The Design Process
A point-and-click game loop
Personally inspired by games like Botanicula and focused on accessibility, I designed and developed a point-and-click game loop where players explore the narrative through interaction and solve simple puzzles to progress.
Environmental storytelling
We wanted players to experience the story primarily through environmental exploration, which served as our main narrative device. Beyond that, we designed the level itself to tell a story. The attic—once used by the grandfather as a workspace—is also where the injured pigeon crashed and where many of his memories live on. Our goal was to convey all of this with minimal dialogue, relying on the space and its details to speak for themselves.
My process was to first decide what elements we wanted in the attic and based on that design storytelling spaces. After designing those spaces, I then connected them in the level to form a cohesive little 3 act structure.
ACT 1
Exploring and answering initial questions about what grandpa does and how the pigeon came to him. All through our interactive items.
We end up near sunlight and we also hear wind coming from the broken window. Warm, cozy. But we also hear a big loud noise.
ACT 2
We take the player down, literally. Forcing the pigeon to walk on the ground. This section is darker, filled with old boxes, spiderwebs and not very good memories. Emotionally putting the player in a sad place as they explore the memories of grandpa working on the mines.
ACT 3
We return to the light, guiding the player on an upward trajectory toward the final destination at the table. There, players uncover the last part of the narrative—grandpa’s love for his family—represented through wedding and family photos.
