The wind and the wisp
The Wind and The Wisp is a 3D adventure game about two best friends—one alive, one a ghost—reuniting in a mysterious, broken garden. Using dual-character controls, players guide them on a journey to bridge the divide between life and death, discovering what it means to heal together. This story-driven experience explores love, loss, and connection in the wake of loneliness.
My resbonsibilty
Take charge of the Petunia Level, ensuring the intended emotional arc of frustration turning into power is effectively conveyed.
Level Design: Create the overall structure, pacing, and progression of the level.
Wind Puzzle Design: Integrate wind-based mechanics that challenge players before they obtain the Petunia flower.
Level Dressing: Establish the visual storytelling and atmosphere to reflect the theme of anger and empowerment.
Level Flow: Design player movement, pacing, and transitions, including camera settings and environmental cues.
Mechanic Design: Implement and refine mechanics that reinforce the theme, making destruction feel satisfying and meaningful.
Game play video
Petunia level mechanics
In the Petunia Level, players start by navigating a frustrating wind maze, where powerful gusts constantly push them off course, making movement unpredictable and forcing them to find creative ways to progress. These wind zones act as barriers, redirecting the player and creating a sense of powerlessness. Players must carefully time their movements, use environmental cover, or find alternate routes to push forward. This phase is designed to build up frustration, mirroring the bottled-up anger that the level represents.
Petunia level mechanics
Early wind push mechanics design
Petunia level mechanics
Upon obtaining the Petunia flower, the experience shifts dramatically. The Petunia grants the player a break ability, allowing them to shatter cracked walls and obstacles that previously blocked their path. Instead of struggling against the wind, they now have the power to tear through the environment, breaking apart barriers with satisfying force. The act of destruction becomes both an expression of anger and a means of liberation, turning what was once a source of frustration into an opportunity for cathartic release. The level’s pacing encourages players to revel in their newfound power, making their journey smoother and reinforcing the theme of productive anger.
Petunia level mechanics
Early destroy mechanics design
Petunia level blockout
The blockout of the Petunia Level is designed to guide the player's emotional journey from frustration to empowerment. The level begins with a maze-like structure filled with wind zones that actively push the player off course, making navigation deliberately annoying and disorienting.The maze has multiple winding paths, some leading to dead ends or temporary shelters from the wind, forcing players to experiment with different routes. At the maze’s center or deepest section, players discover the Petunia flower, marking a major turning point.
Petunia level blockout
Petunia level blockout
After obtaining the Petunia, a new path opens, leading back through previously inaccessible areas. Here, the player uses their newly acquired break ability to smash obstacles that once felt like barriers, cutting through the environment with ease. This second half of the level contrasts sharply with the first, transforming what was once a struggle into an empowering and destructive escape. The overall blockout ensures a clear progression from difficulty and frustration to power and catharsis.
Petunia level flow
The level flow of the Petunia Level is designed to guide players emotionally and physically through strategic camera angles and environmental cues. At the start, the camera is slightly pulled back, offering a wide view of the wind maze to emphasize its complexity and the chaotic forces at play. As players struggle against the wind, the camera subtly tilts and shakes during stronger gusts, reinforcing the sense of resistance. The sound design enhances this frustration with an overwhelming howling wind, creating an oppressive atmosphere. of their journey.
Petunia level flow
As players near the Petunia flower, the camera tightens, drawing focus to the glowing flower as the wind dies down momentarily, building anticipation. Upon obtaining the Petunia, the camera shifts dramatically—zooming in and angling upwards to make the player feel powerful. The first use of the break ability is punctuated with a heavy camera shake and sound effect, making destruction feel impactful. As the player smashes through the environment, dynamic camera movements track their newfound speed and control, making the transition from frustration to empowerment feel cinematic and satisfying.