Under the Bed
2D split-controller exploration game
Designed by Erdem Solakoğlu (Producer), Sebastián Martínez Sánchez (Design Lead, Art for Monsters’ world), Wiktoria Aleksandra Kos (Tech Lead), Rasmus Klintsø Christensen (Programmer), João Constantino (Programmer), and Julie Tremblay (QA Lead, Art for Girl’s world). Everyone worked on game design
Made during the MSc in Games at ITU of Copenhagen, in 2021
In this split-controller exploration game, the player simultaneously controls the Girl, who goes under her bed to rescue her toys from a monster, and a toy Red Panda, who defends her from the enemies that attack her.
The game is unique for its split-controller mechanic, where the player controls two avatars simultaneously to engage in combat, and for its distinct aesthetics. The game relies on two main pillars: an interaction one, where the player must learn to control two avatars at the same time to engage in “combat without combat” with the enemies, and a narrative-aesthetic one, where the traditional “monster under the bed” narrative is reframed by presenting a powerful female lead character that faces her nightmares, the monsters, even though she is afraid. The game is intended for those who enjoy challenging, innovative gameplay with strong atmospheric components.
Early concept sketch of split-controller mechanic and narrative
Early prototype of split-controller
Final result with a unique split-controller mechanic
The player can go under the bed to enter combat mode in the arena or go to the bedroom. The bedroom is a menu where the player can see and save achievements (collected toys). At the beginning of the game, the missing toys are displayed in the bedroom as purple silhouettes. The silhouettes turn to colours as the player collects the toys and returns to the bedroom.
During the tutorial, the Girl first collects the flashlight to turn the lights on. Then, she collects the crayon, which leaves a purple trace behind her when walking. During playtest, we found that the crayon mechanic helps the player navigates the arena. Then, the Girl collects Red Panda, which activates the split-controller mechanic. From this moment, the player can defend themselves against monsters and collect the other toys.
All visual art was generated in-house, using a variety of styles that highlight the stark difference between the Girl’s world (herself, her room, her toys) and the nightmare world under the bed. Most of the assets are hand-drawn, with simplified frame-by-frame animations that exploit the difference in styles to contrast who the Girl is, her world, and what she is not afraid of versus her nightmares and what she is scared of. The colour palettes reinforce this effect, the colourful outside world and the monsters in grayscale.
I was in charge of drawing the assets for the Girl’s world.
Running Away
Scared
Roar While Dashing
Walking
Early sketch, too similar to a bear
Early sketch, style too similar to the monsters
Final walking animation
Final attack animation
A late version of the bedroom. With the piggy bank (removed upgrade mechanic).
The final version of the bedroom. Without the piggy bank, with the "Go under the bed" button, and with texture. Preview with all collected toys.
