Cloud
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Cloud is an physics-based action game centred around two characters - a miniature cloud and its rider. The core-focus of the game is manouevring the highly-responsive nimble cloud through a hectic, bustling 50s household and maintaining the balance by incapacitating disruptive elements. Other than flight, interaction with the environment comes through two simple abilities - suck and blow. As each interactive element in the envionment has its own distinct physical properties, these can be exploited and combined to deter agents in the environment as well as to solve puzzles (for example a bowling ball could roll down a slope to smash a fish tank, hence drowning an enemy agent.
The art direction is inspired by the Betty Boop era (20s-30s) of cartoons - the charming and slightly surreal nature of envioronments, and the projection of character attributes onto what would normally be an inanimate object. Doors grow teeth. Chairs play the bassoon.
The core design goals for the game are:
- Exhilaration - Flying the cloud needs to feel exhilarating and exciting, conveying a real feel of speed and manoeuvrability. Navigating through tight spaces and forests of chair legs should provide a sense of mastery.
- Freedom - There needs to be freedom of both movement within the space and interaction with
- objects, allowing you to stop the Sneaks and complete each stage in a variety of ways.
- Accessibility - The controls need to be intuitive and simple to learn. The game needs to be as
- inclusive as possible
- Ballet-like control - The control method and simulation need to be balanced so that the player can feel that they are in control of an incredibly nimble and speedy avatar. They need to feel it is them responsible for performing the amazing acts on-screen. It also needs to be designed so that repeated replay allows the player to exhibit flair and style in the way they control the cloud.
- Mentally stimulating -The puzzle elements need to be pitched at a level so as to not provide excessive challenge but to provide real satisfaction when completed.
- Humour -The humour needs to be pitched to be amusing and accessible for children but not patronising to adults.
- Harmony -The game needs to exhibit harmony between the music, graphics and interaction, just as the original Betty Boop cartoons were so music and rhythm-led.
Developed in Virtools
Levels and all art assets created in Maya
July 12th, 2006 at 5:26 am
[…] “That cloud game” Tags:No Tags Damnit, looks like I’m not the only one when it comes to games called Cloud. Take a look at this if you get the chance, a student project from the guys at the USC Interactive Media division, this is a rather polished and original game, seeing you set as a poorly child in a hospital bed collecting up clouds and reorganising them to make things like lollipops etc. Feels a bit inspired by Katamari, especially the cloud level in the sequel. A bit hammy but definitely impressive for student work. Download the 30mb game here. […]