#iat313

Title

Into the Paintscape

Subtitle

Canvas Dimensions become Reality

Sentence Length Short Description

A photographer, Nia, finds herself trapped inside alternate worlds painted on canvas and must find her way back while solving the mystery of the creator, her missing painter friend.

Paragraph Description

Nia is a photographer whose artist friend, Avery, disappeared five months ago. Police were unable to find anything substantial as to her whereabouts for several months and had given up hope of finding her alive. With this news, Nia struggles to maintain her own creative endeavours because they collaborated and drew inspiration from the other. A local art gallery already booked both their works for simultaneous exhibitions. Nia and the curators opted to continue as a tribute to the late artist. Nia pushes herself to attend the grand opening and endure the bittersweet popularity of the exhibit.

She finally manages to break from the crowd in a smaller section further from the excitement. On display in this location are Avery's five latest works. Nia takes out the camera she always keeps on person and takes a picture of the display, in vain she may be able to show her friend. However, while looking through the viewfinder, she notices on one of the paintings a figure that she does not recollect Avery painting. Upon further inspection, the figure moves and appears to be her missing friend! Nia quickly snaps a photo of the figure disappearing into the scenery of the painting. Afterwards in disbelief, she rushes up to the painting and touches the spot where she saw the figure. Her vision goes black.

Nia awakens after orienting herself, recognizes her surroundings as the ones featured in the painting she touched. She must find her way out of the paint dimensions and solve what happened to her friend in the process. She encounters puzzles and hints as she travels through various worlds. She uses her camera to aid her quest as it can reveal objects.

The Medium

Our interactive narrative will be presented as a visual novel experience using the open source Ren’Py visual novel engine. It will be available for download from our blog.

For visuals our medium will consist of a combination of digital photography and illustrations and adjusted using Adobe Photoshop. The same program, along with Illustrator and After Effects, will be used to illustrate and animate visual elements and interface graphics. Typography will also be manipulated in these programs. Ambient background music will be copyright-free along with sound effects and processed in Adobe Audition CC.

A couple paragraphs describing the overall concept in more detail, giving us a clear idea of the kinds of interaction, how it may affect the story.

Our interactive narrative is a visual novel game, where it focuses on text-based story and visuals. There will be puzzles and point and click adventure elements in each of the paint worlds. The player must find hidden items in the world and solve puzzles in order to progress through the narrative. The puzzles can range from simple word riddles to jigsaw puzzles that players must find hidden pieces for. Players will point and click on items to activate or take.

The player must explore to find and pick up key items or information to unlock the next area or world. The player also has access to a camera that can be used at certain times to take pictures and reveal clues, solve puzzles, and keep track of inventory.

There will also be dialogue options as well as multi linear paths to choose where the girl should go next. An example is if Nia chooses to ignore certain beings in need, she earns a bad reputation, and it changes certain individuals' behaviour towards her. The dialogue options and her actions influence the story by determining the narrative’s ending. There are more than one possible ending, some more favourable than others. The good ending, neutral ending, and one or more bad endings depending on the player’s decisions in the narrative. There is a specific world for the beginning and ending. The player can choose any order of the middle three.

Previsualize the interface and provide concept sketches of what the experience will be like.

The screen will consist of images with backgrounds and figures that change for different locations or perspectives. There are separate inventory window and text windows for both game-play options or dialogue. See images above. They were created using an image Christine took of a scenery and converted into a painting. The second image below shows a purple inventory box that appears and disappears by clicking the camera icon. The black window displays dialogue or descriptive text is on both mock ups. Underneath the two mock ups is a concept sketch of Nia and her camera, looking at the painting of the boat before being trapped in an alternate dimension. Official art of characters to be revealed.

How is POV Organized?

Originally the Interactive Digital Narrative will start in the third person POV, showing the appearance of the character, Nia, that the player assumes. Afterwards, the interface positions the user into first person, allowing them to see through Nia's eyes and not just her narration.

Notes

Settings

There are five painting worlds and each painting world has a different art style and atmosphere.

The first world is saturated rainbow and inspired by Impressionist artist, Claude Monet

One world is a mixture of cute and creepy, inspired by Camilla Derrico

One world is highly abstract, inspired by Reina Cottier

One world is a surrealistic version of the real world, inspired by Salvador Dali Picasso

The last world is dark and gloomy with supernatural elements, mainly blacks, greys, whites, and darker hues on the colour scale, inspired by Anne Stokes

Characters

Protagonist: Nia Williams 

A photographer, aged 27, grieving for her missing friend. She witnesses her friend move inside a painting and becomes trapped inside these illustrated dimensions. She is determined to bring her friend home.

Antagonist: Avery Hamilton

A painter, aged 28, and befriended Nia over a decade ago. She chose to lose herself in the worlds she painted. She develops a God complex, obsessing over control and creating new dimensions. It is unknown what motivates her to stay missing or why she went in the first place.

By Christine Drummond-Welch & Bert Cheung

Current status of the game ends near the beginning of chapter 2. The format of the game is a little different then what we have hoped due to limitations of using Harlowe on Twine. However, the team was able to make some changes to the overall experience and made it a more narrative game instead of a visual novel. Most of the character dialogue stayed mostly the same however interaction menu and the flow of the story has been changed drastically. Another unfortunate hiccup is the ambition of the story has ultimately made the team struggle to complete the project due time limitations, however, expect more updates to come to the game as members of the team are committed to continue even after the deadline!

