Artificia (Platformer)

Artificia (2D platformer)

Project: 2D Platformer Adventure game

Type: Group Project (Koidev Games)

Duration: 2020 spring - 2021 spring

Role: Programmer, Character Designer

Concept

Artificia is a story based platformer game made by Koidev Games that tells the relationship between human and bots. As early as 1986, Blade Runner represented people's anxiety about technology. They fear that high technology will bring disaster, such as robots having power beyond human beings and resisting humans when they have their consciousness. But the film also raises more questions: What is a person? Is it biological, or is it emotional?

The game tells the story of a human heroine who, while acting as a spy to infiltrate the group of resisted bots, has to choose between the humans' fear for bots and the bots' desire for life. The gameplay has two parts; in the adventure part, the heroine, Luna, will explore the world about hidden truths of bots and complete missions. In the communication part, she will communicate with humans and robots with different attitudes and resonate with their minds to support them or change their views. The player's choice in the game will bring changes and get different endings.

The game was later changed into a visual novel game when the Koidev Games attended the RIT incubator program.

Gameplay - Adventure

1. Area

The world will be divided into Forest, Canopy, Subway, Sewer, Depths, Warehouse, and Lab as adventure areas; Mensonia City and Pits as communication areas.

Each adventure area will have different enemies and level design. For example, Forest mainly requires the Somni’s transformation ability, while Subway requires more cooperation between Luna and Somni.

2. Somni (Horizontal platformer)

Somni is an assistant system chip in Luna’s brain. It can help Luna in different ways.
The game can be either single-player or multiplayer; in multiplayer mode, the other player will control the Somni.

In the adventure part, it can transform into a horizontal platform for Luna to stand.
Luna can use it to jump to farther or higher platforms.

3. Somni (Vertical block)

Somni can also transform into a vertical block to protect Luna.
The vertical block can block both enemies' movement and moving platforms.

It can also rebound projectiles and bombs from enemies to kill them. It's the only way to kill enemies.
Besides, Somni can be upgraded in the game to get other abilities such as the bouncing platform.

4. Cutscene & Item Collection

Each area has special stories and items to collect. Player has to explore the area to get them.
They control the game progress together with the relationship of NPCs, so player has to play both parts at the main time to get the ending.

5. DigiMag

DigiMags are books in the game. The player can find and read them in different areas to get extra information about the world.

Gameplay - Communication

1. Relationship (special NPCs)

There are essential NPCs in both cities with whom Luna can have further communication.
They have two relationship meters, friendship, and love. Luna can increase them by either talk wisely or complete their missions (such as finding items).
The higher relationship can trigger new stories and cutscenes and will affect the ending of the game.

2. Topic

Topics are the conversation that Luna can talk about with special NPCs.
There are four types of Topics: Normal, choice, Mission, and Soul sync.
Normal topics won’t have any effect, but Luna can understand them more.
Choice topics have choices that cause different results, increasing/decreasing relationship.
Mission topics provide different tasks, and Luna can also finish them to increase relationship.

3. Soul Sync

Luna can also soul sync with special NPCs to let Somni enter their minds.
Somni can find their secrets and thoughts in their mind, but the negative emotions in their minds will turn into enemies.
In single-player mode, the player can switch between two screens to talk and explore their mind. While in multi-player mode, players can do them at the same time.
In the soul sync topic list, only soul sync topics show up. They can affect the mind, such as slowing down the enemy or open a specific door.

4. Talk (normal NPCs)

Besides special NPCs, there are also lots of other NPCs in this world. Luna can either get new information, missions, and topics from them.
They will speak differently in different stages of the story, which is based on Luna's actions.

Characters

**Nemo**

Leader of the rebel bots. Previously designed as a companion of human students, tutoring their homework.
Unfortunately, he was bought and maliciously illegally modified by a pedophile. He experienced a painful torment and finally killed his master during turbulence with Zane’s help.
He looks outgoing and smiling all the time, but he suspects Luna’s identity, so it is challenging to improve the relationship. In his mind, there are plenty of rooms that require a high relationship level to unlock.
Designed by me.

**Zane**

A military bot designed to kill both humans and other bots.
His function prevents him from learning much emotion. But during the war, he started getting them because they are too strong. He felt scared, so he ran away. Coincidentally he found Nemo. They killed Nemo's master, and fled to Pits together.
He looks powerful and cool, but actually, he is timid and considerate. He is also very straightforward, so it’s easy to develop a friendship with him, but hard to get useful information from his mind. Afraid to get along with others for fear of hurting them. He speaks in a short, direct style.
Designed by me.

And more under designing…