The Toymaker
Working on this project improved my world building skills and sparked my interest in graphic design. Many custom icons were required for this PC game concept, where the player controls a mechanical wind up toy created by a deranged toymaker. Interact with past workers and fulfill their demands in this horror experience, venturing through the abandoned toy factory to retrieve valuable items whilst avoiding dangerous creations that have gained sentience!
Using the free design software, Krita, I practiced producing vector images for improved scalability of icons. This taught me to view my piece as a collection of basic shapes, combined together to form an intricate symbol. The development example demonstrates a typical design approach:
An unused idea for visual detection UI to accompany the scent icon is shown by this rough animation. It depicts an eye that becomes red the longer the player remains within the radius of an enemy's sight. When full, the player has been spotted, reflected by the dramatic widening of the eye icon for primal fear.
I also made navigation artwork for this project in the form of maps, detailing the direction the player takes between all levels of the workshop, as well as the outer areas of the game to provide contextual world building. I tried to simplify visual clues that would act as a guide without hand holding, keeping the flow of gameplay as players make their own discoveries.
My work is seen throughout the entirety of the game, including the subway hub level I also put together for this project, where all old factory workers reside after becoming homeless. Players interact with other characters through a UI dialogue and quest-giving system I implemented to display information to players, uncovering the storyline through strategically laid out clues around the area. The level is made to feel moody and abandoned, with the bright red lights of the trains piercing through atmospheric fog. The central column encourages movement across all areas of the subway to guide players towards important items and NPCs.