Characters Drawings: MIdhat Kazmi

Story Writing: Ray Ho

Background Artist: Michael Su

Sound Effects: open source library.

Software: Twine Harlowe 2.1

Tumblr has trouble displaying the storyboard.

Please click here to view in google photos.

Outside Nia’s House in Scene 1.

Finding the Parasol in Scene 5

Minerva Character Art

Avery Above, Nia Below

“Into the Paintscape”

By

Final Project Deliverable Group 37

Aspen Hollier 301278123

Bert Cheung 301181042

Christine Drummond-Welch 301199873

FADE IN:

EXT. NIA’s House

SFX: Peaceful music, then abrupt phone ringing

A cell phone ringing startles a young woman from her sleep.

TRANSITION TO:

INT. NIA’s Bedroom

NIA, a photographer in her early 20s, groggily answers her cell phone. Starts out third person, then ends in first person.

SFX: A thump or similar harsh tones with a higher tempo to create a sense of urgency

 VOICE

“WHERE ARE YOU?! I’ve been waiting for forty minutes already!”

NIA

“SELENE? I’m sorry I slept through my alarm!”

SELENE

“It’s already 10 am! Meet me at the Skytrain station instead of the café! We’ll just have to grab lunch after the exhibition.”

NIA

“Of course! I’ll be there shortly!”

SELENE

“Your treat?

NIA

“Haha, well you did buy the event tickets.”

SELENE

“You know I’m kidding! But if you insist...”

NIA

“Depends on if I can pick the place!”

SELENE

“Hahaha, fine, see you soon!”

NIA hastens her morning routine and skips breakfast. She packs her DSLR camera, an item that rarely leaves her side. 

NIA

(Thinking)

“I better head straight to the station, no time to waste.”

When she passes her mirror, NIA admires her outfit and takes a selfie.

NIA

(Thinking)

“Couldn’t resist… okay no more distractions!”

NIA’s back to camera as she locks apartment.

 FADE TO:

EXT. Iris Skytrain Station

SFX. Ambient music and the rumbling sounds of moving SkyTrains.

NIA sees SELENE standing at the entrance of the Skytrain station. She exaggerates an impatient tapping gesture with her foot when she notices NIA’s presence.

SELENE

“All right, let’s goooo!”

NIA

“Hi to you too!”

SELENE

“Haha, hi. Can we go now?”

NIA

“Yes, the sooner it’s lunch time the better. I had to skip breakfast.”

SELENE

“Oh, would you prefer grabbing something before?”

NIA

“No, I’ll be fine until we get to the gallery. There’s vending machines nearby.”

SELENE

“Sounds good.”

 TRANSITION TO:

INT. Skytrain.

SFX. Hustle and bustle of public transportation. Ambient music.

NIA and SELENE find a place to sit on the Skytrain as it dashes them throughout the city to their destination.

User is given two options for dialogue.

                            NIA

Option 1

“So, do you think we’ll be able to talk to the artist?”

Option 2

“Hmm, what should I get from the vending machine?”

 SELENE

IF Option 1

“Of course! She normally stays later than scheduled to accommodate her fans! That’s just something I love about Avery FAIRWEATHER! But what way should we take to get the gallery?”

IF Option 2

“You’ll probably just cave and get chocolate. I may grab something too. Moving on, what way should we take to get the gallery?”

 User is given three options for dialogue and next location.

 NIA

Option 1

“Let’s go through the park. I love the scenery of green spaces.”

Option 2

“I wouldn’t mind walking along the docks on the river.”

Option 3

“City center is always a quick route to the gallery. It also has neat window-shopping opportunities. At least until we’re famous artists ourselves.”

 SELENE

Option 1

“I agree! In the summer it’s so vibrant with nature too.”

Option 2

“Personally, I prefer that place around sunrise or sunset. But I still love rivers...”

Option 3

“City center is always a quick route to the gallery. It also has neat window-shopping opportunities. Until we’re rich!”

 FADE TO:

Following the actions of Option 1.

EXT. Park

SFX. Ambient Nature sounds and light instrumental

SELENE

“Hey, look at these flowers by the playground! Would you take a picture of me with them, pleeeasse?”

NIA

“Sure! I can add it to my portfolio. Mind if I take a few more around here?”

SELENE

“Can you take the one of me first and I’ll start walking ahead? I want to get in line and preferably use the washroom first.”

NIA snaps the photos of her friend and diverts her attention to the inspiring environment. SELENE goes ahead to the Art Gallery.

 FADE TO: ART GALLERY

Following the actions of Option 2.

EXT. Docks

SFX. Ambient Nature sounds focusing on water SFX. Light instrumental.

 SELENE

“Wow, the water is breathtaking! It makes such a lovely background. You’re the photographer, can you take a picture? Maybe one with me?”

NIA

“Sure! I can add it to my portfolio. Mind if I take a few more around here?”

SELENE

“Can you take the one of me first and I’ll start walking ahead? I want to get in line and preferably use the washroom first.”

NIA snaps the photos of her friend and diverts her attention to the inspiring environment. SELENE goes ahead to the Art Gallery.

 FADE TO: ART GALLERY

Following the actions of Option 3.

 EXT. City Center

SFX. Upbeat music.

 SELENE

“This is such an ideal city aesthetic. Look at these urban buildings! Mind taking a picture of me here?”

NIA

“Sure! I can add it to my portfolio. Mind if I take a few more around here?”

