Unit 3: Artistic and Technological / Design Influences

Portal and it's cartoony and comical silhouetted signs inspire my idea of using thought bubbles with meaningful pictographs over my characters' heads. The signs in Portal are simple yet so intuitive and understandable, text does not have to be present. They use simple arrows and well positioned stick figures, as well as universal symbols such as hearts and zaps of electricity. 

I am inspired by Katamari for the aesthetic style. The characters are very simple yet very charismatic. The colors used are very vibrant but not overwhelming. I would like to use similar, slightly pastel colors, but with more grays. I also like the large cell-shaded low-fi polygons. The game doesn't strive for realism, but is very stylized. My games aesthetic will be similar in these ways. 

As far as design, I am very inspired by the Legend of Zelda: The Four Swords, which requires teamwork in a maze of doors. Collaboration is required in this game, and collaboration will often be required in Vimana. Like in Zelda, Vimana will require that players find and use keys for doors. My game will differ in that collaboration is not always required, and it will sometimes be in different ways than in Four Swords. For example, in Four Swords, all players must push a large rock at the same time, I will not be borrowing that mechanic, but it will take more than one person to open a door, and it will require that players transfer keys to each other. 

I am inspired by Super Mario Bros. 3, Battle Mode, where players are engaged in real-time "combat" that does not consist of direct contact. Players utilize things around, like throwing battle shells or knocking the power block, in an effort to thwart their opponent. The atmosphere quickly changes and players think fast. They are not only against each other but also against the game itself.

For the premise of my project, I wanted to discover a game design that defies the typical given roles of ally or foe, and discover dynamic gameplay in a setting that is designed to bring about competition, collaboration and  personal relationships. I have been inspired by the writings of Noam Chomsky, and his analysis of power and social responsibility. 

Recently I have been inspired by Cirque du Soleil because like Katamari, it features weird people who seem kind of like magical creatures. Some of the acts of Cirque du Soleil feature people all in matching futuristic outfits.