Catch Up

Update time!

After fiddling around with my white boxes I found myself loosing interest in the process. I kept recreating the same white box over and over again which just seemed like a waste of time. In an attempt to force myself to be more creative and adventurous I decided to get physically drawing some floor plans. I started off ultra rough in a sketchbook (I prefer drawing with a pencil at first). These drawings I’m yet to scan in and I’m not even sure I’ll bother.. they really are just brain farts. I then used the design I liked the most and expanded on it using Photoshop (see results above). My final plan needs some explaining, so I made a pretty picture to help you visualise it:

I feel like this set up incorporates the elements I love from Hestercombe but makes it my own. When doing my initial white box I felt myself just reverting back to recreating the original garden, which although beautiful just wouldn't work that well in game. The point of interest in the actual garden is the beautiful meadows you can see from the top of the garden, these I would be unable to recreate within the time limit. Because of this, the whole gardens set up was to urge the visitor to climb higher (via steps and different levels of garden) so that they eventually reach their destination and are rewarded with the beautiful view! In my level I feel the need to create motivation in another way as I have no view to provide.

To do this I have provided barriers and enticing view points to cajole the player to move further into the level and follow the path I’ve set out for them. Creating blockages and puzzles creates an interesting level. I decided to start the player at the bottom of a slanting hill surrounded by rocks and vegetation, you will be able to see a door at the top of this pathway, which will be the entrance to the garden. This adds mystery as soon as the player is spawned and I this the fact you can’t see the whole level from the outset sparks interest.

This system is set throughout the level, the player is perhaps able to see their destination through a framed window, but has to explore ways to reach it.

At the end the player is led in to an area of the garden that has been completely abandoned (as opposed to the ‘over grown but still tended to’ feel I intend for the rest of the garden) this will be slightly grander than the rest, I like the idea of having mossy pillars and overgrown arches surrounding the area that could perhaps (in game) be part of the main story line.

Next up is my white boxing!