SELENE

“Can you take the one of me first and I’ll start walking ahead? I want to get in line and preferably use the washroom first.”

NIA snaps the photos of her friend and diverts her attention to the inspiring environment. SELENE goes ahead to the Art Gallery.

 FADE TO: ART GALLERY

EXT. Art Gallery. Time is 12:10 pm.

INT. Art Gallery.

SFX. Soothing, ambient instrumental music.

The Art Gallery holds masterpieces, both contemporary and historic. It’s sleek and geometric architecture appeals to modern aesthetics.

 NIA

Thinking

Time for a snack! Then I’ll find SELENE.

NIA goes to find the vending machine but is attracted to a large crowd. At the center of attention is the featured artist herself, Avery FAIRWEATHER. She stands with confidence as she interacts with her fans. She’s currently running a Q&A.

AVERY

“That’s a good question! I take a lot of inspiration from different art styles, to create my own world that represents the multiple ways to express creativity.”

NIA’s stomach grumbles and in response, she clenches her abdomen muscles and teeth. As she tries to listen to the next question, her stomach gurgles. NIA’s cheeks feel hot as she leaves the room, searching for the vending machine.

She sighs as it comes into view. A KitKat will satiate that rumble. Glancing to her left, she sees her friend in another part of Avery’s exhibit. SELENE appears awestruck. NIA eats her snack quickly.

User is given three options.

NIA

Option 1

Observe and say nothing.

Option 2

Art Perspective Question

“What do you like about art the most? I like photography because I can portray my perspective of our reality.”

Option 3

“Wow! Did you see that crowd? I know you sometimes get anxious in those. It’s nice to escape and just absorb her artwork in peace. We’ll get to see her when it’s closer to closing time.”

SELENE

IF Option 1

“Oh, hey NIA! I want you to come take a look at this painting!”

IF Option 2

“I guess for me painting is the same. Except I feel reality almost restricts our appearances in some way. That’s the beauty of different art styles. I never told anyone this, but a few months back I commissioned her for a portrait of us!

IF Option 3

“Oh, I already spoke to her! I could not be more delighted! To be honest, I can wait to talk to her because she’s waiting for us near the end. I commissioned this painting of us! I loved her style so much and knew you’d think she’s crazy talented!

  ALL FADE TO: PAINTING CLOSE UP

INT. Painting Close Up.

SFX. Soothing, ambient instrumental music that gains tempo near the end of scene.

First person view.

NIA’s eyes widen as she observes the painting. It’s rendered with care, each brushstroke building upon the other to create complex forms with a vibrant colour palette. The style is painterly and yet so realistic. NIA takes out her camera to commemorate the piece. After snapping a photo of the painting, she turns to look at SELENE through the camera. NIA nearly drops her camera when she notices through her camera’s viewfinder, that SELENE looks exactly like her painted version. NIA looks up from the camera, but her friend is gone. NIA turns around and faces a mirror at the back of the exhibit, her own reflecting appearing to be the same of her own painted persona. The room goes black as she loses her senses.

 FADE TO:

EXT. Impressionism Painting World. Time unknown.

SFX. Light instrumental music.

NIA wakes up inside the first painting world inspired by Impressionist painter Claude MINERVA. The world is a saturated rainbow. She tries to figure out what is happening. She is disoriented.

 NIA Is this a dream…?

NIA looks at her surroundings.

NIA ”It can’t be! This is exactly like AVERY’s painting! Where is SELENE? She must have woken up before me...”

NIA looks down at her feet. She’s standing on top of a rainbow! NIA’s heart is pounding. She pinches herself hoping it’s just a dream. Nothing happens. Eventually NIA takes a step forward to test the ground beneath her.

NIA Thinking I can move around at least. But is this really a dream?

SMACK! NIA slaps herself.

NIA ”Yeah, nope.”

NIA hears a WOMAN’s humming off in the distance behind her.

NIA “What’s that noise?” Option 1 Investigate humming.

Option 2 Ignore humming.

CUT TO:

Option 1: Woman’s Location.

EXT. Impressionism Painting World. Time unknown.

SFX. Light instrumental music.

NIA approaches the source of the humming.

WOMAN is in her 30’s. She’s dressed in a Victorian-era dress. She’s missing her parasol and her eyes are closed as she hums to herself.

NIA “Hello? Can you tell me what’s going on?”

Woman is jolted awake and scared by NIA’s sudden appearance.

 WOMAN “Aieeee! Who are you?!”

Woman adjusts her hat and gives NIA a skeptical look.

NIA “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to scare you! I’m NIA, and you are?”

WOMAN “A pleasure to make your acquaintance then NIA. My name is MINERVA. Pardon my asking, but why are you here NIA?”

NIA Option 1 “I don’t really know. I just woke up here.”

Option 2 “Your humming was really annoying to be honest.”

Option 3 “Uhh… how or why are YOU here?”

MINERVA IF Option 1 “I see. Judging from your strange fashion you’re not quite from around here are you NIA?”

IF Option 2 “Where do you come from that lets you get away with lack of manners?”

IF Option 3 “Isn’t that a funny question? I live here.”

NIA “What is this place supposed to be?”

MINERVA “This place? This is my home. My world, in a certain sense. You’re welcome to stay here with me if it would please, NIA. I can teach you how to appreciate humming.”

NIA “Uhm… maybe another time. If this is your world, then how do I get back to mine?”

MINERVA “You can’t.”

NIA “W-what?”

MINERVA “Look over yonder.”

