Weekly Progress for My Game Design Portfolio

Below is a detailed account of the progress I made while creating my game design project for my portfolio. My game, titled Fumofumo Space , is an experimental psychological horror that explores themes of dissociative identity disorder (DID), trauma, and self-identity. It combines storytelling with innovative gameplay mechanics, where players analyze characters’ MBTI traits to uncover hidden truths. Here’s how I structured my work over nine weeks:

Week 1: Conceptualizing the Theme

• Goal: Lay the foundation for the game’s narrative, mechanics, and overall aesthetic.

• Reflected on themes I wanted to explore: identity, trauma, and the complexity of human personalities.

• Developed the main story and characters:

• Rairakku (Ririka): The protagonist with DID, who serves as the central perspective.

• Melanie: An eccentric artist with a macabre side, representing elegance mixed with horror.

• Moe: A two-faced, impulsive junior high student, embodying conflicting extremes.

• Toro: A chaotic and lively webcaster with a penchant for pranks.

• Envisioned the gameplay: Players would use clues to determine the active personality, decode behaviors, and solve mysteries.

• Outlined the goal of creating multiple endings, emphasizing understanding and coexistence over harm.

Weeks 2-4: Illustrating the Characters

• Focus: Begin character concept art to define their visual identities.

• Week 2: Sketched initial character designs for Rairakku, Melanie, Moe, and Toro.

• Experimented with facial features, postures, and color palettes to reflect each character’s personality.

• Paid close attention to Rairakku’s design, balancing relatability with mystery.

• Weeks 3-4: Refined and finalized character illustrations.

• Added small details to distinguish their personalities (e.g., Melanie’s scars and unsettling elegance, Moe’s nervous energy, and Toro’s chaotic charm).

• Explored different outfits and props, such as Toro’s recording gear and Melanie’s unsettling performance art tools.

Weeks 4-5: Storyboarding and Plot Refinement

• Focus: Build on the narrative and visualize key scenes.

• Week 4:

• Created a visual storyboard for major game events, including:

• Rairakku discovering Melanie’s “performance art.”

• The surreal and terrifying transition between personalities.

• The climactic realization that all characters share one body.

• Worked on scene composition to ensure key moments were both visually and emotionally impactful.

• Week 5:

• Expanded on the dialogue and emotional dynamics between characters.

• Brainstormed gameplay elements, such as:

• Observing subtle behavioral changes to identify the current personality.

• Interactive flashbacks revealing past traumas.

Week 6: Research and Additional Illustrations

• Focus: Conduct research to enhance realism and improve designs.

• Investigated dissociative identity disorder (DID) to represent it respectfully while retaining creative freedom.

• Studied the MBTI model in-depth to design gameplay mechanics tied to personality analysis.

• Researched visual inspirations for the game’s eerie, dreamlike aesthetic.

• Continued to refine background art, including the unsettling shared home where the story unfolds.

Week 7: Writing and Polishing the Narrative

• Focus: Flesh out the script and ensure emotional depth.

• Wrote detailed character backstories and in-game dialogue to enhance immersion.

• Developed interactive choices and branching pathways:

• Introduced moral dilemmas to make players question their judgments about each personality.

• Integrated symbolic elements into the narrative, such as the cat’s eye peephole, which reflects both surveillance and self-awareness.

Week 8: Video Editing

• Focus: Create a trailer showcasing the game concept.

• Compiled animated sequences of character introductions and dramatic key scenes.

• Added sound effects and a haunting soundtrack to build tension and highlight the horror elements.

• Edited gameplay demonstrations to show how players interact with the Eight Dimensions system.

Week 9: Final Review and Reflection

• Focus: Summarize progress and evaluate the project’s impact.

• Wrote a reflective analysis of the project, discussing:

• The creative challenges faced and solutions implemented.

• The balance between psychological depth and engaging gameplay.

• Identified areas for future improvement, such as refining the MBTI gameplay mechanics further.

• Presented the project on my blog