Concept Development
After considering all three of my initial concepts, I chose the painting restoration one because it seemed to offer the most promising opportunity to integrate my interest in art with enjoyable gameplay. At the same time, I did not want to limit the paintings to just being part of the visual design – there should be a purpose for them in the gameplay as well.
Story Development
Initially, the story of the game would revolve around a young man joining a new job at a museum. He is a passionate person tasked with preparing a collection of paintings for the upcoming exhibition.
To provide myself with creative freedom during development, I decided to make the collection consist of different kinds of paintings that could vary in age, style, and condition.
Gameplay Development
In terms of gameplay, I wanted the restoration process to be simple, calming, and enjoyable, rather than a technical one requiring specific skills. Therefore, the interaction would involve three basic steps:
Examine → Restore → Reveal
During examination, the player has to notice damaged parts of a painting. They use simple tools to clean and restore them. The more restoration the player completes, the more of the artwork’s elements are revealed. In addition, I do not intend to implement any harsh penalty system. In case of mistakes, the process could be slowed down, or the player could receive feedback; however, it is based on progress, discovery, and achievement rather than punishment.
Progression and Exhibition
The idea of the museum itself demonstrating the player’s progress also seemed quite interesting to me. When a painting is fully restored, it can be placed in the upcoming exhibition. It means that at the beginning the exhibition would have very few paintings, whose number would grow as the player advances through the game. Thus, the player would be able to feel the actual growth of their progress rather than see the completion percentage bar.
Narrative and Mystery
While I am aiming to make the experience generally relaxing, I want there to be reasons for the player to find each painting interesting. As the story progresses, the player begins to notice connections and peculiarities in the paintings. Thus, by restoring them, they discover not only the artwork itself, but also some mystery associated with the collection.
The player’s main objective is to prepare the exhibition; however, towards the end of the game, they make a discovery that reveals there is still much more to uncover. I want the story to end on a cliffhanger – the character’s journey will have to continue in another game.
Visual Design
In terms of visual direction, I would like to try a painterly, realistic 2D style. The museum would feature both traditional architectural elements and modern exhibition rooms, showcasing a mix of classic and modern artworks in the collection. Generally, the atmosphere should be peaceful and welcoming, with a sense of mystery that grows stronger as the player progresses.
Current Core Experience
Examine → Restore → Reveal → Display → Discover
At this point, I want the core experience of the game to be based on the pleasure of restoring the artworks; however, the increasing exhibition and an intriguing mystery would motivate the player to continue.
This segment contains an audio review^