Overall Artistic Goals
The artistic goal is for the player to feel as if they are looking at a 50s pop art and stylised commercial advertisement – a mixture of retro and flat design. Each environment should have a vibrant colour palette and cartoonish shapes from early 2000s cartoons. Like these cartoons, backgrounds and characters are two-dimensional with clean and minimal lineart. (See examples in Art Direction) As tensions rise, the colour palette and visual imagery will become darker and gloomier (blue, purple, red, black).
Character Designs
I wanted the character art to be reminiscent of fashion illustrations: exaggerated long limbs and thin torsos but still anatomically accurate. Genevieve and Angelie’s character designs should be opposite but still mirror each other in some way. The main female characters look glamorous, and have extravagant and voluminous hairstyles and thin faces. In contrast, for John’s character, imperfections are encouraged. Although he is canonically good-looking, adding subtle wrinkles and creases will show his age. The player will be in the role of Genevieve. The main elements of her design will stay consistent throughout the game but her appearance can be altered during the dress-up and makeup segments.
Protagonist – Genevieve Manalo
As the only daughter of second-generation migrant parents, the aspiring star is torn between embracing her Filipino heritage and striving to be a patriotic American. Since childhood, Genevieve has been obsessed with the idea of success and the deep desire to make a name for herself. This ambition ultimately led her to leave her small town in San Joaquin Valley to pursue the Hollywood dream. With captivating performances that enthral every audience, she catches the eye of John Warriner, a manager at Warriner Records, while performing at a bar. Young, beautiful, and talented, it’s easy for her to climb the ranks of stardom. However, beneath the surface, she is selfish and quick to anger, making her and John a perfect match, while also earning a few adversaries as she soon discovers Hollywood isn’t all glitz and glamour.
Silhouette: Angular, short, sharp with some softer lines
Colours: Black, red, royal blue, white (any other jewel tones)
Style: She likes to show up and show out, wearing luxury and expensive clothes and accessories that show off her figure. She avoids pastels and overly juvenile silhouettes. Beauty marks on the left side.
Height: 5’2
Inspiration: Lilico from Helter Skelter (2012)
Angelie Earheart
Emerging as a child star in minor roles, her beauty and talent, honed from years of practice, soon outshone many others. Unlike those who dream of fame, Angelie is no stranger to the realities of Hollywood, and her gentle but strong-willed nature makes her an unwilling recipient of the spotlight. Urged to diversify, she was given the opportunity when scouted by Warriner Records, but soon felt the weight of a challenge she wasn’t prepared for.
Silhouette: Soft lines, triangular
Colours: Blue, pink, yellow, white, lilac (light/pastels)
Style: She leans towards light, feminine colours and whimsy clothing that’s sometimes a little teenager-ish (e.g. full skirts (New Look by Dior)). She avoids overly revealing garments and outfits with a lot of dark colours. Beauty marks on right side. Wasian.
Height: 5’5
Inspiration: Sue from The Substance (2024)
Johnny “John” Warriner
As a talent agent, producer, and manager of Warriner Records, John makes connections purely for convenience and personal gain. He only gives the time of day to those he deems deserving – individuals of equal status or those who can further his career – while dismissing everyone else. He is deceptively sweet and subtly manipulative, using his status, good looks, and magnetic charm to make her and the rest of the industry bend to his will. His strong sense of entitlement, fueled by his privileged upbringing, leads him to believe he should be just as celebrated for Genevieve’s success. His relationship with her is fiery but conditional, dependent on her popularity. Even so, he showers her with lavish gifts – exotic furs, diamond watches, and silk dresses – viewing them as a display of genuine love, though in reality, they serve as a means of control.
Silhouette: Bulky, tall, square
Colours: Navy blue, grey, black, brown (dark, sombre, and mature colours)
Style: Much like a typical straitlaced businessman, his clothing is professional and mature, occasionally discarding his blazer and rolling up his sleeves when doing stressful work. He always wears his watch and pinky ring. He avoids gaudy patterns and mismatched accessories.
