I was half of the team that developed Hazel's Hexenhaus for the Cozy Autumn Game Jam 2022. Our goal was to create a relaxing game within a 2-week deadline. I collaborated with the programmer to ensure the game's music and atmosphere were calming, and the mini-games were simple and stress-free. The player could progress at their leisure and explore the game in any order. I was responsible for crafting the story, creating the concept art, and finalizing the game's visuals.
Character Design
I placed a lot of importance on atmosphere and color in keeping with the Cozy Autumn Game Jam theme. I selected a fall palette that was both muted and vibrant, with high contrast, to bring the environment of Hazel's Hexenhaus to life.
Each character’s palette complements the others and stands out from the background. I aimed for a cute illustrated style like an antique children's storybook. The two human characters, Hazel and Pumpkin have contrasting palettes to each other showcasing their distinct personalities while having similar silhouettes. I was inspired by traditional Bavarian clothing for their dresses. Their puffy skirts offered a feminine silhouette and more movement in their animation. Hazel has the most expressions and a larger emotional range, making her more relatable, while her friend Pumpkin was given calmer expressions to reflect her laid-back, air-headed personality.
Supporting characters contrasted the main character’s feminine silhouette with a more masculine look and muted color palette. The mouse's outfit was inspired by 1930s men's fashion, while the wizard hedgehog was designed to contrast the smooth lines of the other characters with his sharp quills and bushy eyebrows to emphasize his old, wizardly personality.
Environment
The Hexenhaus, being Hazel's home, was given a muted version of her palette. The two mini-games, Illumination and Pumpkin Picking, are set outside with bright saturated gradients to give them a light, dreamy feel that was distinct from the cozy, earthy vibe of Hazel's house. The first-person point of view of the Stitch game was zoomed in to a natural wooden table to give the relaxing feeling of crafting while the player digitally stitched a sweater for Thorn.
UI/UX Design
Aiming to create a soothing and age-inclusive gaming experience, the UI and UX design prioritizes simplicity, clarity, and intuitiveness while incorporating artistic elements where appropriate. For instance, the game utilizes a vintage yet legible serif font, accompanied by weathered scroll-inspired dialogue boxes to maintain a whimsical ambiance. The in-game menus and character dialogues are designed to keep players immersed in the world while efficiently conveying essential information for an enjoyable experience. Visual cues, such as icons representing game controls, contribute to a light and comprehensible interface. One notable example is found in the Stitch minigame, where players select a color bobbin of thread instead of employing a conventional color picker.
