Summoner

by Nicole Lin

 

Summoner is a co-operative, two-player platforming game that explores the relationship between tangible and virtual interfaces in games. The game’s environment is inspired by ancient Chinese architecture and aims to showcase elements of Chinese history.

 

Player One plays a young girl exploring the world looking for her family’s lost artifacts. Player Two acts as her protector, summoning structures in the virtual world by touching the corresponding tangible figurines in the physical world. For example, Player One must cross a river in the game, so Player Two touches the physical figurine of a bridge, summoning a virtual version to allow Player One to cross the obstacle.

 

There will be various options for Player Two to summon, such as a portal or stairs, allowing for creativity and flexibility in gameplay. A companion art zine will be created, bound with a traditional Chinese stab-binding technique. It will showcase the virtual models along with their matching physical figurines as well as concept art and screenshots from the final game. Summoner hopes to highlight the beauty of ancient Chinese culture as well as explore alternative means of playing games through tangible interfaces.