Moon
is a virtual reality game set in a space environment. In it, the player role-plays as an astronaut trapped in planet Io. The mission of the game is to get past obstacles and navigate back home to Earth.
INSPIRATION
Making key references to space related themes, the team drew inspiration from the 2015 movie “The Martian” directed by Ridley Scott (2016 Oscar-Nominated Best Achievement in Visual Effects and Production Design) and the 2016 action-adventure survival game “No Man’s Sky” . The team was drawn towards the unique and vibrant artistic direction as well as aesthetics for No Man’s Sky. This laid the foundation to create New Moon, which has the story development based on an astronaut trapped in outer space and the obstacles needed to be conquered to head back home to Earth.
PROJECT AIMS
Space exploration has always been regarded by many as an obscure concept, with the discoveries and possibilities of extra-terrestrial life continually fascinating us. Hence, the team aimed to bring this obscurity of outer space closer to human beings. In comparison to stationary or console games, VR provides players with freedom to engage in their natural movement and enhance their gaming experience. The key focus of New Moon is to provide a sense of immersion, in which players are able to stimulate their exploratory senses and emulate a real-life scenario as if they were in outer space.
GAME FLOW
The flow of the game begins with an introductory cutscene, as the Player is informed to search for items around the planet.
Missions & Challenge Structure
The mission of the game is for players to get past obstacles and reach planet Earth. The game challenges players, as they are first required to fill oxygen tank within 5 minutes, also locate portals and grab items in order to achieve the game’s objective. At the same time, players still need to avoid or destroy incoming alien enemies as these may hinder the Player’s sight and deter them in reaching Earth.
MECHANICS
The first game draft and player's movement demonstration.
GAME WORLD
Garnet
Burnt and molten lava, Garnet is mountainous and filled with dead trees. The team remade the environment such that there were more flat surfaces for the Player to perform smoother walking. It is connected to Moonstone via portal.
Moonstone
The team aimed to recreate a winter atmosphere. Packed with snowfall and an igloo, Moonstone gives the Player more sense of a calm. It is connected to Garnet and Sapphire via portals.
Sapphire
Sapphire is connected to Moonstone via a portal. It showcases floating rocks coloured in blue and pink. Sapphire is the final stage in New Moon, as well as designed to be the most difficult stage in the game. This is because the Player will be required to collect items as well as destroy nearby alien enemies to complete the game’s objective.
Portals
Portals have windows that gives you a preview of the land that the Player would enter. They are programmed with particles surrounding the image to create a ‘magical’ effect.
Aliens
The aliens in New Moon have similar outlook but differences in traits. They are coloured after their backgrounds with the exception of Moonstone, whose alien is in gold. Blue Alien has a head accessory and a tail at back. Pink Alien features a massive eye and is burnt into charcoal by Garnet. Gold Alien has a halo and is paired with a hula hoop at center.
Cutscene
A cutscene is a sequence in a video game that is not interactive. There are two cutscenes in New Moon, which appear at the start and the end. The first cutscene takes place in the control room of the spaceship where the Technician and Astronaut declares a state of emergency, before going down and crashing into planet. The video then cuts into gameplay. Once the Player plays through New Moon to completion, they will be presented with the ending sequence, which depicts the reunion of the two characters.
INSTALLATION SETUP
