Game Design & Development
Lost in Wonderland
Cautionary Tale - Minor Applied Game Design
Year :
2024
Industry :
Game Design & Development
Client :
HvA
Project Duration :
1 month
Problem :
The goal of this project was to design and develop an applied game based on a cautionary tale, a traditional storytelling format used to warn audiences about danger. Within a team of four, we needed to translate a moral message into an engaging interactive experience.
The main challenge was to create a compelling narrative and gameplay loop that would clearly communicate the lesson of the story, while still keeping the player motivated and immersed. In addition, the project had a strict time constraint of only two weeks, requiring fast iteration and strong prioritisation.
Solution :
Our team developed Lost in Wonderland, a narrative-driven game inspired by the moral of Hansel and Gretel, reimagined in the surreal world of Alice in Wonderland. The game focused on exploration, environmental storytelling, and progressive challenges that reinforced the central message about temptation and consequences.
As a Designer and supporting Developer, I contributed to concept development, level design, and gameplay structure. I helped translate the story into interactive challenges, ensuring that each level supported both the narrative and the player experience. I also supported implementation, collaborating closely with the development team to maintain design feasibility within the limited timeframe.
Challenge :
The most significant challenge was balancing ambition with feasibility. Creating a cohesive story, visual direction, and gameplay within two weeks required rapid decision-making and continuous scope reduction.
This meant prioritising core mechanics, removing non-essential features, and learning to “kill our darlings” when ideas did not support the main experience. Additionally, working in a team under time pressure highlighted the importance of communication, alignment, and shared ownership of decisions.
Summary :
This project strengthened my skills in storytelling, challenge and level design, and collaborative product development under tight deadlines. It taught me how to translate abstract narrative themes into interactive systems, while making pragmatic design decisions to deliver a functional and meaningful experience.
The experience also deepened my understanding of teamwork, iteration, and prioritisation—skills that I continue to apply in my UX and interaction design work.
More Projects
Game Design & Development
Lost in Wonderland
Cautionary Tale - Minor Applied Game Design
Year :
2024
Industry :
Game Design & Development
Client :
HvA
Project Duration :
1 month
Problem :
The goal of this project was to design and develop an applied game based on a cautionary tale, a traditional storytelling format used to warn audiences about danger. Within a team of four, we needed to translate a moral message into an engaging interactive experience.
The main challenge was to create a compelling narrative and gameplay loop that would clearly communicate the lesson of the story, while still keeping the player motivated and immersed. In addition, the project had a strict time constraint of only two weeks, requiring fast iteration and strong prioritisation.
Solution :
Our team developed Lost in Wonderland, a narrative-driven game inspired by the moral of Hansel and Gretel, reimagined in the surreal world of Alice in Wonderland. The game focused on exploration, environmental storytelling, and progressive challenges that reinforced the central message about temptation and consequences.
As a Designer and supporting Developer, I contributed to concept development, level design, and gameplay structure. I helped translate the story into interactive challenges, ensuring that each level supported both the narrative and the player experience. I also supported implementation, collaborating closely with the development team to maintain design feasibility within the limited timeframe.
Challenge :
The most significant challenge was balancing ambition with feasibility. Creating a cohesive story, visual direction, and gameplay within two weeks required rapid decision-making and continuous scope reduction.
This meant prioritising core mechanics, removing non-essential features, and learning to “kill our darlings” when ideas did not support the main experience. Additionally, working in a team under time pressure highlighted the importance of communication, alignment, and shared ownership of decisions.
Summary :
This project strengthened my skills in storytelling, challenge and level design, and collaborative product development under tight deadlines. It taught me how to translate abstract narrative themes into interactive systems, while making pragmatic design decisions to deliver a functional and meaningful experience.
The experience also deepened my understanding of teamwork, iteration, and prioritisation—skills that I continue to apply in my UX and interaction design work.
More Projects
Game Design & Development
Lost in Wonderland
Cautionary Tale - Minor Applied Game Design
Year :
2024
Industry :
Game Design & Development
Client :
HvA
Project Duration :
1 month
Problem :
The goal of this project was to design and develop an applied game based on a cautionary tale, a traditional storytelling format used to warn audiences about danger. Within a team of four, we needed to translate a moral message into an engaging interactive experience.
The main challenge was to create a compelling narrative and gameplay loop that would clearly communicate the lesson of the story, while still keeping the player motivated and immersed. In addition, the project had a strict time constraint of only two weeks, requiring fast iteration and strong prioritisation.
Solution :
Our team developed Lost in Wonderland, a narrative-driven game inspired by the moral of Hansel and Gretel, reimagined in the surreal world of Alice in Wonderland. The game focused on exploration, environmental storytelling, and progressive challenges that reinforced the central message about temptation and consequences.
As a Designer and supporting Developer, I contributed to concept development, level design, and gameplay structure. I helped translate the story into interactive challenges, ensuring that each level supported both the narrative and the player experience. I also supported implementation, collaborating closely with the development team to maintain design feasibility within the limited timeframe.
Challenge :
The most significant challenge was balancing ambition with feasibility. Creating a cohesive story, visual direction, and gameplay within two weeks required rapid decision-making and continuous scope reduction.
This meant prioritising core mechanics, removing non-essential features, and learning to “kill our darlings” when ideas did not support the main experience. Additionally, working in a team under time pressure highlighted the importance of communication, alignment, and shared ownership of decisions.
Summary :
This project strengthened my skills in storytelling, challenge and level design, and collaborative product development under tight deadlines. It taught me how to translate abstract narrative themes into interactive systems, while making pragmatic design decisions to deliver a functional and meaningful experience.
The experience also deepened my understanding of teamwork, iteration, and prioritisation—skills that I continue to apply in my UX and interaction design work.