Consumania
Roles: Art Direction ∙ 3D Art ∙ Tech Art ∙ Development
Your goal is simple: stick to your shopping list... or spiral into uncontrollable purchasing madness. Step into a futuristic mega-mart and dive into exponential overconsumption in the absurd, satirical world of CONSUMANIA! As art director and developer on this game at the Royal Danish Design Academy, I shaped the game's visual identity while building the systems that brought the its technical mayhem to life.
Plastic is Fantastic
Set in a satirical consumeristic dystopia, I designed a naive aesthetic inspired by toys, candy, and plastic, with round forms and saturated colors - creating a world that’s both irresistible and overwhelming.
I modelled key characters, items, and modular furniture. These guided the 3D artists with creating additional food, gadgets, and city-scale props - all aligned under a cohesive plastic formula.
Expanding the World: 2D to 3D
I defined a visual direction for a near-future Copenhagen inspired by Danish landmarks and retro-futurism, combing simple shapes with playful exaggeration. Guiding the artists in creating 2D satirical signs, vehicles, and buildings, I curated and refined them before 3D implementation to keep the world cohesive and intentionally absurd.
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.
Guiding Emotion with Visual Cues
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
