Elevator
Elevator is a 3D First-Person Exploration Game developed as a semester-long student project by a three-person interdisciplinary team.
The game employs an elevator as a metaphorical vehicle to psychoanalytically explore themes of depression and suicidality. Players are guided on an emotional journey through the symbolic ascent and descent of life. As the narrative unfolds, players are encouraged to confront their inner struggles and ultimately find a path toward inner peace and a renewed appreciation for life’s nuances. Offering a unique perspective on mental health, the game encourages players to reflect on the personal meaning of self-acceptance, leaving space for individual interpretation and growth.
Watch In-Game Playthrough -> (Trigger Warning: Suicide, Depression)
Tools
Unity, Maya, Photoshop
Time
Sep 2022 – Dec 2022, 4 Months
Role
Narrative Designer | Game Designer | Art Lead
The initial phase of the game focuses on exploration, subtly depicting the mundane routine of an office worker’s daily life. Players experience the weight of familial and societal expectations through in-game emails and messages, while the elevator acts as a narrative tool, gradually peeling back the layers of the protagonist’s journey.
This phase also served as an early testing ground. Playtest sessions were documented, feedback was collected through questionnaires, and responses were analyzed to refine the experience. Particular attention was given to environmental design and narrative integration, ensuring the game conveyed the desired atmosphere of monotony and pressure.
As the game progresses into the latter phase, players encounter an increasingly rich tapestry of life’s details, discovering moments to embrace leisure and cultivate a sense of contentment. Near the culmination of this journey of self-discovery, players are transported to an imagined world where they engage in therapeutic interactions and nurture small seeds of hope. In the end, they face a poignant choice: to return to their routine work life with a renewed sense of purpose or ascend to the top floor, symbolizing a final and irrevocable decision to end it all.
This transformative journey starkly contrasts the monotony of the initial experience, with new exploration mechanics evolving to reflect growth and emotional healing. These deliberate shifts guide players through a deeply personal process of rediscovery. The gradual restoration of color in the game world also symbolizes renewed perspective and hope. These elements work together to immerse players in an experience that feels meaningful and deeply personal, ensuring their actions resonate within the world.
Key Contributions
- Working closely with system designer to write and finalize key design documents, including the design macro sheets and design goal outlines.
- Crafted the game’s overarching narrative and scripted over 20 pieces of writings (Sample) in the game to engage players deeply in the path of self-discovery and recovery.
- Documented playtest sessions, gathered feedback from questionnaires, and analyzed the responses for better improvement. Worked closely with the technical lead and system designer to fine-tune and iterate the game in both aesthetical and technical terms.
- Created the game’s mood board and oversaw the game’s aesthetics. Wrote guidelines accordingly to keep consistency through both visual and audio elements, including UI, font selections, music score, etc.
- Modeled and set up the environments for each level of the game, ensuring the visual elements and ambiance of each scene aligned with the overarching narrative. I aimed to create settings that not only conveyed the intended aesthetics and emotional tones but also built up to a final epiphany for the players.
Yvette Fu | 傅鱼泓 