Emag of Players

Incoming transmission:

Welcome to watch the 114514^th “EMAG” challenge live streaming! In the next estimated 5 minutes, our three brave players will strategically place bricks and walls to protect their precious “instruction points” under the guidance of the task bar. They will facing a violent, indifferent and cunning monster—“Player !” Wait, who named this npc with such a misleading name? ……Whatever. Just witness and enjoy the epic battle and the “bloody” slllllllaughter. By the way, according to a reliable source, players bring a GRAGON with them this time! I swear this will be the funniest EMAG ever!    

“ Get me out of here you bunch of maniacs !!!“

                                                                                                                                                                     ——“Player“

About game

When hearing the theme of “Role Reversed”, we realized that the “Reverse” should occur between two elements which had a stable relationship considered as granted and unchangeable. After a 5-hour brainstorming, we notice that the role between the player and the game fit this condition perfectly.

In common sense, players play the game and seek for victory. Designers will set challenges and feedbacks to fulfill players’ will to experience. However, what if players themselves are the actual “game” and designers are “players”? All goals, instructions and challenges are no longer designed for players but turning against them. In this situation, players may struggle with how to control the character, fight with monsters and finally achieve the true victory.

What will be your decision? Just let the game character die as designers expected and get an “You win” or break the game trap and achieve true freedom by a surprising movement which is beyond designers’ expectations? That’s up to you. Multiple endings wait for you to explore.

About Art

Our art style is inspired by a set of cards, which are black and white designs with confusing instructions written on them. In terms of 2D art, starting from this concept, we first thought of some black and white short comics of web cartoons. They have certain characteristics of black humor, irony, and insinuation, which are very suitable for the concept of our game.

We use graffiti-style cartoon to complete the design of characters, scenes, and interfaces. Throughout the process, we use changes in brightness and pixel-style fonts to achieve a fused visual effect. The limited black, white, and gray colors test the overall coordination of the screen. We also added layered backgrounds and repeated textures to enrich the the scene. I use the characteristics of thick borders and frame animation effects to distinguish important objects and achieve overall balance. 

Credits

Concept / Level Design：Zhejian Huang (黄哲健)

Artist: Yiling jin （金一玲）

Music Composer：Zhong Yuyang（钟宇扬）

Programmer: Qiao Chu（褚桥）

Hints

In this game,  if you lose, you win.

Mechnism is not your friend. Neither do the instructions.

Press x to attack, if you really need it.

(If you find it difficult to understand, please check the task bar on the right and give up acting like a "player".  )