MINERVA points far off into the distance. NIA can just barely see it, but the rainbow path is broken with a gap in it.

MINERVA “Normally one could simply walk the rainbow but as you can see, it’s broken. As much as I would like to fix that, alas, my parasol has also gone missing! A Guardian is useless without her tools!”

NIA

“Guardian?”

MINERVA “Yes! It is not by mere happenstance that I am alone in my world. I oversee it on behalf of the Artist.”

NIA’s heart THUMPS at the mention of an Artist. What exactly is AVERY doing with this world?

NIA “The Artist? You mean, AVERY?”

MINERVA “We are here on behalf of the Artist, sprung from the Well and given shape and purpose, whatever the Artist desires for themselves.”

NIA “Who is the Artist?”

MINERVA “I am not privy to that information, nor would I wish to go against the Artist’s wishes.”

NIA “Would the Artist know a way back to my world then?”

MINERVA thinks to herself.

MINERVA

“Yes, because she does it all the time. If you wish to meet the Artist, then it is only possible by going through the exit. Which leads us right back to where we were!”

MINERVA smiles.

MINERVA “If you can retrieve my parasol, then I can fix the damaged rainbow and let you be on your way to meet the Artist. How does that sound?”

NIA can either accept or decline her offer. Declining her offer opens the option to turn MINERVA into energy and fix the bridge herself.

NIA Option 1 “I’ll find your parasol, MINERVA.”

Option 2 “I’ll think about it. Maybe there’s another way out.”

MINERVA IF Option 1 Excellent! I was in the garden when I lost it. I’ve been searching everywhere else since then.

IF Option 2 “That’s a shame. If you change your mind though it was back in the garden when I lost it.”

MINERVA “Good luck!”

CUT TO:

IMPRESSIONIST WORLD – GARDEN

Ext. Impressionist World. Rose Garden.

SFX. Light instrumental music.

NIA makes her way to the garden if she decided to help MINERVA earlier or if she changes her mind. The garden is more like a field because of how big it is. There are roses everywhere.

NIA “Where could MINERVA have left it?”

NIA’s camera begins to glow.

NIA “Hey! My camera is acting kind of strange…”

There are various areas of the background that the player can click on to search for the parasol. To successfully find the parasol the player must use the camera and take a picture of the garden. In contrast to just looking at the field, the picture has a small area of the background where it’s subtly glowing. That’s where the parasol is.

NIA (WRONG AREA)

“It’s not here.”

NIA (RIGHT AREA)

“Found it!”

CUT TO:

IMPRESSIONIST WORLD – GAP

Ext. Impressionist World. Gap at the Rainbow.

SFX. Techno instrumental music.

NIA makes her way here if she declines MINERVA. There is a break in the Rainbow, like MINERVA said. There is a wide gap in the road. Past the gap there is a canvas frame in the middle of the rainbow that looks like a door, or a portal to the next world. There are fragments of shattered rainbow. It looks like glass.

NIA “That’s the gap MINERVA was talking about.”

NIA Option 1 Look around

Option 2 Turn back to the Rose Garden

Option 3 Try to jump across

NIA IF Option 3 “I guess I could try jumping across. It looks like a fair distance though.”

NIA Option 3.b “Try it!”

Option 3.c Back away.

NIA IF Option 3.b Thinking Okay. Here I go!

NIA fails to jump across the gap successfully. She gets sucked in to the gap and the game ends as she drifts in the interdimensional void forever.

NIA IF Option 3.c or 2 “Maybe I shouldn’t.”

NIA considers her three options again.

NIA IF Option 1 “It doesn’t look like there’s any other way around. I might have to help MINERVA find her parasol after all.”

NIA considers her three options again.

NIA IF Option 2 “I’ll just have to find MINERVA’s parasol then.”

NIA’s camera starts glowing.

NIA “My camera is glowing… what happens if I take a picture?”

NIA takes a picture with her camera. The gap in the bridge in the picture has a strange blue aura in it.

NIA “Maybe I should ask MINERVA about it.”

CUT TO:

Impressionist World. MINERVA’s Location.

Ext. Impressionist World. MINERVA’s Location.

SFX.

NIA returns to MINERVA after either taking a picture of the gap or finding the parasol for MINERVA.

MINERVA “A pleasure to see you again NIA.”

NIA Option 1 Go back to the bridge Option 2 Go back to the garden

Option 3 Show her the picture (hidden if not taken)

Option 4 Give her the parasol (hidden if not found)

NIA IF Option 1 or 2 “I’ll be back.”

NIA IF Option 3 “I took a picture of the gap but there’s a blue aura around it. What’s going on?”

MINERVA “The blue aura you see is raw, pure energy. It draws from the same Well that the Artist used to make this world, and myself included. What you see is that the gap doesn’t have sufficient energy to seal itself.”

NIA “What if I lure her to it? Maybe MINERVA would be enough to seal the gap? MINERVA might disappear though…”

NIA Option 5 Don’t Lure MINERVA

Option 6 Lure MINERVA

NIA IF Option 5 “I think I have an idea MINERVA. Come with me to the gap?”

NIA IF Option 6 “Why would I even think about doing that in the first place? That’s not me!”

NIA IF Option 4 “I found your parasol!”

MINERVA

“Oh! Well done! Thank you very much! I can forgive those rude manners from earlier too! Now, let’s send you onwards shall we? Of course, you’re always welcome to stay with me NIA. Perhaps I could teach you the magic of this world.”

