Imprint
A game about memory, identity, and the longing to belong. Wander through liminal spaces where interaction uncovers echoes of forgotten moments and traces of those who came before. With each step between isolation and connection, you're invited to reflect on what defines and bounds us - and to shape your own meaning.
Based on personal experiences, Imprint is my attempt to abstract memory into a symbolic narrative that others can interpret in their own way. The player is guided linearly through a series of scenes, where emphasis is placed on transitions - some gradual, others abrupt. Players initially have limited agency, performing monotonous, repetitive actions. As the game progresses, they are offered choices which add layers of personal interpretation, while unfolding a predetermined sequence of events. Environmental design, mechanics, composition, and tone continually shift, reflecting the character’s emotional journey.
Imprint was created for my master’s thesis at The Royal Danish Academy. It is a work in progress - currently featuring two playable scenes, with a planned scope of four and the intention of creating a looping narrative structure.
Concept ∙ Development ∙ Art Direction ∙ Level Design ∙ 3D Modelling ∙ Tech Art ∙ Audio Design
Planning
Storyboards and diagrams were made to plot out the game's visual narrative arch, as well as the expected emotional engagement of players throughout each scene:
Character Design
Characters began as 2D concept art and were later modelled, rigged and animated in Blender. Various proportions were experimented with - I sought a simple, sympathetic design that players could 'imprint' themselves upon. Their noisy transparent surface was created with Unity's shadergraph:
Interaction & Design
Mechanics, composition, and tone correlate with Imprint's emotional narrative arch and themes:
The experience begins with minimal agency, immersing the player in monotony and suspense. It continues on to sentimental reflection, granting them fleeting choices which prompt unique interpretations. Emphasis was placed on the affordance, signifiers, and feedback of interactive elements in each scene.
The experience begins with minimal agency, immersing the player in monotony and suspense. It continues on to sentimental reflection, granting them fleeting choices which prompt unique interpretations. Emphasis was placed on the affordance, signifiers, and feedback of interactive elements in each scene.
The shifting scale of elements - like character and room size, or the camera’s movement from wide-angle anonymity to close, over-the-shoulder views - reflects one of Imprint’s core themes: the ongoing cycle between individuality and collectivity.
