Synopsis
In a world reclaimed by nature after the disappearance of humanity, our game follows the journey of a rebellious teenage alien who crash-lands on Earth after running away from home. Lost and alone, the alien embarks on a quest to discover who they are and where they belong in this strange new world.
As players guide the protagonist through lush, overgrown landscapes and encounter a diverse cast of intelligent animals, they will unravel the mysteries of their own identity. Each animal community represents a facet of the protagonist’s potential identity, offering them the opportunity to integrate and learn from their newfound companions.
However, despite their efforts to fit in, the protagonist struggles with a sense of displacement and emotional turmoil. Several flashbacks to their home planet reveal the pressures and expectations of their alien parents that conflict with the protagonist’s own desires and aspirations.
Throughout their journey, the alien struggles to find their place among the various animal communities they encounter. Despite forming bonds and experiencing moments of acceptance, they can’t shake the feeling of being an outsider. As they grapple with their own identity, the protagonist realizes that their true desire lies in embracing humanity, a choice driven by their own ambition and longing for belonging.
Our game delves into themes of self-discovery, resilience, and the pursuit of one’s dreams. In the end, they come to understand that we are a collection of the people we meet, each encounter shaping us into who we are meant to become.
Key Plot Points (TLDR):
- Alien runs away to Earth
- Integrate and travel through different animal communities
- Doesn’t belong anywhere, EMOTIONAL flashback, who am I?
- Emotional Flashback: Parents want blob to be something they didn’t want to be
- Commit human (be who they choose to be)
Tone
- Heartwarming: This is a game about discovering one’s place in the world and forming meaningful connections with others. Through heartfelt interactions with diverse animal communities and moments of emotional introspection, players will experience a story that touches their hearts and leaves them with a sense of warmth and hope.
- Wonder: In our game, players will embark on a magical journey through a vibrant, post-human Earth full of animal life, vegetation, and possibility. By immersing themselves in the wonders of nature and encountering animal communities, players will experience a sense of awe and curiosity as they explore the mysteries of the world around them.
- Amusing: With playful humor and quirky characters, our game will keep players entertained and engaged from start to finish. Whether it’s navigating environmental puzzles or sharing lighthearted moments with animal creatures, players will find plenty of opportunities for laughter and enjoyment as they embark on this whimsical adventure.
The Setting
Gameplay takes place on a post-humanity Earth, where highly advanced technology has been overrun with vegetation for years, and mysterious circumstances have left the animals of the planet civilized and intelligent. Players will see a variety of backgrounds, such as an abandoned cityscape, a roaming marine civilization, and more. The fate of the rest of the world is left open-ended, to allow players to imagine their own further worldbuilding.
Gameplay
Our main gameplay is avoiding obstacles, exploring the environment, and interacting with other characters in a platform setting. We will have 3 substories where the player navigates as different animals depending on the environment. In addition, we will include a final substory that combines the abilities of the previous 3 substories. The mechanics and moods of each substory will vary greatly, so we will describe each below:
Water Level
Our first substory will take place in a river, not long after our alien first arrives on Earth. Looking for a place to call home, the alien will stumble upon a school of salmon just about to begin their journey upstream. The alien will transform into a salmon for the first time, and the gameplay will begin. At this stage, the mechanics will be kept fairly simple as players avoid obstacles in the water. If the player is hit enough times, the level will reset. We are also considering mechanics such as allowing the player to consume items in the water to increase/decrease their speed, carrying underground lights, and being required to swim near a salmon buddy. As the player progresses, the river will feed into an old, abandoned sewage system. Players will be able to notice remnants of humanity and begin to piece together a story of the abandoned Earth. The challenge will also increase, as players learn to jump with the salmon to swim against the current. Once the salmon reach their final destination, the alien will have a moment of self-reflection on the events that led them to land on Earth. They get interrupted by a cat crying loudly above the water, cueing the next substory.
Land Level
During this level, our alien is suddenly introduced to the abandoned urban environment of our setting and the next animal community, the cats. The alien joins a mom cat searching for her lost kitten in the remnants of the city. This character functions as a parental figure for the duration of their time together, as she instantly takes the alien under her paw. The main mechanic introduced in this level is the ability to climb, inherited from the cat’s claws. However, they can only grab onto vegetation, such as tree branches, and not the steel or manmade materials found in the overgrown cityscape. The player must climb further into city and ever higher up, jumping from tree to tree that juts out of the skyscrapers. By the end of this level, our main character learns important skills and life lessons, such as the importance of perseverance and in attaining one’s goals and that relying on others isn’t such a bad thing after all. From here, we move to the next level after more information regarding the character’s backstory is revealed.
Air Level
Leaving behind the reunited mother and child, the alien reminisces on their own family and lessons from the trip so far. The salmon taught them perseverance, the cats taught them love and sacrifice, but what does it mean to be in a community? On the overgrown outskirts of the city, a cluster of excited cranes host a party to prepare for a voyage with the coming of the seasons. It’s an ancient tradition in their society.
Talking with a cast of excited cranes, some nervous, some arrogant, some wise, the alien is invited to join by the crane mayor. The player takes on crane form and the journey begins. There is a bit of a skill curve to flying and adjusting to wings. They’re lagging behind the flock, which is always at the far end of the screen, though one of their crane friends stays behind to guide them through the updrafts and dangers.
Finally, they approach the mountain they have to fly over, and fly in formation with everyone else. As they begin the ascent, a sudden updraft knocks their companion down. At the back, in the most dangerous part of the journey, the other cranes don’t notice. The alien dives to rescue them, like they had been saved before, but gets caught as well and they both fall onto the snowy mountain face.
References:
Our movie examples emphasize the messages we wish to include in our game: self-discovery, community, and internal conflict. On the other hand, our game examples demonstrate more of our visual and mechanical influences, such as the bright, appealing palette of Celeste.
Movies
- Spirited Away
- The Breakfast Club
- Lilo & Stitch
Games
- Rain world
- Bread and Fred
- Night in the Woods
- Celeste
- Hollow Knight
Key Challenges
Design
- Pacing: We want to give the players enough time to master their new abilities and learn to love the new community they are in while still keeping the concept fresh and fun. The levels should feel fleshed out and satisfying but not drag on for too long.
- Compelling narrative: We want the players to feel compelled to explore the post-apocalyptic world. They should be curious to uncover both what happened in the teenage alien’s past and what their future could be.
- Immersion: We want the platforming mechanics of the game to feel seamless with narrative, and not like a tacked on component. As the teenage alien traverses ancient sewage systems as a fish, the platforming should mirror that feeling of exploration and challenge.
Tech
- Platform mechanics: We want to create a platform that feels challenging but satisfying. How to create the platforms also depends on our chosen game engine.
- Implementing animal abilities: Each level will have a special mechanic (swimming fish, climbing cat, flying bird), so we will have to go beyond the normal platform mechanics of running and jumping.
Art
- Sound design: We hope to create or find compelling soundtracks that match the aesthetic of our world.
- Cohesion: We will be dividing the artwork among our group, so the art will have to stay cohesive.
- Feasible worldbuilding: We want to create levels with environments that tell compelling stories. Levels should transition smoothly into the next.
- Character sprites: We hope to create cute and lovable characters, including salmon, cats, eagles, and aliens.
Who is this for? (aka Audience)
Since this is a coming of age story, with a rebellious teen trying to find their identity, the target audience is for young adults ages sixteen and up. This is a cozy, heartwarming game full of wacky and lovable critters. The platforming is not very intense, and can be enjoyed at a go at your own pace.
