Where - Moving Through Natural Landscapes

Where is a 3D, single player adventure/explorative game set in a lonely landscape, where you play as a tech-botanist unraveling a mystery. Here in-game nature is no longer a lifeless backdrop but a core part of the gameplay. This project sets out to redefine the role of in-game environments, and through game design reshape human-nature relationships, promoting awareness and embracing the beauty of getting lost.

The game play can be divided into two areas:
inside the base, you listen to the collected flower recordings, and find clues to where to go next 
Outside the player navigate and explore the environment using a map, compass and the landscape itself. Here the main goal is to find and collect flower recording, without running out of water. 

Moving Through Natural Landscapes in the Video Game 'Where'  

Within the framework of this project, which centers on the practical design process of the video game ”Where”, part of my role as an art director has been to establish a cohesive visual aesthetic that embodies the theme of losing oneself to nature. This overarching aesthetic serves as the foundation for the artistic goals of the in-game natural environments, which are envisioned as wild, longing, and seemingly alive. This abstract concept of ‘aliveness’ seems to be a recurring theme/ concern when representing nature in art. A concept that becomes even more complicated when we enter the digital arena. 

Instead of trying to define aliveness in a literal sense, I propose a different perspective to bringing static game environments to live through art. Through this project, I have explored how to 'move' through natural landscapes

'Movement' in terms of creating an environment for the player to move around in and explore,

 'Movement' as in a changing environment, that won’t settle as a beautiful static backdrop.

 'Movement' within the player through emotion. 

By using an intentional, expressionistic approach, artists can evoke emotions, that support the overall design and intention of the game.  Art in games should never strive to be only beautiful but instead meaningful. Through this method, we might not simulate the complexity of real nature, but encapsulate its presence and impact, encouraging players to appreciate and engage with the landscape on a deeper level hopefully fostering a lasting emotional change that might lead to awareness of ecological issues. 

This has led me to the research question that I have focused my research on:
How does the art direction/artistic design of natural environments in the video game ”Where” contribute
to players’ emotional relation to in-game nature?

Changing environments 

A core artistic and mechanical goal that we have successfully started to implement, is for elements in the environment to change over time. Right now, it is triggered by the player moving in and out of the base camp – a movement that will happen continuously throughout the game.