Consumania
In Consumania, your goal is simple: stick to your shopping list. Fail, and you’ll spiral into uncontrollable purchasing madness.
Dive into the exponential chaos of human overconsumption in the absurd, satirical world of CONSUMANIA!
Dive into the exponential chaos of human overconsumption in the absurd, satirical world of CONSUMANIA!
A collaborative project between bachelor's and masters' students at the Royal Danish Design Academy, I was both art director and developer - creating the visual identity of the world, while also using Unity and visual scripting to bring the game's technical mayhem to life. With mechanics inspired by Katamari Damacy, it was my job to help keep the chaos coherent and fun.
Art Direction ∙ Development ∙ Visual Scripting ∙ 3D Modelling ∙ Tech Art
Development
I used visual scripting to create a Katamari Damacy-inspired rolling ball of chaos, triggered when picking up items not on the player's shopping list. The ball grows as it collects objects, with a system that filters out items larger than itself to maintain steady, controlled growth.
3D Models and Concept Art
Early in development, I created 3D models in Blender of the supermarket’s interior, furniture, and humanoids to establish the game’s visual style and color palette. Reflecting themes of overconsumption, I pushed a hyper-consumerist aesthetic - everything, including food, was made of neon plastic with round, toy-like proportions. Later, I guided the 3D artists in creating additional food models and humanoid accessories to match the defined style.
2D Concept Art and Assets
Defining the city’s visual style beyond the supermarket, I gathered references of futuristic cities to imagine a near-future Denmark. Sara used these to sketch buildings, vehicles, and signs that matched the supermarket's aesthetic. After reviews and approvals from me, selected assets were then 3D modelled. In a parallel review process, D.J. created satirical illustrations for packages and signs, amplifying the absurdity of overconsumption while integrating a 2D style within the encompassing 3D world.
Playtesting
During post-production, we created a flowchart mapping expected player engagement and emotional responses, then tested our hypotheses using GSR and FACS analysis. Results showed strong responses during key transitions - excitement spiked when the rolling ball was triggered and during the breakout from the supermarket.
Credits
Art Director, Developer, 3D Artist : Mati Kalter
Narrative Director, Level Designer, 3D Artist : Wika Domercka
Concept Artist, 3D Artist: Sara Lisinka Nielsen
Illustrator, 3D Artist : Anastasia Jacobsen
Illustrator: D.J. Goon
Narrative Director, Level Designer, 3D Artist : Wika Domercka
Concept Artist, 3D Artist: Sara Lisinka Nielsen
Illustrator, 3D Artist : Anastasia Jacobsen
Illustrator: D.J. Goon