MINERVA smiles.

NIA “Thank you, but maybe next time.”

NIA smiles.

CUT TO:

IMPRESSIONIST WORLD – FIXED GAP

Ext. Impressionist World. Fixed Gap.

NIA and MINERVA both head to the gap. Using her parasol, she fixes the rainbow.

MINERVA “… and it’s done!”

MINERVA gives NIA a curtsy.

MINERVA

“To reach the neighbouring world keep on walking until you see a door – it looks like a canvas. Go through it and you will be in the next world. The Guardian there will know how to reach the Artist, I’m sure.”

NIA “Thanks for your help MINERVA.”

If NIA was not rude towards MINERVA, the Guardian will stop her to give her a pendant.

MINERVA “Before you go! I want you to have this. Good luck NIA!”

NIA “I hope I’ll see you again MINERVA!”

FADE TO:

SURREALISM WORLD

EXT. Surrealism World. Desert.

NIA arrives in the Surrealism World. It’s a desert-like world. It’s also very hot outside.

NIA “What kind of painting is this I wonder? Everything is even more dream-like than the last.”

The heat of the desert hits NIA.

NIA “And it’s really hot outside! I should find shelter, quick! But I don’t know where to go…”

NIA Option 1 Head West

Option 2 Head East

Option 3 Head South

Option 4 Head North

NIA can go in any direction; however they all lead to the same route.

NIA Options 1-4 “It’s… too hot… I’m going to pass out…”

FADE TO:

SURREALISM WORLD

Ext. Surrealism World. Day.

NIA wakes up under the shade of a surrealistic tree and oasis. She sees a HUMANOID with whiskers that move on their own.

NIA “Where am I?”

HUMANOID “Under a tree in an oasis. In a desert. My desert.”

NIA “You’re this world’s Guardian then?”

HUMANOID “Guardian yes. More like a prisoner.”

NIA “Do you know anything about the Artist, Avery Fairweather?”

HUMANOID “Artist Schmartist. Selfish Artist, not Artist at all!”

NIA “That doesn’t sound like Avery.”

NIA “What kind of person is the Artist then?”

HUMANOID “Only paints, paints, paints. Never care for Dalso! No! Dalso only here as thing, like an animal!”

NIA Option 1 What’s wrong with your face?

Option 2 What exactly is this place?

Option 3 How do I meet the Artist?

NIA If Option 1 “What’s wrong with your face?”

DALSO “Nothing wrong! Just creative!”

NIA If Option 2 “What exactly is this place?”

DALSO “A dream! A dream inside dreams! Even Guardians need dreams!”

NIA If Option 3 “How do I meet the Artist?”

DALSO “Meet! Artist! You?! Not smart, not friend! No meeting Artist!”

DALSO’s whiskers move around on their own.

DALSO “But if you meet Artist, maybe Dalso go free too…”

DALSO “Dalso take you to Artist if you smart friend then!”

NIA Option 1 Agree with Dalso’s offer

Option 2 Grab his whiskers and pull until he takes you there!

NIA IF Option 1 “Okay then. What do I have to do for Dalso?”

DALSO “Dalso knew you friend! Dumb friend now, smart friend later! Dalso show you!”

DALSO pulls out a jumbo puzzle of a humanoid face that looks similar to himself. It’s jumbled and none of it is in the right place.

DALSO “Dalso making this girlfriend! But Schmartist hated idea! Schmartist broke it! Dalso became hurt. Dalso can’t fix.”

NIA “Oh, you poor thing! And if I fix this, you’ll agree to take me to the Artist?”

DALSO “Dalso gives Dalso’s word!”

NIA “Okay, let’s figure this out…”

NIA eventually figures out the answer. The answer is that the face should be arranged upside-down, not right-side up.

DALSO “Very very thank you, smart friend! Dalso pleased!”

DALSO creates a portal, in the water of the oasis, for NIA to meet the Artist.

DALSO “Meet Schmartist now, friend! Be careful, Schmartist not very nice. Likes to paint. Only paint! Dalso can be happy now!”

NIA heads through the portal after thanking DALSO.

NIA If Option 2 “How about I just do this instead!”

NIA grabs DALSO’s whiskers and pulls on them.

DALSO “Ack! Mean! Friend just like Schmartist! Ack!”

NIA “Take me to the Artist Dalso!”

DALSO “Let go of whiskers! Dalso take you, Dalso take you!”

NIA lets go of his whiskers and DALSO creates a portal. He glares at her. Clearly upset by the betrayal of her behaviour.

NIA “That was easier than I thought… although I feel cruel.”

FADE TO:

EXT. Interdimensional Fountain Shrine SFX. Soothing instrumental music.

Nia opens her eyes to a beautiful environment. The flora is exotic and alien. A shrine composing of three adjacent and floral columns with a semi-circle dome above, encompass a rainbow fountain. AVERY FAIRWEATHER is standing with SELENE. Cautiously, Nia approaches the pair.

AVERY “You must be Nia! Selene’s told me so much about you. I’m so relieved you’re here. You can use this fountain to go home, if you want. Although I’m sure you have questions?”

NIA Option 1 “What are these places?” AVERY “Worlds I created using this magic paint set I found in an old fountain. I created an artificial one here and it brings my paintings to life, you could say.

NIA “But why haven’t I seen my painted version here?” AVERY “To get inside these worlds you need a camera. The technology that captures images allows you to open the portal to these dimensions. They are all intertwined with each other to create my vast multiverse that is my creative outlet. I do not control the beings, but I may step in before things go crazy. Well, I have to go. The fountain is there for you.”

