Artist's Statement
Through this artwork, I dig into interactive narrative, fusing game design, poetry, and symbolism. My twenties have been filled with extraordinary experiences and reflection given by life itself. Time has become the source of abstract ideas that help my daily introspection. Something becomes worse through time, and other things become better through time. It's so abstract that it makes me question many things about it. At the end of the day, I also understand that it could not give any answer to any of my pleas. From there came the idea of sharing my perspective regarding time during my twenties by personifying it.
This medium of my artwork is heavily influenced by several interactive narratives: Florence and Dys4ia. Florence is a game-based interactive narrative that explores personal discovery through a "no words" approach. Therefore, illustration, action, and symbolism are the most important things to make the audience understand and interpret the meaning. While Dys4ia also uses the same medium, it is filled with different mini-games to represent each line.
I also pour the story into poetry. This writing piece is heavily inspired by a children's book called The Rabbits by John Marsden and illustrated by Shaun Tan. The book talks about colonialism from the perspective of the colonized. They use language that children can easily understand, yet it conveys different meanings when adults with many more life experiences read it.
I made this artwork as a time capsule or diary for reflection in my twenties. A chapter of my life that I could not forget and would like to visit. It is also filled with personal memories and hope. This artwork is a dedication I made after learning that my father had cancer in early 2024. I would say it is a form of prayer to wish him a long and healthy life. At a glance, it could be understood that the whole story is about my dissatisfaction with time. However, each line represents many deeper meanings that the audience could interpret differently or even relate to them in many ways. Looking at the poet, we see so little of my dad and his cancer. This reflects me, who, until now, still cannot accept the truth that something inside my dad is slowly eating him alive and blaming time for being so cruel to me.
I use game design as my medium because I want people to also interact with the story and make them feel like they are not alone. I believe that games are not just a form of entertainment but also a source of making you feel or experience many complex things. The game is played like a puzzle to continue the story; every step is covered by symbolism of what I felt in every part of the poetry. The interaction, personal illustration, and poetry added depth to the whole experience. Unlike usual games that could be played at a fast pace, this game is made to be played slowly to increase the feeling of time taking control of our lives. Players can enjoy the story, which is separated into three chapters representing my different states of mind and thoughts.
Game Playthrough - Chapter 1
Poem - Mr. Time
Mr. Time is the meanest of them all,
He won't wait for anyone, big or small.
He pushes the sun and moon all day long,
Flashing my growth to my parent's eyes,
When they prayed for me to not grow so fast.
But then he slows down the time when classes bore,
Or when my childhood friends don’t want to play with me no more.
I keep on checking every passing second,
Wondering when will it end,
And I swear it just walks slower,
And slower,
Like he mocks me right in front of my nose.
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When I grow up, it feels like he wants more and more,
He took my youth, and nothing in this world could ever restore.
He changes the lives of people that I hold dear,
End some and make me fear.
No more laughing to my heart's content,
For he forces a “normal” life that society would never bend.
“Your life will be better if you just follow it,”
Everyone else nods “agreed.”
But I never truly know what to pursue,
No time to pause, think, and find my own view.
So I just follow along,
Acted like I belong,
A couple of tears stay too long,
But it’s okay,
I just hope Mr. Time will be kinder to me.
————————
One night I realized that Mr.Time will never compromise,
A day got spent in a blink of eyes.
Everyone demands the world, and we got no time to spare,
Some weep, wounded, and succumb to despair.
“I just need more time,” they cried,
But Mr. Time never provide.
Oh, how I wish to be able to stop Mr. Time,
To sleep on a fluffy cloud in a big blue sky,
Without the weight of worry for the wrinkles on my parents' face,
Or the anxious thoughts of not getting any jobs as time picks up pace,
Or witnessing loved ones depart without a trace,
Or grappling with the uncertainty of when the cancer within my father’s body will finally erase.
Process of The Work & Documentation
Early stage concept
Wireframe
Illustration
Drawing has been part of me since I was a child. Every part of the game is illustrated and animated digitally. This brings more depth to the game and the meaning of the whole poem. This is a skill that I need to hone in a very long time, which adds a whole new personal layer to the game. The poem and the animation could not stand alone, for both existed as a unity to become this artwork.
Game Design
I use Unity to develop the game design. It is interesting to figure out how to create this kind of interactive narrative. There are lots of things that need to be put in mind, for example, the motion needs to be slow and smooth in order to bring the audience to the mood. I also need to think creatively about how to represent clock interaction in the game. One example is the usual round clock that everyone has at their house. After figuring out how to create it, it will be uninteresting if I keep on using that mechanic. Therefore, there are some changes in the concept, which result in different illustrations and codes.
