In class, we discussed as a team how we enjoyed the idea of a mystical forest as a game setting, so we individually came up with a premise and objective around that theme, which would later inform the mechanics:
My ideas are below.
Premise 1: A traveller is lost in the woods and meets a spirit. The spirit tells her that its soul is being held hostage in the Grand Tree in the deepest part of the forest, where no human traveller has ever traversed before. The spirit tells the traveller that it’ll guide them out of the forest when its soul is free.
The idea is that the player can choose the objects / power-ups they can bring to the final level, which could make it easier or harder to trump. I introduced this decision-making mechanic as we had also discussed that it might be fun to have a puzzle element to the game.
Premise 2: You are a ranger assigned to patrol a mysterious forest that is rumored to be haunted. Your job is to investigate strange occurrences, keep the peace, and protect the forest from harm. One night, you come across a wounded animal that is not native to the forest. As you tend to its injuries, you realize that it is a magical creature that has been sent to the forest on a quest. The creature needs your help to complete its mission and restore balance to the forest. You must navigate through the dark woods, encountering mythical creatures and solving puzzles, to help the magical creature complete its mission and restore the balance of the forest.
Objective 2: Help the magical creature navigate through the haunted forest and complete its quest to restore balance to the forest.
Premise 3: In a mysterious forest, there is a hidden portal that leads to a magical kingdom. The portal can only be opened by solving a series of riddles and puzzles that are scattered throughout the forest. A group of friends embark on a journey to find the portal and unlock its secrets, but they soon discover that they are not the only ones searching for it. As they race against time and other treasure hunters, the friends must rely on their wits and teamwork to solve the puzzles and claim the treasures of the magical kingdom.
Objective 3: Solve the series of riddles and puzzles scattered throughout the forest to find and unlock the hidden portal to the magical kingdom, and outwit the other treasure hunters to claim the kingdom’s treasures.
Mood: Friendly and cute (8-bit) but also magical and mysterious. For this, I chose a mix of warm and cool colours as well as an 8-bit aesthetic, which we had also discussed as a team.
Music: I went for this vibe I don’t even know what to call it (jazzy orchestral LatAm? Tiny towers but magical?) but I think it’s so fun https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3NwGTg3Fa2XYjenAogl4wi?si=20c9d3402a514b12
Moodboard:
