For more information on my game, please visit my first diary post, where I describe in more details the game we are working on.
For this week’s blog post I would like to discuss the incorporation of the same visual element in different places to intensify the aesthetic side of the game.
So, according to the narrative that we try to create, energy is everything in our game world. All living creatures consist of the same energy: the trees, the avatar, the enemies. This was the main reason for us to make the health of the avatar its ammunition. And it was during this week that I suggested using the same sprite for pick-ups and projectiles. Also, for something else, which we might not get to in the production process.
So here is a sketch of how I imagined this. To the left, we have a sketch of an energy flux players can get from smashing crystals while playing. And in the middle, I tried to sketch a projectile that would use the same sprite as the base. We will have to make it more projectile-like, but I hope you get the idea. The last picture is more narrative heavy and has to do with the ending for our little game. You can read details on the sketch itself. It again
incorporates the energy flux sprite. What is the point of all of this? To enhance the filling, that everything in this world consists of the same matter.
Another theoretical step towards improving the aesthetic experience of the player is to make the avatars glow as she has more or less energy and when she picks more energy drops. I hope, that these elements will tie together nicely into a visual feast that I so desperately want our game to become.
lostingame.design 
Hi Gleb,
It’s interesting to read about the aesthetics you want to improve upon. Your reasoning behind the projectiles resembling the essence you collect is fair and sound. In this short amount of time we have at our disposal it’s wonderful to see that you make the narrative blend into the gameplay itself. Even though it’s a small step, it’s definitely a step in the right direction. Eventually you’ll get a game which exhibits harmony thanks to its details.
Your concept picture, especially the energy seed with its flavour text certainly intrigues me and is something I’d like to see for myself once the game is complete. With that said, I would’ve liked more illustrations. For example, a scene where your avatar is about to catch energy essence to get a sense of how they visually go together. Your last idea would’ve been nice to see as well. It’s a great idea to implement luminosity to the avatar which can increase/decrease to indicate how much energy you’ve collected. It sounds like a nice aesthetic addition which would make the game more readable for the player.
Your ideas are perfect examples of aesthetics that enhance the narrative as well as the visuals and at the same time provides increased feedback to the player. Implement your way of thinking into everything in the game and I’m certain it’ll become the visual feast you’ve imagined and so much more.
Thank you for sharing your ideas. Your post provided me with a valuable reminder of how visuals can enhance the narrative, provide feedback and contribute to an overall feeling. I wish you the best of luck for the remainder of the project.
Sincerely,
Ted Fristedt
Lead Designer
Team Elf
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