SOULLOUS
Soullous is our final dissertation for M.Sc Interactive Digital Media. Along with my thesis partner, we designed and developed this interactive narrative with gaming elements. My partner was in charge of producing the accompanying animations. I was in charge of creating the 3D models of all the levels, characters, environments and layouts, using Blender and Photoshop. I also scored the project using my launchkey and Ableton Live Lite. Finally, I developed everything in Unity, using C#.
Soullous is an interactive narrative with gaming elements. The sole purpose of this project is to engage and enlighten our audience with a visual exploration through the beginning of space, time, and human consciousness, in an interactive and playful way.
By diving deeper into the main philosophical ideas of what makes us human, we aim to answer no questions. Our main objective is to encourage the user to think more philosophically and to contemplate their place in the universe, and what that means to them, through the use of symbolic animations and witty dialogue.
The story behind this project is the idea of letting your mind wander off a little too far. You lose the plot and find yourself in the first dimension as nothing but your own consciousness, represented by a blue orb. Your only mission is to find your way back to your mind. However, it does not end there. You must explore your mind and body, and examine some of life’s biggest questions. Through the help of your fellow organs (the characters), you are brought on an introspective journey to the final goal; finding who you are.
By diving deeper into the main philosophical ideas of what makes us human, we aim to answer no questions. Our main objective is to encourage the user to think more philosophically and to contemplate their place in the universe, and what that means to them, through the use of symbolic animations and witty dialogue.
The story behind this project is the idea of letting your mind wander off a little too far. You lose the plot and find yourself in the first dimension as nothing but your own consciousness, represented by a blue orb. Your only mission is to find your way back to your mind. However, it does not end there. You must explore your mind and body, and examine some of life’s biggest questions. Through the help of your fellow organs (the characters), you are brought on an introspective journey to the final goal; finding who you are.
Note: If you are interested in playing the game, send me a message and I can send you the zipped folder for you to enjoy on your own computer. Below you will find screenshots and comments of the whole project.
This is the opening scene. A tune begins to play, and once the player clicks anywhere on the screen, they are taken to the next scene.
The user is then beginning to get more information on what is goin on. Simple instructions can be seen at the bottom of the screen to aid the user how to navigate throughout the game.
The player is guided on what they need to do in order to progress to the next level.
LVL 1D: This level is meant to represent the first dimension. It starts off with 3 large balls (enemies) that are then continually duplicated once they are zapped with the laser. Being in the first dimension, the player can only move left and right, and can only attack the enemy once they are directly in front of them.
Also, there is a timer, if the player eliminates all of the enemies before it runs out, they progress to the next level. Once the timer runs out, regardless if they have completed the mission, the user progresses to the next level. We wanted to ensure that all players, whatever their gaming skills, will enjoy and see the whole project from start to finish.
Note: The blue dot is meant to represent our player, Conscious.
The player is guided on what they need to do in order to progress to the next level.
LVL 2D: This level is represents the second dimension. Now being able to move horizontally and vertically, the user must navigate this timed maze from start to finish in order to proceed. However, if they hit any of the walls, they are shot to the beginning, without the timer starting again.
The player is guided on what they need to do in order to progress to the next level.
LVL 3D: The final level represents the third dimension. As you can see, Conscious is now floating through our solar system, while dodging the incoming plantes and meteors. Floating closer and closer to home, when he finally gets to Earth, he is loaded to the next scene.
Message to the player once the get to the end of LVL 3D.
This is one of the first animations the user sees. It shows Conscious making his way back to his body. The man sits lethargically on the couch, unaware that his mind had wandered off. Once Conscious dives into his head, the man is shocked and seems to awaken.
Welcome to the Brain HQ! In this room, you are welcomed by Dr. Brian A Neuroni. The user moves around the room using WASD or arrow keys. A conversation is promted once the player moves close enough to Brian. By hitting spacebar, they continue with the conversation.
Dr. Brian A. Neuroni gives more insight on what had happened. He is a kind and funny fellow, however he urgently needs Conscious to get to work. He explains to the user that they must explore there body, talk to all the different characters they find and pick up little trait tokens along the way. Through the conversations that are to come, they will be dealing with the big what, where, when, why and how questions. Only when all traits and questions have been explored, the player can return to the HQ to load in their essence and find out the big question of "WHO ARE YOU?".
