Ghost Hunting

Process:

For this game jam, we were given 21 days to work on a game with design constraints. These constraints included the completion aspect, choices/actions, win/lose, and a spooky theme. These constraints shaped my game, and I chose to experiment with visual novels.

Character Design:

Knowing it was a Halloween theme, I initially wanted to go a more traditional route, using orange and browns for Max and Eve's designs. I researched mood boards and popular fashion choices for Fall. However, after developing the story more, I wanted the game's atmosphere to be melancholic as they explore a haunted house. I changed the color scheme to deep blues and muted colors. I completed Max and Eve's sprites using Clip Studio Paint.

Development:

I developed this game in Ren'Py, a visual novel program. I learned how to program multiple routes for the player to explore and gave various endings. For the story, I wanted it to be very interactive, so I added many choices for the player to choose from. These choices used a point system that would impact if the player leaned toward Eve or Max more. I also learned how to correctly implement story flow so that no matter what path was chosen, the player would be able to complete the story, and the choices would be saved. Additionally, the music changes based on the point of the story the player is at.

Updates:

One update I made after the game was released for the game jam was the ghost's design. Originally, I made 'Albert' a cartoon ghost and then changed him to a character sprite.

My Takeaways:

This project was my first game jam submission, and it taught me about character design, story flow, and how to develop in Ren'Py. As a full-time student, it was difficult at times to manage working on the game and testing it, but I am very happy with the result and my ability to learn a programming language and complete a project with it.