K A T H A R S I S - An entry for Greek Mytholojam 2018 [Juanjo]

First topic message reminder :

Well, as you all probably know, I have decided to participate in the Greek Mytholojam 2018. In this thread I will show you my progress and frustrations during the development, I will also create a page in Itch.io but it will be later.

I've been working on this for about a week (a few hours a day nothing more, I have my real job) and for the moment I have almost all the history defined, mechanics, style, even some sketches of environments (all on paper). Now let me tell you about all of this, although this is in a very early state and many things can change.

Presentation:
The Greek MytholoJam is an invitation to make something interactive inspired by ancient Greece! There is also an optional theme (the Muses), but I will not use it, it doesn't fit with my vision of the project.

Provisional title:
K A T H A R S I S (From Greek κάθαρσις katharsis meaning "purification" or "cleansing").

More info about the word here:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catharsis

Idea:
My main idea is to work the concept of madness and suicide from the point of view of that time (ancient Greece), presenting it as an "unusual" journey to the underworld since at that time these ailments were not understood as they are now.

It seems to me a serious theme with a lot of spiritual depth, which is what I'm looking for.

So the story will tell your journey to the gates of Hades after your death, before accessing the underworld.

I'm going to play a lot with the colors, the camera effects, and the narrative because I want to give a supernatural and different touch to the style in general. I'm not sure how I'm going to do it but I will try to give my best.

Main features (desirable but not sure):
- First person exploration game (walking simulator)
- Strong and deep narrative talking about the madness and suicide from the point of view of the ancient Greece
- Realistic and detailed graphics
- Mysterious and dark atmosphere. I want to mix Greek beauty with the darkness of the underworld…
- Simple mechanics and easy puzzles so as not to disturb the story (and because I will not have time for complications)
- Music and sound effects consistent with the story

I repeat, this is the idea but many things can change.

Other things of interest:
- This project will be a short and simple interactive experience with a first person view and will be more like a walk simulator than other thing but as I said with some interactive elements. So don't expect a long and complicated game.

- Due to the lack of time (always happens in the jams), to go faster, I will use some old models that I already have created, I will also use some assets from the Unity store and probably I will create some new models and textures.

- I want to experiment and learn with some things that I would like to use later in a future project that I have in mind. So this jam will be a fireproof!

- My main tools will be Unity 2018, 3ds Max, Quixel Suite and Photoshop.


And that's all for the moment, I know it's not much but you can get an idea of my vision of the project. I hope to create something similar to what I have in my mind!

And of course, any feedback will be welcome!

Wish me luck!!

Thanks guys for your feedback, I appreciate it!

I also agree with the one on the right

Thanks Josh!

Finally I have a new image to show.... a dark passage to Hades?

Wow, that looks awesome Juanjo! I like the chains

Thanks Josiah!

The chains are only the beginning... as we approach the gates of Hades the path becomes more sinister and dark...

Can it be more sinister and dark?

Well done

Of course Simon, you'll see...

Working in the soul stones (WIP image)... this stones (positioned in different places of the environment) will reveal part of the story to the player.



I'm working to add some more effects, so there's still work to be done. And of course, missing details to add...

Juanjo,
The entrance is brilliant!, and the Soul Stones? - they look like they would be found in the stone circles and ancient tombs that I know (though they would be a single stone - are yours in two pieces?)

I love the idea of soul stones to tell the story, and they look great!

Thank you guys for your comments!

@Roger:
Yeah, this idea comes from the ancient tombs or ritual places of some cultures (not necessarily of greek mythology), I though that this could be a great system to tell part of the story.As I said, each stone tells a fragment of the story and helps the player to continue on his way to hades.

The initial idea was that when you approach the stone a voice tells the story, but for the jam I don't want to complicate the system much, maybe later I will do it.

You can always use text rather than voice?

I agree with Roger!

Yeah, I'll use only text this time

Well, finally I'm going to take part in Darktober Jam (it has been impossible to resist, the dark side is very powerful...), for this reason my entry for Mytholojam will be paused for a while, NOT ABANDONED, only paused.

Honestly, I must say that this project is turning very deep and personal... and I'm very surprised and at the same time enchanted!

Soon I'll create a thread for my Darktober entry... stay tuned!

What are the dates of the 2 events? After Darktober you can still participate to Mytholojam?

Good luck anyway!

Thanks Simon!

Darktober ends on October 28 and Mytholojam on November 2, but I hope to finish my entry for Darktober before 28... anyway if I cann't finish my entry for Mytholojam in time I will continue with the project anyway.

Great