Tanya Forte

Kaleidoscope Concept Art

Stained glass is consuming the world and humanity has nearly been eradicated. After discovering magical stained glass armour, a knight embarks on a quest to reveal who is responsible for the destruction. Along the way, various stained glass creatures with unique abilities help the knight on their journey. Will the knight be able to save what remains of their world?The medium of this project is a 2.5D platforming video game consisting of world exploration and the gathering of glass fragments that piece together the narrative as the game is played. The objective of the player is to heal the encountered creatures and discover what caused the destruction of earth. The intention for the Knight was to be someone that all players can see themselves in: a character that everyone can aspire to be, providing accountability for improper technology usage and the protection of our environment. The Villain is an inventor who has abused technology to the point of no return. She is driven by greed and the desire to profit off of the environment. I wanted the villain of the game to mirror the attitude of corrupt corporations that make billions by taking advantage of resources, and use the game as a scenario that we need to avoid. The ultimate goal is that players can see that technology and natural resources need to be used in moderation and in a way that is conscientious and intentional. As the player progresses through the game, they are faced with helping injured creatures combine with the glass in a way that is painless and allows them to have a good quality of life. Their glass injuries cannot be separated from them and are what provides them with their abilities. In this story, there is an aspect of undoing the damage, but also understanding the necessity of adaptation, as an event on this scale cannot be taken back. Players of the game are confronted with the question of how to improve the current conditions they are faced with while finding the best possible way forward.

“I wanted the player to take on the role of the knight wearing the armour. This is why my development went towards the armour rather than the character wearing it. My first idea for Kaleidoscope was armour that could transform and evolve along with the player's journey.”