It Lives in the Dark

Early diagram (above) next to finished product (right)



Initial concept sketches
It Lives in the Dark
Game Design, Programming
Overview: Alternative controller game. You are placed inside a physical room with chains hanging on the ceiling that control lights. The lightbulbs keep turning off, and you must scramble to keep them on or a monster will scare you.
Design goals:
- Create a game using an alternative input method other than a keyboard, mouse, or gamepad.
- Short, understandable experience.
- Alternative controller is meaningful – the game wouldn’t work without it.
How they were achieved:
- We focused on making the experience and interaction with the controller interesting, instead of making the actual game unique.
- Included minimal text so players can understand the game as easily as possible.
Takeaways:
- If the interaction with the game is strong, the actual “game” elements don’t have to be incredibly complicated.
- Having a set time limit on the game is great for showcases with a high turnover of people
- Allowing players to experiment with the controls to learn them before introducing challenge helps the overall experience immensely.
Additional Details
Team size: 5
Role: Game Designer, Programmer
Project length: 4 days
Tools: Unity