AVERY descends into the well, and out of site.

NIA Option 2 “Why did you create the Guardians?” AVERY “Simply put, they’re my favourite mascot of that specific realm. NIA “So you don’t have DALSO? He thinks you’re so mean!” AVERY “Yes, he’s upset about that ‘girlfriend’ of his. It’s actually based off the real one I made for him and she uh, left him. She went to another one of my worlds to explore. Ari wants come back when he’s a little less obsessed with her!”

NIA “Well, that explains a lot.” AVERY “Haha, isn’t it time you spoke to your friend? Well, I have to go. The fountain is there for you.”

AVERY descends into the well, and out of site.

All options lead to an on-screen prompt that will ask the player to decide from the following three responses as an addition to the dialogue and to create a conclusion for the story.

Mid-shot camera view of both subjects. During dialogue, the camera angle changes to show the subject who is responding. Mixture of first person shots.

Option 1

Bribery

SFX. Tense and eerie instrumental music.

NIA “Come back to the real world for me… I’ll be your personal photographer and guarantee we will create something phenomenal!”

SELENE “I cannot be bribed with the possibility of money and fame! I have found happiness here. I will not come back to that world for a mere possibility! Stay here with me and our art can flourish still. We can create whatever we want! And travel between these wonderful worlds!”

NIA “I’m sorry, but I have to go home. I don’t want to leave my family.”

She runs away, jumping into the waters of the fountain, teleporting herself to some wonderful painted fantasy world. She uses a picture of herself combined with the Fountain’s powers to return Nia returns to the real world without her best friend.

Option 2

Emotional Appeal

SFX. Uplifting instrumental techno music

NIA “Please my friend! These worlds are great, but ours is also fantastic! Remember?”

NIA pulls out her camera and shows Selene the picture of her from earlier on their way to the Art Gallery. SELENE stares and tears well in her eyes. SELENE “I will come back with you! In this world, without my best friend, loneliness found me quickly! Our world is full of beauty too, even if we can’t completely control every aspect! There is always hope to move forward with reality and not rely on dreams!”

NIA and SELENE take each other’s hand in the third person view. They descend into the fountain, appearing in the location they visited earlier that day.

Option 3

Ridicule

SFX. Clashing, harsh instrumental rhythms

NIA “You couldn’t possibly stay here, living in a world where nothing truly exists, an alternate universe far away from your friends and family. There is no way to pursue anything of worth in this world, and who will care for you here? Are you crazy?”

SELENE “It is our destiny to be here… why else would we have found it so easily? Look at it’s beauty, and just us two, as best friends, can live here forever! How could you say something so callous?”

NIA “I’m…not actually sure where that came from. I’m sorry.”

SELENE “I just want to be in a world where it will never fade. I’m afraid of all the changes that we have no control over.” NIA “You’re right. It’s pretty tough in our world. Especially with the high cost of living. But here, I could just create something to eat. Like an apple custard… maybe it isn’t so bad here. If we could apply it to food. Who knows what else we could create in these dimensions! Let’s stay! H-hold on! What am I thinking?”

As NIA rambled, SELENE had taken the camera and smashed it to bits. Unable to return without AVERY’s help, NIA and SELENE part ways in the painting dimension. SELENE continues to indulge in her controlling behaviour.

EXIT NARRATION TEXT WITH BACKGROUND IMAGE

NEUTRAL ENDING (OPTION 1): NIA, unable to bring Selene back to the real world, returns to Earth. NIA will live in despair in the real world without her best friend, but at least SELENE will find happiness in a world surrounding by the paintings which bring her comfort and control.

BACKGROUND: Image showing NIA back on Earth, staring at a portrait of SELENE, and vice versa with SELENE from the painting world. Third person view looking up at subjects.

GOOD ENDING (OPTION 2): In the end, the two friends returned to the real world, where they were able to fulfill their dreams of becoming a popular collaborative painting, photography duo could come to life! NIA and SELENE move on to create masterpiece, which would appear in showings across the world!

BACKGROUND: Image showing them both back on Earth as successful artists. Third person horizon level. They are smiling and cheerful. It’s hinted they may be able to travel back as AVERY is standing nearby with a camera. Could they have the best of both worlds?

BAD ENDING (OPTION 3): Both Nia and Selene are permanently residing in the painting world, where their previous lives will forever become a mystery and eventually forgotten. From time to time, they feel sorrow from missing their loved ones in the real world, and as time goes on, their whereabouts is left to the unknown in the real world. They didn’t leave much legacy to be remembered by, but at least they will always have each other…

Flowchart

Please click image to see full resolution.

Notes about group changes:

We have accepted a third member into our group, and from here on are crafting a different narrative than before. Future posts will include newly edited materials.

The premise of there being another dimension through a canvas painting remains the same, however the character “Avery” has been replaced by “Luna”. 

There are new characters and concepts being introduced, with Selene as the main antagonist. It will still remain in a visual novel format and be influenced by Nia gathering items and solving puzzles to progress. They are jigsaw puzzles with images based off the user’s choices.

The narrative allows the user to answer with rude, polite, or anxious reactions/questions to NPCs, and they react accordingly. There are location, action, or dialogue specific interactions. There are also three jigsaw puzzles, the last one is against the “final boss” and is timed.