Height: 6’0
Inspiration: Caledon Hockley from Titanic (1997)
Non-Playable Characters
The NPCs are human, just more plain compared to the main characters. They will have less accessories and a simpler colour palette to make it clear.
On the left is a sketch of what an NPC looks like when Genevieve is experiencing her drug-induced psychosis. Angelie and John may also appear with pig heads during this. (See 50s Fashion & Hair and Art Direction for NPC inspiration).
World Design
See colour palettes and moodboards in Ideation & Development for more. Environments can be changed to fit the original concepts more if need be.
Genevieve’s Apartment Complex & Neighbourhood
Lively and bright during the daytime but sinister and eerie when she is confronted by her fan.
Genevieve’s Bedroom
The dressing rooms will act as a hub for both the closet and makeup activites (click to interact). Pressing on the vanity and closet in any of the dressing rooms will take the player to a separate level, dedicated to just the makeup and clothes.
The Film Set & Dressing Room
The film set will have a smaller, makeshift dressing room cluttered with makeup products. The clothes during the dress-up segment will be limited to match the theme of the film set.
John’s Office
His office should feel moody and suffocating. The colour palette will shift to lighter colours during the daytime but the room should always feel a little unnerving.
The Stage & Backstage
Should feel inviting, warm, and almost magical at the beginning when Genevieve’s career is soaring. The colours turn cold and harsh, the spotlight only on her and the rest of the room shrouded in darkness when she is spiralling. There is a dressing room backstage, similarly cluttered to the film set dressing room but much bigger and more options for clothes and accessories.
Item Design
Clothes & Accessories
See moodboards in 50s Fashion & Hair and Art Direction.
Weapons
The weapons can be used by Genevieve during the “The Final Act” and “Eternal Spotlight” ending to kill the other characters.
John’s revolver
Colt Officers Model Special
Produced in the 1950s, it was the highest-priced double-action revolver in Colt’s catalog at the time.
Discoverable in John’s office.
Pills
See more in Genevieve’s character research
Discoverable in Genevieve’s room or backstage hidden amongst the makeup.
Animations
Walking
The characters will have a simple walking animation. Genevieve will likely be the only one who needs it unless NPCs are walking in the background etc. The characters will remain in a 3/4 view regardless of the direction they are walking in but will turn left or right if going to the left or right side of the screen.
Idle
If the player character stays stationary or there is no input for an extended time, Genevieve may shift her weight onto her other foot, or put her hand on her hip, etc.
Characters in the same vicinty as the player character will blink or if they have a cigarette in their hands, smoke it (a very simple looping animation).
Speaking & Expressions
Characters will have basic expressions while interacting and can be used during cut scenes. Mouths when speaking can just open and close (no need for mouth to make vowel and consonant shapes)
UI & HUD Design
Main Menu
Three different options for the appearance. The last two will change depending on what stage of the story the player is at. For example, in the second one, Genevieve will be waving her hand at the crowd or be covered in blood. In the the third one, her poster will be ripped off and replaced with Angelie’s poster instead.
Interactions
The cursor’s appearance will change when hovering over an interactable item. Characters that you can interact with will also have a small speech bubble with ellipses to show that they have dialogue, clicking on it will reveal the dialogue (see World Design in Ideation & Development).
Dress Up
Clicking on the closet in a dressing room will take players to a separate level. Click on a clothing item to put it on and click on it again to remove it.
Makeup
Clicking on the closet in a dressing room will take players to a separate level. There will be different mirrors and the products will look slightly different depending on which area the player is in (e.g. her bedroom, the film set, or backstage). The middle image shows the pop-up of options that will appear when the player clicks on a makeup product on the table.
Rhythm Minigame
4 Key rhythm game on the side of the screen using WASD or arrow keys to hit the notes when they cover the arrows (similar to Friday Night Funkin’. The avatar will be on the left side of the screen posing and the arrow keys will be on the right). (See The Stage in World Design)
Quick Time Events
The edges of the screen will distort (3D effect, colours separate) and any characters on screen will morph into anthropomorphic livestock (e.g. pigs) as the QTEs appear on the screen. The effects lessen and disappear if the QTEs have been done correctly.
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