Consumania
Roles: Art Direction ∙ 3D Art ∙ Tech Art ∙ Development
CONSUMANIA drops you into a futuristic mega-mart with one goal: stick to your shopping list... or spiral into exponential purchasing madness. As art director and developer at the Royal Danish Academy, I shaped the game's visual identity, guided the team's artists, and built the systems behind its technical mayhem.
Plastic is Fantastic
Set in a satirical consumeristic dystopia, I introduced an aesthetic inspired by toys, candy, and everything plastic - using round forms and saturated colors to create a world that feels both irresistible and overwhelming.
Making the Mold
Establishing the direction, I modelled key characters, items, and modular furniture, all aligned under a cohesive plastic formula. These guided the artists when creating additional assets and city-scale props.
Expanding the World: 2D to 3D
Outside the supermarket, I led the visual direction for a retro-futurist Copenhagen, translating Danish landmarks into simple yet playfully exaggerated forms. After prompting the team to explore satirical signs, vehicles, and buildings in 2D, I curated the concepts before 3D production to ensure a cohesive and intentionally absurd world.
Controlling the Chaos
Using Unity's visual scripting, I built the game's signature mechanic: a Katamari-style rolling ball that grows with each impulse buy. The system continuously detects and absorbs items, filtering out oversized ones to maintain steady growth - ensuring the chaos feels wild but stays readable.
Visuals Guide Emotion
We mapped the intended experience arc and tested it using FACS and GSR analysis, tracking real player reactions. The data confirmed big spikes in excitement during the supermarket breakout! As Art Director, I tuned color, composition, and visual pacing around these emotional peaks, making sure they amplified the experience we wanted players to have.
Credits
Art Direction, 3D Art, Tech Art, Development: Mati Kalter
Narrative Direction, Level Design, 3D Art: Wika Domercka
Concept Art, 3D Art: Sara Lisinka Nielsen
Illustration, 3D Art: Anastasia Jacobsen
Illustration: D.J. Goon
Narrative Direction, Level Design, 3D Art: Wika Domercka
Concept Art, 3D Art: Sara Lisinka Nielsen
Illustration, 3D Art: Anastasia Jacobsen
Illustration: D.J. Goon
