Inquire from the Taoism

The game will be released on Steam on Dec. 23, 2022!

I could only show small parts of the game systems, design documents, and artworks so that it won’t be a spoiler. So, I would talk more about team management and production at this moment.

This is the BETA mode web page:

Abstract:

- Inquire from the Taoism, IftT, is a story-driven Puzzle RPG game. Players act as a young Taoist who is trapped in an unknown space, experiencing bizarre stories. Shuttle in different illusions, use your wisdom and spells to overcome difficulties, find out the truth behind the mystery. You will be yourselves and choose your own path to escape.

Inspiration:

- Based on the system of my previous game The Atlas: Prologue

My role & COntribution:

- Producer:
  - I build and organize the team with 20 members currently, primarily working on these listing issues mentioned below:
    1. Writing production documents including milestone plans, product backlog, sprints, etc.
    2. Managing project folder and sources.
    3. Holding weekly standups and zoom meetings.
    4. Assigning tasks to designers, artists, sound designers, writers, and programmers.
    5. Registering the game on Steam and other game distribution services.
    6. Controlling development flow according to the plans and keeping updating.
    7. Following up and monitoring the progress of team members.
    8. Comforting team members’ emotions and motivating them.
  - This is my second time being the producer of a project with more than ten team members. Though the majority of us, except one programmer, are all students, I am still trying to make the process of our development as professional as possible so that we would be more efficient and well-prepared for our future careers.

- Lead Designer
  - I constructed the whole system for IftT, including transplanting and improving several parts like Spelltree and Talisman from my previous game The Atlas: Prologue. Also, I designed all puzzles in the game, connecting and properly embedding them into the plot. Usually, I would finish the whole design myself or give a general idea of the steps and goals of the specific puzzle to another designer who is available. With more experience and a more comprehensive understanding of this game, I would examine their works and give feedback for them to revise.
  - Besides determining the Mechanics of the game, I also take charge of drawing sketches of UI and other resources.
  - Up to now, I have written more than 40 documents, over 90% of all, all by myself, including Technical Design Document (presented below), design documents, requirement documents to programmers, artists, sound designers, etc.

- Lead Director
  - I take charge of grasping the art direction with the lead artist and visual designer because we are trying to achieve a unique painting style between watercolor painting and traditional Chinese ink painting. I also examined the final version of assets, sound effects, and playing experience of puzzles when they were finished and gave feedback to revise or polish.
  - Generally speaking, I am responsible for making final decisions on the next step after discussing with other leaders.

- Writer
  - I create the worldview background and storyline of the game and was responsible for writing the game’s main text contents, including dialogue, item descriptions, spell descriptions, etc.

Aesthetics:

- Fantasy
  - I want to create a realistic and vivid world, allowing players to immerse themselves in the identity of the protagonist, giving them the most freedom and letting them have a real impact on the world.

- Narrative
  - I want to tell a story that would provoke thinking and resonate with the players’ emotions, discussing some perceptions about human natures and social issues.

- Discovery
  - In the game world, the player could interact with mostly everything, exploring the contents behind them.

- Involvement
  - Different from other puzzle games, I want to add more RPG elements so that players could choose to be themselves other than acting as the protagonist and make their own choices.

- Challenge
  - The puzzles in the game are always interlocked with each other, requiring strong reasoning skills and the patience to find clues in the large scene. Players need to read plenty of text content to find useful information, and gradually uncover the truth.

- Sensation
  - I hope to create an excellent and unique audio-visual effect for players so that the game is still attractive enough even if you put aside the gameplay mechanics.