These are the tokens that appear somewhere in the room, only once the player has completed the full conversation with the characters. Once collected, the relevant animation automatically plays for the user to watch and enjoy, before proceeding to the next scene.
Note: All of the characters you are about to be introduced to represent the qualities associated with “The Big 5”, which is supposedly the most scientifically verified psychological model that measures personality. The personality traits being: extraversion, openness, conscientiousness, neuroticism, and agreeableness. Not holding too much weight to the project, I simply thought it would ease the character development of each to base their views/behaviours around the specific traits. Also, a fun way to compliment the biological environments with psychological characters and dialogue.
Welcome to the Larynx Room, with your host, Meryl Strep. She is a theatric and poetic busy woman that represents extraversion. Her dialogue deals with the theme of "Where".
As stated, once Conscious is done with the conversation, he must float about the room in order to collect his token so that he can move to the next scene, and watch the animation.
Where: "Where Am I?"
The question “Where am I” itself refers to the feeling of being lost, having lost one’s path and
experiencing general disorientation; the feeling of not having a purpose or not having a goal
to work towards, wandering aimlessly through life and not seeing the bigger picture. “You
wonder where you are, my little friend? Don’t worry, just keep following the signs!”
(Queen’s comment) can be taken both literally and metaphorically. The character in the scene
appears to have lost his way, literally, and suddenly finds himself in an unknown surreal
environment. “Keep following the signs” leads him towards following the light coming
through the archway at the end of the room, offering a clear indication as to where to go next.
Metaphorically, however, it can be understood as a reference to the feeling of purposelessly
drifting through life and having lost one’s reason and objective.
experiencing general disorientation; the feeling of not having a purpose or not having a goal
to work towards, wandering aimlessly through life and not seeing the bigger picture. “You
wonder where you are, my little friend? Don’t worry, just keep following the signs!”
(Queen’s comment) can be taken both literally and metaphorically. The character in the scene
appears to have lost his way, literally, and suddenly finds himself in an unknown surreal
environment. “Keep following the signs” leads him towards following the light coming
through the archway at the end of the room, offering a clear indication as to where to go next.
Metaphorically, however, it can be understood as a reference to the feeling of purposelessly
drifting through life and having lost one’s reason and objective.
Welcome to the Lungs Room, with your host, Slim John-Lung. He is a grumpy, unhelpful heavy smoker who represents agreeableness. His dialogue deals with the theme of "How".
“How did it begin?” is the question being asked in this chapter. It refers back to the early
Greek philosophers trying to explain natural phenomena, by mere observation and logic
deduction. However, sometimes by mixing religious belief and superstition into the theories, as beautifully summarised in Jostein Gaarder’s Sophie’s World.
Greek philosophers trying to explain natural phenomena, by mere observation and logic
deduction. However, sometimes by mixing religious belief and superstition into the theories, as beautifully summarised in Jostein Gaarder’s Sophie’s World.
A lot of the questions revolved around nature and go back to the issue of “How was the world created?” or “is there a basic substance that everything else is made of?” (Gaarder).
People were looking for answers about the transformations of the natural world – the seasons, life and death, day and night, drought and rain – something that would reveal the underlying laws of nature.
People were looking for answers about the transformations of the natural world – the seasons, life and death, day and night, drought and rain – something that would reveal the underlying laws of nature.
The conclusion deduced from observation and reasoning was that the world was made up of minuscule, invisible, perpetual entities that connect to form a unit – a body, a plant, a river - anything. And once this body dies, the plant ceases, or the river dries out, these particles return to the atmosphere where they again connect with other particles to form something else. It was assumed that these entities – or atoms – could not be broken down into smaller units, as otherwise the world would be slowly dissolving. Instead, it was presumed they were eternal, and through changing recombination they form the things that exist. “Atom” means nothing other than “indivisible,” and until today, it is found to be the smallest unit underlying all naturally occurring matter – solid, liquid or gas.
“How did it begin” thus refers back to the early assumption that everything consists of the
four elements earth, fire, air and water and the following theories that everything is made up of particles that separate and recombine eternally.
Welcome to the Heart Room, with your host, Stella McHearthy. She is a lovable, hopelessly romantic, ditzy diva who represents openness. Her dialogue deals with the theme of "What".
