.GRIM
Intro cutscene for GRIM.
GRIM is a horror game prototype, made specifically for people with visual impairments or blindness. The game is a playful horror experience, completely without graphics, where the player navigates through a haunted house in order to find their lost friend.
During this project I was the Creative Director and Writer, focusing on creating an immersive experience through narration and environment design. I also made Blueprints and
The development team consisted of six students from the Game Development Program at Stockholm University and lasted for about 3 weeks. If you'd like to experience GRIM for yourself, there's a link to download the game for free further down on this page.
DATE
Fall 2023 - 3 weeks
SOFTWARE
Unreal Engine, Reaper
PROJECT TYPE
Game Development - Creative Director & Writer
.ONE-PAGER, TWO WAYS
Audial one-pager for GRIM.
Because the prototype was designed specifically for blind or visually impaired players we wanted to create a one-pager that could be experienced by the intended audience. The aim for the audio-based one-pager was to convey the same aesthetic and feeling as the visual one, using a blend of informative and immersive sound design and manuscript.
Visual one-pager for GRIM.
.MY ROLES
.CREATIVE DIRECTOR
As the Creative Director of this project I made sure the different elements of the game were well balanced and coherent. One of my main tasks was to comb through all the areas, in each level, of the game and identify two key factors: "What does the player need to know right now?" and "What do we want the player to feel right now?". Based on the answers to these two questions, I directed and implemented spatial and monaural sounds to convey the purpose of the space while also conforming to the aesthetic and pacing of the prototype. I also, based on the criteria of the space, designed the narration (see right).
.WRITER
I wrote all of the narration for the prototype, iterating the script based on feedback during play tests. My writing always related back to the core questions detailed here on the left, balancing information and immersion. It was important for me that necessary instructions did not take away from the immersive experience of the game, especially since we wanted to guide the player through a story while playing the game. The narration consisted of storytelling elements, environmental descriptions, gameplay instructions and reactive sound effects - all being analyzed and designed to match each other in style.
.DEVELOPMENT
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Apart from writing the script and directing the sound design, I also worked in Unreal Engine's Blueprint to script different mechanics throughout the game. Two main mechanics of GRIM are puzzle solving and spatial exploration resulting in the need for multiple puzzle managers and Blueprint classes being able to adapt to the player's actions.
As a part of my role as Creative Director, I had to make sure that we portrayed the state of the game and player's progress in an accurate and distinct way, without loosing the creative profile of the prototype. Layering different sounds to convey different states of the player's surroundings, using both Reaper, Unreal Engine and artificial intelligence tools, was an iterative process that made use of the feedback we got from different play tests.
.LESSONS AND TAKEAWAYS
The project was definitely an eye-opening experience when it came to developing narration and immersion through different approaches than the visual ones that I am used to. My main ways of communicating with the player are through visual elements, so it was a welcome challenge to be forced to explore how I could portray the same feelings without using my primary language.
Adding another layer of complexity was the determination that we did not want the storytelling to compromise the communication of instructions to the player. Balancing immersion and instruction is a well known priority in game development, but finding this balance without using your primary tools of communication definitely broadened my understanding of the different dimensions of the craft. I did have a bit of a hard time finding my place and purpose in the beginning of the project, since my main area of expertise was completely cut out of the game. However, I would later find that I could contribute by using my eye for creative direction and bringing a whole experience together by looking at the details. Looking at expression through more lenses than the visual is something I will bring with me and incorporate in future projects.