Premise
In Giant Steps, you play as Desmond, a newly graduated jazz saxophonist trying to make it as a musician after he graduates from jazz school. He wants to be a part of the New York jazz scene — to feel like what he makes matters — but can’t move past the anxiety and paralysis that come from the trauma left behind from school, a fear of failure failure, and a restless need for the lack of silence.
Over one night during one of Desmond’s first days settled into the city, the player explores Desmond’s cramped apartment, rides the late train downtown, and finally stands at the door of a small club where his old bandmates are playing.
Whether Desmond makes it: out of the door, into the subway, onto the street, and inside the club, is the player’s prerogative. Can you overcome the anxiety of existing in the scene?
Project Plan
| Week | Milestone | Deliverables / Tasks |
|---|---|---|
| Oct 6–13 | Premise & Map | Finish narrative outline (above), sketch the three environments, decide prop lists. |
| Oct 14–24 | Apartment Prototype | Build Apartment room in Godot + Popochiu; implement panorama camera and core interactions. |
| Oct 24–27 | Train Scene | Add Train room; create simple parallax animation and sound design for rhythm/motion. |
| Oct 28–Nov 3 | Club Exterior + Transitions/Intros | Build final room, link transitions, add audio layers; test pacing. |
| Nov 4–10 | Playtest & Revision | Run 1–2 peer playtests; adjust timing, dialogue, and transitions. |
| Nov 11 (Final) | Publish & Reflect | Export playable build and blog reflection; submit link on Canvas. |
Potential Challenges & Mitigation
| Challenge | Plan |
|---|---|
| Maintaining emotional pacing | Limit interaction count; use camera motion and music cues as pacing tools. |
| Implementing multi-room flow in Popochiu/Godot | Each space = its own Room; use Popochiu’s built-in room transition API |
| Implementing natural, internal monologue | Draft all text in one pass, then break into short Popochiu dialog lines for rhythm. Figure out how it fits into the visual aesthetic. |
| Building systems | Phone call, subway map, record player (might have to cull some) |