What: "What Is Love?"
This animation is to portray a simple love story between two inanimate blobs going through
various stages in a relationship, from falling in love, to clinging to each other, the difficulty of
letting go, breaking free, and reconciliation. Though seemingly merging into each other, they
never change in colour, and thus always keep an essential part of themselves.
various stages in a relationship, from falling in love, to clinging to each other, the difficulty of
letting go, breaking free, and reconciliation. Though seemingly merging into each other, they
never change in colour, and thus always keep an essential part of themselves.
Welcome to the Liver Room, with your host, Arld McGuinness. He is a lazy, disorganised alcoholic who represents conscientiousness. His dialogue deals with the theme of "Why".
Why: "Why?"
The question “why?” in this chapter refers to the human urge to understand and to see reason,
logic or patterns that would explain everything. However, oftentimes there is not a simple
answer to that question, and it seems as if there is, in fact, no reason at all, no logic and no
pattern, and things seem arbitrary and out of control. The soldier’s proclamation “Chaos
reigns” is taken from Lars von Trier’s Antichrist (2009).
logic or patterns that would explain everything. However, oftentimes there is not a simple
answer to that question, and it seems as if there is, in fact, no reason at all, no logic and no
pattern, and things seem arbitrary and out of control. The soldier’s proclamation “Chaos
reigns” is taken from Lars von Trier’s Antichrist (2009).
Chaos reigns, which means there is no order or stability, stands in stark contrast to the military order portrayed by the marching army. The praying mantis is known to kill her male partner after procreation, and thus carries the reputation of female cruelty, but also female reign. This, again, is contradicting the current status quo, where we barely ever (if not never) see an army of women marching through the streets leaving behind a trail of destruction. Logic and expectation is abolished. The armband showing a “Y” is both a reference to the symbol cult in Nazi-Germany.
Alongside, it is also a reference to the current Z-movement in Russia in support of Putin’s
Alongside, it is also a reference to the current Z-movement in Russia in support of Putin’s
operation, while also simply asking the question we so desperately want the answer to: Why?
Welcome to the Small Intestine Room, with your host, Eugene Guttson. He is an emotionally unstable, self conscious worrier who represents neuroticism. His dialogue deals with the theme of "When".
When: "When"
The animation “When?” addresses the passing of time and our constant struggle to keep up
with it. It shows the way we are rushing through life, chasing something yet arriving at
nothing, exhausted but still pushing on.
with it. It shows the way we are rushing through life, chasing something yet arriving at
nothing, exhausted but still pushing on.
The pentagonal tunnel represents the way we are rushing through our days with complete tunnel vision, neither looking left nor right, until we feel dizzy from the pace. We are running for fear of missing out and for fear of letting opportunities slip through our fingers and
doors closing right in front of us.
doors closing right in front of us.
Finally, once the user has completed their exploration through body and mind, they return to Dr. Brian A. Neuroni in order to get themselves "wired up" in order to find out the final answer to the question: "WHO ARE YOU?".
Who: "Who Am I?"
The final question the user needs to ask themselves is “Who am I?” A simple question,
maybe, but it holds no simple answer. The only solid answer they do receive is “you’re alive”
which is the only tangible truth that can be said about every living being. Apart from that, the
only answer they get is a brief summary of the history of humanity with all its victories and
abysses, from death to birth, creation and destruction, tyranny and peaceful revolution, tears
and celebration, nature and innovation, gluttony and taste. The answer that is to be conveyed
is that we are alive, and by being so, we are part of humanity, and thus we are all those
things: we are love and hate, creation and destruction, mother nature and technology, and
above all, we form part of this universe.
maybe, but it holds no simple answer. The only solid answer they do receive is “you’re alive”
which is the only tangible truth that can be said about every living being. Apart from that, the
only answer they get is a brief summary of the history of humanity with all its victories and
abysses, from death to birth, creation and destruction, tyranny and peaceful revolution, tears
and celebration, nature and innovation, gluttony and taste. The answer that is to be conveyed
is that we are alive, and by being so, we are part of humanity, and thus we are all those
things: we are love and hate, creation and destruction, mother nature and technology, and
above all, we form part of this universe.
