The Path

This project was the follow up to my bachelors paper Analogue graphic style illustrations in games - About the analogue aesthetic, graphic styles and philosophical aspect of illustrations in games. One of the core issues I described was the implementation of analogue art and art styles in games, this is why I decided to create a game with art assets that would fit this criteria. I decided to go with art made of watercolor since it is the analogue art I am interested in, and I already had the supplies. I also made sure to include the philosophical aspect as well by choosing a scenario in which the art could transmit a powerful message.

In the end I came up with a very subjective and personal scenario that represents my experience with anxiety. 

For me doing something for the first time is always a challenge. It doesn’t matter what it is. An example would be that I get very nervous if I have to knock on someone's door that I don't know. In my head I have the weirdest scenarios of things that could happen. What if I embarrass myself, or what if the person is not there; something like that. My heart starts pounding and in the worst case I start hyperventilating. Other situations like that would be calling a delivery service or visiting a new unknown doctor.

I don’t think people can't imagine what these situations are like for me. This is why I created this scenario. The task is easy and abstract enough for people to not know what is going to happen. I avoided recreating a situation because I think people might not understand what I am trying to say. The scenario must be something they experience for the first time. Eventually if I relive situations more than once I do get used to them too, something like giving a presentation. By now I have no problem giving presentations because I have done it a thousand times. Or knocking on the door of a professor, I've experienced this enough now. This is why I decided to create this abstract scene, where the atmosphere represents my feeling of anxiety. The art assets itself are not frightening at all. In fact, I designed them to look peaceful and inviting to underline that the situation itself is not frightening at all.

Credits:

Game Art and Design by Karolin Krüger

Music by TeknoAXE

 tracks I used: Fields of the lost; Cello Zen; The Cold of the Night

Thanks to Jörk Sroka for helping me with the code.