she gazes at the stars in the blue sky, symbolizing the vast array of choices life offers.

In essence, this project is profoundly personal and served as a post-college reflection. I believe that many individuals have undergone a similar life phase and can empathize with the emotions of the game's protagonist. My aspiration is to employ this project as a means of conveying wishes and inspiring hope through the medium of a digital game.

Overview

A 2D Platform side-scrolling game merging narrative storytelling with a puzzle-solving mechanic involving the manipulation and movement of crates and boxes within the environment.

Inspiration

In my previous experiences, I've grappled with profound feelings of insecurity and loneliness while residing in New York City alone. I've consistently yearned to break free from the city's competitive environment, seeking respite from the social and emotional pressures it exerts. My desire to escape and prioritize self-care has been a strong motivation. In this regard, I've created two works that reflect this intense urge to escape the city, serving as sources of inspiration for my ongoing development of a virtual game.

Douleur, photography, 2023

I captured this image in my room on an exceptionally gloomy day in New York - a feeling all too familiar for NYC residents during springtime. The view outside the building was entirely obscured, leaving me feeling shrouded in darkness and vulnerability. Living alone in a bustling city poses great challenges for me, particularly when I'm swamped and unable to care for myself properly.

Run, photography, 2023

As a young Hokkien woman living alone abroad, I often feel the need to escape from the reality of modern cities like New York. Finding a sense of belonging is challenging for me, which is why I seek out "a land of nothingness" where I can find solace. With my weaving textile flag in hand, I recently visited Governor Island on a Monday afternoon. This island holds a special place in my heart for several reasons. Firstly, it's a large-scale ecological island that supports numerous sustainable projects. Secondly, there aren't too many people around during the workweek, allowing me to fully enjoy the freedom of solitude. Lastly, the island is uninhabited, and all staff and visitors must leave by 6 pm, which aligns with my search for "a land of nothingness." Running with this flag gives me a great sense of liberation. I feel like I am regaining the happiness that I have been missing for a long time.

Upon reflecting on the origins of these anxiety-inducing feelings, I've attempted to identify the relevant social events that may contribute to my daily nervousness. While riding the subway, I often felt apprehensive about getting too close to the platform edges, recalling distressing incidents where Asian women were pushed onto the tracks. I've also encountered uncomfortable situations, such as being harassed by intoxicated individuals on the street, persistently inquiring about my origins. Additionally, as I pursued a career as an artist, I grappled with social awkwardness when interacting with fellow art professionals and promoting my work to gain attention. On occasions, I resorted to stress eating as a means of self-comfort, despite recognizing that it's not a healthy habit. I believe these seemingly minor elements have significantly exacerbated my emotional state, prompting me to incorporate them into the Game's Mechanics later on.

Game Design Document

Game Mechanism

Gameplay

In this game, players will lead Lunaaa through a variety of settings, from a bustling city to a desert where they have to make choices, and then to an expansive grassland, all in order to release anxiety and search for inner peace.

Players can engage in actions like walking, jumping, and interacting with objects to initiate dialogues and trigger cutscenes.

Rules

While the character walks, their anxiety level gradually increases, leading to decreased energy and slower movement speed.
To advance the story or alleviate anxiety, players must navigate obstacles, avoid enemies, and collect items.
Players should engage with objects and NPCs to initiate various conversations repeatedly.
Distinct challenges and storylines await in each environment.

Goals

Main Goal: Aid Lunaaa in alleviating her anxiety and discovering inner peace.

Collect items and unlock new levels and environments.

Features

A narrative inspired by real-life stories and everyday challenges that resonate with many players.
A distinctive hand-drawn visual style.
An interactive system that combines storytelling with box-pushing, animations, and elements of traditional scroll-rolling games.
Eliciting a range of emotions, including nervousness, mystery, and hope, through the designed game environment and background music (BGM).

Storyline and Levels

Introduction Animations

In the bustling metropolis of New York City, Lunaaa is an outsider, overwhelmed by the relentless pursuit of ambition among its inhabitants and feeling unsafe in the city environment. Her yearning for inner peace and connection drives her to seek an escape from the fast-paced and unforgiving urban setting.

Level 1: Bustling City - Reality

Lunaaaa wakens in her compact, partitioned room within a shared, aging city apartment.

Players guide her in her quest to break free from the urban chaos.

Story Progression:

Lunaaa passes by the metro station, only to hear that the F line she intends to take is delayed.
She encounters strangers on the street who inquire about her origins, causing her discomfort.
Navigating through a sea of people, Lunaaa finally reaches the city center where she can purchase a flight ticket and make her escape from the city.

Level 2: Dilemma Desert - Subconscious

Lunaaa arrives in a mysterious desert, confronted by two imposing doors. She faces a crucial decision: stepping through the "Door of Dreams" to pursue a career as a professional artist or entering the "Door of Reality" in search of a stable job.

Players help her make choices and overcome challenges to reach the next destination.

Story Progression - Door of Dream:

Lunaaa toils tirelessly on her artwork, connects with fellow art professionals, and disregards the ominous notion of becoming a starving artist.
She secures a contract with a local gallerist for a small exhibition, earning her the flowers needed to proceed to the next destination.

Story Progression - Door of Reality:

Lunaaa exerts herself, pushing a massive stone. This stone acts as her stepping stone to reach a high-placed button that unlocks a block symbolizing the challenges she encounters on her path to job promotions.
Having successfully pushed the stone into a pit, she gains access to the next platform, where she retrieves a credit card loaded with the funds.

Level 3: The Land of Nothingness - Hope

Lunaaa enters a sprawling grassland with a guiding signpost leading her way.

Players guide her on a journey to sow the seeds of hope.

Story Progression:

As Lunaaa walks, she wrestles with questions about the quality of her work and the uncertainty of her future.
Lunaaa is utterly fatigued. Out of the blue, she comes across a one-of-a-kind plant seed.
The seed quickly grows into a towering tree as Lunaaa plants it. She rests against the sturdy trunk and falls into a peaceful slumber, as time transitions from morning to night.

Ending

Lunaaa awakens beneath a tree in the stillness of the night, gazing up at the breathtaking stars that adorn the sky. This celestial spectacle fills her with hope for an endless future.