The Original Meeting (Pre-Pitch)

Well before Shadow was decided on, several members of the team got together to discuss some of the possible limitations of the game and thus game play. Possible demographic was also added to the discussion; below are original notes from the session:

·        The game was pitched towards both genders to play; having said this through there was a heavy lean to the general player age being 8 or older. This was because of the level of possible understanding - without being overwhelmed - that would be required for taking in the death of the Master mentioned in the story outline. Also the player (especially a younger player) would need to feel a possible sense of failure and responsibility on finding the Master dead within the game. They would also need to be able to focus as solve complex puzzles.

·         Naming of the main character or protagonist at the mid-point of the story is considered to be highly symbolic, with a name comes the weight or responsibility of the task ahead.  Several names were to be work-shopped (Samien winning out after a team vote). Another possible change to suit this vision was that the graphic of the main character may change slightly to show that they have accepted their new way of being. Such a change is still under discussion.

·         Art style based on Shane Dervries;  (http://www.shanedevries.com/) so warm, high contrast, vibrant with surreal shapes. That being said there is a difference between the two states of the game (pre-crystal and post-crystal acquisition). Before the colours while bright, focus on a COOL pallet meaning a lean towards colours that are toned with blue (but not all blue and NO GREYSCALE). After the character gets the Crystal though the pallet of the different worlds starts to change to a WARM pallet (ie one that has a focus on colours that have a red tint to them)

·         The main challenge the game is about traversing the levels, something which changes on if the character has their crystal or not. Pre-crystal the character can only move through shadows and thus must plan a route across or through a level that strictly follows this. If not then they are wounded or dazed. At this point the character also can not physically interact with any possible monsters and must avoid them. 

·         Post-crystal; however, the character not only gains the ability to walk in the light, but to interact with the levels (and thus worlds) in different ways. Such as being able to get rid of monsters if they so choose, but don’t need too.

·         As a whole the game would fall into the CASUAL genre.