GETAWAY: DEVELOPMENT
University Year 3 Major Project - 2022
ROLES
Game Developer
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TEAM
2
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PROJECT DURATION
13 weeks
TAKEAWAYS​
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Rapid prototyping and testing mixed reality setups - projectors, speakers and overcoming technical limitations.
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Project management and scheduling - Asana and Trello.
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Improved knowledge in Adobe Creative Suite.
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Organising and hosting public arcade events.
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Producing all marketing material - trailer, documentary and merchandise.
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Presenting to a live audience - Barclays and EGX.
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BRIEF
Further design and develop my Project Proposal from Semester One. My teammate (Kiera Walton) and I, had 13 weeks to refine our scope, develop a fully functioning experience and cover all marketing before our final arcade events in Winchester and London.
SUMMARY
For my final major project, I was determined to create something both meaningful and ground-breaking. Getaway has given me the opportunity to focus my time on something I am extremely passionate about - experiences to benefit people and create positive change.
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Getaway is an experience designed to provide students on campus with the means to escape, during moments of overwhelm and distress. We believe Getaway has the potential to be adapted for many purposes, primarily focusing on bettering both physical and mental health. It's an interactive yet playful tool used to wind-down, with no fear of judgement or presence of others.
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Every aspect of the experience was designed to reduce physical and emotional symptoms of anxiety and stress. My research into Music Psychology inspired the composition of our original soundtrack and self-care techniques influenced our single interaction. The Getaway track was composed to manipulate the feelings of the listener, by using particular musical patterns to evoke feelings of calm, comfort and security.
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From the use of gesture control, to the art style and setup, every design decision had it's purpose, focusing closely on the needs of the user and what will benefit them most.
PROJECT MANAGEMENT & SCHEDULING
ROAD MAP / TIME MANAGEMENT / TO DO/CHECK LISTS
Categorising and colour-coding tasks in line with our Agile Methodology enabled us to work efficiently and fulfil each stage before moving forward. Trello was a great tool for keeping track of team progress without the need for constant team meetings.
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REFINE THE PROJECT SCOPE
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'The Cool Wall' - a method used to evaluate the success of our ideas. Taking into consideration risk and feasibility, we were able to identify one simplified game concept to begin development across 13 weeks.
Our refined Project Scope outlined all the requirements necessary to develop a successful outcome.
PROTOTYPING GAMEPLAY
Testing 'webcam processing' applications before developing our own and creating a series of game versions.
These prototypes are demonstrations of the users physical movement, detected through a webcam and translated into the birds movement on screen.
TESTING
A series of play-tests and set-up testing to evaluate the effectiveness of gameplay and other design choices - measured through heart rates and questionnaires.
Set-up testing involved different lighting, projectors, panels and webcam placements.
ASSET CREATION
Art Lead and 2D Artist - I was responsible for defining Getaway's art style and producing backgrounds, environmental assets and User-Interface.
This process involved creating iterations, testing, scanning and editing in Adobe Photoshop before digital use.
THE PHYSICAL SPACE
After much deliberation, we designed and constructed the Getaway safe space!
The space consisted of SANYO Short Throw Projectors, built-in webcams and a 5.1 Surround Sound System.
This same set-up can transform rooms on campus, mobile pods and quiet zones into a portable 'Getaway' experience.
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MARKETING & PROMOTIONAL MATERIAL
Our Image and Branding reflected the tone of our brand and our intended message - to promote well-being and the importance of self-care.
This process involved logo design, social media marketing and physical merchandise - stickers, t-shirts and a professional publication.
'ELEVATE' EXHIBITION: WINCHESTER & LONDON
Successfully curated 'Elevate' Arcade Events in Winchester School of Art and Hoxton Arches, London.
Provided our guests with custom 'Getaway' stickers, biscuits and refreshments as they admired the snowy mountains and became the composer of their very own unique soundtrack.
MORE INFORMATION
The full experience of Getaway requires our physical set-up, but you are also able to play the browser version on our official Getaway site and itch.io.
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Getaway requires a working webcam! Grab a cup of tea, and enjoy.