Examples of Choices:

When giving a mission from Selena, her idol, she can respond: A. What do I get? B. Do I have to? C. If you believe in me! D. Am I good enough?

Selena’s reactions: A. The return of magic in our world, silly! B. Well, no. But if you don’t want to see a better age begin... C. I knew I could trust you. D. Of course! You have a fantastic aura that suits learning arcane magic.

Final Deliverable Group 37

Christine Drummond-Welch

Aspen Hollier

Design Document

Into the Paintscape

Access

Into the Paintscape launches into the main menu displayed in the first image. The first choice is starting a new game, second is loading a previous game, third is options for sound, music, and video resolution. Lastly, users can select exit to close the software from this menu as well.

Respective Page Description

Main Menu:

On Your First Visit:

Introduction scenes provide a brief background of the situation at the start of the game before allowing players agency.

Return Visits:

Options to skip introduction scenes. Narrator comments on previous games and this changes with each ending.

At the start of Into the Paintscape the player is introduced to the main character Nia Williams. A series of Nia’s monologues tells the player that Nia’s friend, Avery, has been missing for the past few months and that they were friends and partners for the art gallery’s exhibition. Players learn to the controls and the camera function on their way to the exhibition. Nia takes a picture of a bridge, her favourite chill spot with Avery.

At the gallery, Nia notices something odd about one of Avery’s paintings and wants to take a picture of it. She gasps when a figure resembling Avery moves in the painting. Nia takes out her camera, snaps a picture, then fade to black.

Upon waking up, Nia finds herself in another dimension, specifically, one that is a painting. She must explore the environments to find her missing friend and get them back home in the real world.

Gameplay

Into the Paintscape follows conventional visual novel gameplay. Players will read and click through character dialogue and narration until either an interactive choice needs to be made or they are required to explore and interact with their surroundings to advance through each of the painting worlds and escape back into the real world.

As Nia Williams players have access to her camera throughout the game. She can take pictures when she is free to explore her surroundings that she adds to a scrapbook. She has access to the pictures through the scrapbook and it is through the scrapbook that Nia can find hidden details and items in the pictures necessary to solve certain puzzles. 

In addition to the camera puzzles there are also more conventional puzzles such as word riddles and a logic puzzle that the player must solve to progress the story line.

There is also an inventory system. Nia can combine certain items together or equip up to two items (one in each hand) that can be used on certain objects in order to advance through the game.

Throughout the game players will be presented with up to two or more dialogue responses for Nia. Depending on what the player chooses it will affect the way the story unfolds in the game. Nia can also talk to other characters in the painting world and they will often ask her to help them with something, such as finding a personal item or doing a favour for them.

There are three different endings that the player can get depending on the dialogue choices they picked for Nia throughout the game as well as if they found hidden items via the camera or if they did an optional puzzle.

Endings

Good Ending

Nia succeeds in getting Avery back home, yet still maintain the ability to dimension hop. The painting worlds becomes an interactive alternate reality art exhibit, propelling their careers further as creatives. The art entities act as tour guides and curators for their dimensions.

Neutral Ending

Upon returning to their own dimension, Avery and Nia lose their abilities to manipulate dimensions they create and travel between. The two characters hold a modestly successful exhibition, but they both wonder what could have been if they were able to keep their powers.

Bad Ending

Nia returns without Avery, loses her powers, and with it the hopes of entering the painting worlds to try again with Avery. Nia never sees her again, but there’s the bittersweet thought knowing that she’s happy trapped in the art world. Avery’s obsession with creating dimensions leads her to a never-ending loop.

Gameplay Interaction

Introduction (Players always have the option to auto-skip any text that they’ve read before in previous saves)

Players receive a narration about what is going in the story and that they’re supposed to go to the art gallery exhibit

Short tutorial on how to take pictures and look at the scrapbook

Nia leaves her apartment, prompting the player to snap pictures along the way of places she hung out with Avery, trying to relive sweet memories. These are optional, but do influence endings by unlocking new dialogue or options in interactions.

At the gallery, Nia notices something strange in Avery’s painting and tells herself (the player) to take a picture of it. This is mandatory.

After looking at the picture on the scrapbook Nia is sucked into the painting world

Cutscene

Gameplay in the Paintscape begins

General Gameplay

Typically involves item scavenging for items or taking pictures and looking at the scrapbook

Solving puzzles to progress the storyline, some are optional but still have an influence on future interactions

Optional photographs to take that grant more interactions with NPCs

There are dialogue choices that influence the story

Displays

Main Menu (1st image)

Four main buttons and a large title text on a landscape painting.

The main buttons are labelled New Game, Load/Save Game, Options, and Exit.

Load/Save Game (2nd image)

Has a list of the player’s save games. There are three total. Saving a game saves a snapshot of the player’s game and is displayed in the list. In the image above, the primary colours are replaced by screenshots. Selecting a save will cause it to glow the associated primary colour. It will display the name of the dimension the player last saved in.

Below the snapshot of the save game is a label of the save number. There are labels for the save and load buttons.

Clicking on a save or empty slot highlights that save or slot.

Clicking on Load on a save game will load that save game.

Clicking on Save on a save game will make the game ask the players if it’s okay to overwrite the save.

Clicking on Save on an empty slot will save the game.

Options (3rd image)

Music and Sound volume is adjustable from 0 - 100% in increments of 10% via arrow buttons in the options section.

Video resolution can be changed via drop-down menu and it can also be turned into windowed mode through this option.

