Project Introduction

Superlandscapes is an experimental computer game which puts in focus the role of the player. The player is a flying observer of an infinite world that is in constant movement. Human and non-human figures appear, disappear, cross paths and pursue goals. But the world somehow has its own laws and the observer is not just an observer. By observing, the player can realize how the landscape is always changing and by following the different beings the player makes them protagonists and can learn their habits, habitats and relations. In fact, the observation changes the rules of creation. the protagonists shapes the world. Besides these rules, the randomly always different generation of landscape objects will create all kind of chaos. Basic physics engine and poorly programmed KI playing their part.
The game is also a reflection of humanmade constructs like natur-culture-distinction, borders, work and order. It wants to be a humorous approach to non-living objects, giving them a living character. For example borders seem like senseless artifacts, but can in fact grow and grow when they are followed. Or the leaf blower just when he is in focus creates the falling leafs that will allow him doing his job. The players time and patience for investigation will regard him with deeper stories of the figures and special relations between them.
The game is just controlled via joystick, mouse or arrow-keys to navigate in the 4 directions. For exhibition-installation I used a trackball controller, as a perfect fitting haptic for flying over the world.

About Developer

I am a freshly graduated artist and studied in the fields of animation, illustration, new media and games.
I am interested in making games, partly cause I have a history of passionate gaming and because I like to investigate in how games can feel. I have a strong focus on the perception of the digital space and on the unseen layers of game engines and computer graphics. I also like to tell stories in absurd and humorous ways. Putting my personal experiences and critic in game mechanics and design is a path I love to continue. Games have that freedom to create worlds and rules and in that frame so many things can happen that are not intended. I also have my trouble with this medium as a time-consuming disconnecting fantasyworld. But as well I love these properties. I try to reflect on this ambiguity of fakeness and immersion.
This project was born as a graduation project in the kunsthochschule kassel, but wants to be continued.
I worked closely with my friend Allen Homburg, who did a very beatiful personal and vivid sounddesign and helped me keep on track.