Akshat Sinha - Flutter

Flutter is a story of romance. You play as a pair of women's sandals. The delivery of the game is very surrealistic, using metaphors and similes to take the narrative forward.

Gameplay Video (alpha build)

A completely solo developed game. I worked on all the elements of the game, which includes, development, design, art, sound and music.

You play as a pair of a woman's sandals/heels. The game uses environmental storytelling, and storytelling through gameplay to tell a story of love.

The whole project took four months of development to create a playable prototype. This included research, design, development and playtesting.

The game creates instances, which take the story forward using rhythm, music, and level design metaphors. I also used a lot of similes to create depth in the thematic of the game.

The programs I used for this project include: Unity, C# for Unity, Blender, Photoshop, FL Studio, Audacity

Game Progression

This game draws its inspiration from the realms of art and film, intricately weaving together a captivating tapestry that explores the depths of surrealism. Delving into this ambitious project, I employed meticulous attention to detail in level and mechanics design to push the boundaries of symbolism and manifest a poetic depiction of the enigmatic journey of falling in love.Immersing players in an all-encompassing experience, the game seamlessly transitions through various genres of video games, offering distinct sections that symbolize different stages of love's discovery. Within the prototype, I assiduously crafted four phases of love, each with its own evocative essence:

Monotony: Embarking upon this ethereal journey, players find themselves traversing through a meticulously designed bedroom and office, deliberately crafted to imbue an atmosphere of monotony and repetitiveness. By artfully weaving these elements, the game eloquently conveys a sense of tedium, frustration, and the mundanity of life.

Love at first sight: Suddenly, the monotonous façade shatters, revealing a breathtaking sight that captivates the player's senses. A radiant figure illuminates the streets, transcending the mundane surroundings. This transformative moment infuses the player's experience with a surge of new sensations, awakening an exhilarating sense of discovery.

The Chase: As the player ardently pursues the enigmatic figure, they plunge headlong into the depths of passion. The once monochromatic world bursts forth with a vibrant kaleidoscope of colors and lights. The pursuit culminates on a rooftop, where the figure gracefully leaps and takes flight. In this pivotal moment, a rhythmic gameplay segment ensues, where the player must synchronize their actions to collect musical notes left in the figure's wake, symbolizing a reciprocal connection.

Getting together: The euphoric musical interlude gives way to a poignant cutscene, where the woman's sandals gently land in the waiting palm of her companion, signifying the culmination of their union. The subsequent level places players in control of the protagonist, now cradling the sandals in their hands. As they navigate through familiar locations from the game's inception—the bedroom and the office—an astonishing metamorphosis unfolds. The once familiar surroundings are now bathed in a vibrant symphony of hues, signaling a profound transformation in the protagonist's life, a testament to the profound bond they have discovered.

Through assiduously curated design choices and evocative storytelling, this game embarks on a journey that artfully blends elements of art, film, and game design, creating an unforgettable experience that resonates deeply with players and captures the attention of discerning game design recruiters.

Process and Experience

LAYOUT OF THE LEVEL (CITY)

Over a span of four months, I embarked on the exhilarating endeavor of solo game development, crafting a captivating experience that explores the intricacies of love. The initial month was dedicated to comprehensive research, immersing myself in the realms of rom-com films, surreal art, and indie games renowned for their seamless integration of storytelling and gameplay. This phase served as the breeding ground for innovative level designs and mechanics concepts, laying the foundation for an immersive journey.

The development process commenced with the creation of a robust character controller, leveraging the powerful capabilities of Unity's Cinemachine and character controller systems. To infuse life into the protagonist, painstakingly crafted custom animations were implemented, tailored to the movements of the symbolic sandals that epitomize the voyage of love.

Building upon the meticulously designed level layouts, I delved into the meticulous creation of a bustling city block. By harnessing the cutting-edge technique of projection mapping, I seamlessly integrated carefully captured front-facing building images into intricately modeled 3D environments.

To enhance the visual aesthetics and evoke a nostalgic ambiance reminiscent of retro films, I dedicated considerable effort to the implementation of appropriate post-processing effects. This meticulous attention to detail ensured a visually captivating experience, characterized by unique and captivating color grading that would transport players into the surreal world of the game.

A pivotal aspect of the gameplay experience revolved around engaging rhythm-based mechanics. Leveraging the versatility of Cinemachine, I thoughtfully crafted dynamic paths for players to traverse, meticulously synchronized with the beats of original compositions tailored specifically for the game. This harmonious fusion of gameplay and music served as a core element, seamlessly integrating player actions with the rhythmic tapestry of the game.

As development progressed, meticulous attention was devoted to crafting the bedroom and office levels, skillfully forging a compelling gameplay loop that adeptly set the stage for the inception of the game's narrative journey.

In the final stages of development, an array of digital illustrations was meticulously crafted, adding a poignant touch to the game's climactic moments. These captivating visuals provided players with glimpses of reality, as they bore witness to heartwarming pictures capturing intimate moments of the couple, serving as a poignant departure from the surrealistic realm.

Throughout this dynamic solo development process, a fusion of artistic prowess, technical expertise, and meticulous gameplay design converged, resulting in a heartfelt and immersive experience. Seamlessly blending romance, surrealism, and innovative mechanics, the game invites players on an emotional odyssey, meticulously crafted to captivate and resonate.