Accessing options menu through in-game will add a button to go to the Save/Load game menu.

In-Game (4th image)

There is a dialogue window at the bottom left of the screen. This is where dialogue will be displayed and the character’s name will be labeled at at the top right of the dialogue window.

Options button is accessed via pressing escape. Players can save/load their game or change the game’s volume or display settings. By pressing save, it takes them to the Load/Save Game Screen.

The camera and inventory (backpack) icons are to the right of the dialogue window and can be accessed by clicking on them. The backpack will be “open” when the inventory window is in use. The palette icon above the camera and inventory icons and allows access to Nia’s scrapbook.

On occasion there will be a dialogue or interaction choice that pops up in the middle of the screen. Players must choose Nia’s response by clicking one. There may be instances to try out several options.

Inventory (5th image)

Items that Nia has collected are arranged in a 3 by 3 grid.

Hovering the cursor over an item makes the item glow/stand out and a label with the item’s name appears.

Clicking on the item opens up a submenu on the item’s icon, allowing players to Use, Combine, Examine, or even give away the item.

Combinations that do not make sense will trigger a dialogue from Nia letting players know it doesn’t work. (“How is that supposed to work?” or “That just sounds like a bad idea.”)

Audio

The audio in the game used will be non-copyrighted audio

Button clicked sfx

Alternate button sfx

Main Menu music

Instrumental guitar for Claude Monet world

Playful/doll-like music for Camilla world

Dark/Dramatic music for Anne Stokes world

Happy ending music

Neutral ending music

Bad ending music

Gallery crowd sfx

Wind sfx

Outer space sfx for Reina Cottier world

Clock sfx for Picasso/Surreal world

Rain/fog/cloud/thunder sfx for Anne Stokes world

Camera shutter sfx

Inventory/Backpack opening sfx

Use item sfx (item dependent)

Examine something sfx

Combine something sfx

Scrapbook flipping sfx

Paint brush sfx

Narrative Dialogue UI Example:

In our first example, here is what the final layout might look like for our narrative dialogue interface. In these scenes, there are two characters facing against each other showcasing that a conversation is about to happen. We discussed to either have Retaliation of Odar as a RPG game or an interactive narrative. We have decided not to break the immersion of the story by using less UI interfaces, as long as the narrative is legible and the story is being told. The font that is used here is Din Pro. This particular scene is categorized as a narrative scenario. The interface is similar to other visual novels as it is what we feel is the best method to tell a linear story.

This particular scene takes place in the first chapter and right after the prologue. Our main character Amfelisia has just escaped from the castle that is currently under attack by the Dark Lord Wizard Han’toef, who betrayed his brother and the Kingdom of Odar. Here, the narrative is describing the scene before the conversation begins. The person who is brighter and slightly larger indicates to the audience that this character is the main focus. When the next character being their dialogue, it’ll shrink the first character slightly and darkens, and the other character would be enlarged and brightens. 

Here is a slightly different scene, this is the same format what we call a narrative scenario. This render shows whom the character is speaking, a click next indicator on the lower right, and the dialogue/narrative box has changed its style. Every chapter will have a totally new environment, we felt that if the same narrative dialog box were to be reused in every chapter, sometimes the color gradient and design does not go hand in hand with what is happening in the story.

In this scene which takes place in chapter 4, Amfelisia and her band of followers recently recruited Sir Rohna’s old friend. He is an accomplished warrior wizard class that has been rescued by Amfelisia from the last chapter. Here they travel North to find the legendary Monks to seek aid on taking down the new ruler. In the same fashion we see the character who is speaking, and the next character that is going to speak next is shown but not yet highlighted.

General UI Iterations:

Here are some of the design choices in mind. We had the option to either go for a more simplistic narration box interface, a more comic interface, or retro rpg interface. For now, by looking at our background gradient and character designs, we find that the first and the third interaction dialogue boxes would work the best. The third design fits our medieval style narrative and its simplicity does make a better candidate compare to the other 3 designs. 

 Narrative Environment and Interaction Scenario

The next type of interface interaction is what we call a narrative environment and interaction scenario. These two sketches just quickly captures a scene and are slightly different from our narrative dialogue examples. Here the environment is much more detailed and a lot more is going on. That is because these are focused environment where certain parts of the environment, the reader is able to click these objects and a small narrative will show them the importance of the item. If the user decides to ignore it, sometimes it will actually lead to a different story path. 

This is our render of the scene, here we can see the usual dilogue interface, however the angle of the shot is different and it breaks apart from our narrative dialogue interface. Right after the reader clicks the final dialogue, the reader will be able to click around the envrionment to investigate and pick up clues, which will help the reader to make better decisions on the next events.

In this scene it takes place in chapter 2, after Amfelisia has found an old friend of hers SIr Rohna at the bar in our first example, Rohna invited her to his place to rest before they head off on their journey. However, things turn to the worst they found out someone has broken into his house. Here the investigation begins. 

In this scene takes place in chapter 3, Sir Rohna, Amfelisia, and the bandit head off to  a nearby village to find the Grand Wizard who was Rohna’s childhood friend. However, on their way to his village, a nearby mass market area has been destroyed. Here is another example of an narrative environment and interaction scenario. The same indicators will show up, these are icons that indicate either it is an investigation sequence or a chat sequence. Again, these can be ignored if the reader choose not to bother with these interaction. However, less investigation and interaction will not lead to a better ending. (Character designs are still work in progress).

Direct decision making scenario