Penrose
(2020)Roles: Level and Narrative Designer
This was my first attempt at game development, realized over the span of
junior year in high school during the pandemic. Our six-person team embarked on creating a puzzle
exploration game that delved into the psychological themes of anxiety, insecurity, and depression,
articulated through distinct environments like a prison, a foggy mountain, and an underwater ravine. The
game drew inspiration from the Penrose stairs, embodying the endless cycle of these emotions. Our
ambitious project extended just under a year, and we managed to complete the first environment before
concluding that finishing the game wasn't feasible in a reasonable timeframe.
I was resposible for how the levels would visually and interactively communicate our message without using any dialogue. This
foray into game development was foundational for me, as it was where I learned to navigate Unity's.
Things I Learned
- Familiarized myself with the Unity editor.
- Learned to design levels that were not just spaces, but storytellers.
- Gained experience in translating abstract concepts into visual landscapes.
Screenshots
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Highlight of the Project
The essence of our work on "Penrose" lies in the detailed environments we created, particularly the library and the prison, which we fully realized. Their visual distinction is something I'm genuinely proud of. The terrain work for the mountain is another personal triumph, showcasing my growth in environmental design. From rallying a team during the pandemic to meticulously planning and executing our ideas, to the eventual completion of an immersive 3D environment, this journey was marked by numerous learning curves and some amusing blunders.
Team Credits
My friends who helped me start this journey:
- Daniel Grammar - Music
- Evan Powers - Art
- James Espericueta - Programming
- Jaxon Lee - Programming
- Isaac Hill - Sound Effects