Bleak
Jun. 2015 - July. 2015
Role & Responsibilities
I was brought on as a freelance game designer to build a playable VR demo from scratch within two months for Mokuni Studio.
My responsibilities included designing the core gameplay rules, control and movement systems, and narrative structure. I prototyped various mechanics, implemented all levels, and developed and maintained the production plan for the team.
Innovative Movement Mechanic
This project was developed during VR’s early wave of innovation, offering an exciting opportunity for experimentation. I independently designed a novel movement mechanic from scratch: players navigate the world by gazing at an object to move toward it. This approach significantly reduces motion sickness and supports VR devices without controllers, making the immersive, artistic environment more accessible to even non-gamers.
Interestingly, this gaze-based movement later became a widely adopted control & movement scheme in VR games even after so many years. I'm proud that something I developed independently has stood the test of time and is proved to be a best practice in the industry.
Narrative
The story centers around a man suffering from amnesia who gradually reconstructs fragments of his past. As the truth comes into focus, he remembers a heartbreaking event: he and the woman he loved were struck by a train—she didn’t survive.
Level Design
The experience shifts between a minimalist, museum-like abstract space—representing the protagonist's inner world—and fragmented memory scenes from his real life.
As players unravel the threads of memories, they collect symbolic paintings summarizing each chapter’s key moments. These artworks are displayed within the museum-like space, allowing the environment itself to grow and reflect the protagonist's recovering memory.
I was brought on as a freelance game designer to build a playable VR demo from scratch within two months for Mokuni Studio.
My responsibilities included designing the core gameplay rules, control and movement systems, and narrative structure. I prototyped various mechanics, implemented all levels, and developed and maintained the production plan for the team.
Innovative Movement Mechanic
This project was developed during VR’s early wave of innovation, offering an exciting opportunity for experimentation. I independently designed a novel movement mechanic from scratch: players navigate the world by gazing at an object to move toward it. This approach significantly reduces motion sickness and supports VR devices without controllers, making the immersive, artistic environment more accessible to even non-gamers.
Interestingly, this gaze-based movement later became a widely adopted control & movement scheme in VR games even after so many years. I'm proud that something I developed independently has stood the test of time and is proved to be a best practice in the industry.
Narrative
The story centers around a man suffering from amnesia who gradually reconstructs fragments of his past. As the truth comes into focus, he remembers a heartbreaking event: he and the woman he loved were struck by a train—she didn’t survive.
Level Design
The experience shifts between a minimalist, museum-like abstract space—representing the protagonist's inner world—and fragmented memory scenes from his real life.
As players unravel the threads of memories, they collect symbolic paintings summarizing each chapter’s key moments. These artworks are displayed within the museum-like space, allowing the environment itself to grow and reflect the protagonist's recovering memory.
