Drawing From Your Identity to Create Unique Games: A Round Trip Through Concept Generation
Time: 18:00-19:30
Our identity is inevitably reflected in the games we create. Elements such as personal experiences, culture, family background, and current societal trends are becoming more visible as themes for story-driven games, whether they are autobiographical or historically based. But what if we apply our identity as game-makers to the aesthetics and mechanics of a game concept? This workshop aims to experiment with a different approach by taking a two-hour 'round trip' through concept generation. First, we'll analyze conventional game genres and mechanics and find narrative elements that connect them to our identity. Then, we'll move backward and enrich different game mechanics by drawing from these narrative elements and our identity.
Intended audience: Game designers and writers, but everyone is welcome
Requirements: Average knowledge of conventional game genres and mechanics, no specific skills required
Tools participants should bring: Pen & paper (notebook is optional)
* To attend this workshop, you can register by using the "Register" button on the page and receive your free event invitation. Registrations will open 3 days before the event date (30.04.2024, at 18:00) and the "Register" button will become visible then. Participation is limited to a quota of 20 people.
About We are Muesli
We Are Muesli is an independent design studio in Milan that specializes in narrative games with cultural, historical, and artistic themes. As award-winning interactive experience writers, they have been actively contributing to the evolution of gameplay in cultural heritage appreciation for a decade, engaging with the international video game community through teaching, curation, and speaking engagements.
Founded as an unofficial creative duo by Claudia Molinari and Matteo Pozzi in 2011, We Are Muesli embarked on game creation with their interactive game CAVE! CAVE! DEUS VIDET, based on Jheronimus Bosch, presented in contexts such as E3 in Los Angeles, the Onassis Cultural Centre in Athens, and the Japan Media Arts Festival in 2013. This was followed by narrative games such as Venti Mesi, a docu-game about the Venti Mesi resistance nominated for Best Italian Game in 2016, and The Great Palermo, the first video game selected for the ADI Compasso d'Oro in 2018.
Their repertoire expanded to include escape rooms commemorating the 30th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall, such as WER IST WER and Ventiquattro Elle, developed for the centenary of Gianni Rodari's birth. Starting in 2019, they also ventured into non-digital game design with historical card games like Colpo di Stato and interactive books like Chi è Chi.
We Are Muesli collaborates with various independent video game companies, such as Santa Ragione (known for Wheels of Aurelia, 2016) and Finji (involved in Chicory's localization, 2021). They participate in major industry festivals like IndieCade, A MAZE, GDC, SXSW, and Milan Games Week, showcasing their games and delivering talks.