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The Cat Game

These are screenshots (and video, later edit) from my final university project, that I simply titled The Cat Game (I know, Stray just came out since).
It's a project I have been planning for a long time. I started by wondering what a cool world must cats live in, and how that feeling could be translated? How to make sure that the player identifies with the player character and not the familiar environment they happen to exist in?
Cats would experience the same world in a fundamentally different way as they don't see the same functions that our brains assign to the many objects surrounding us, but they have their own interpretation.
I decided to make the cat a small ninja warrior and see how things might look through that lens. I changed the look and general vibe of everything based on this afterwards.
I used Blender for all of the assets, Substance Painter for most of the materials and the game is running in Unreal Engine 4.

Walking on the fences. The fences are basically tall walls with an interconnected pathway atop, separating and connecting the different gardens.

Walking on the fences. The fences are basically tall walls with an interconnected pathway atop, separating and connecting the different gardens.

Interior, designed to resemble ancient Indian architecture. The large bright object in the middle is meant to resemble what a television might seem like with weird chaotic energy surrounding it.

Interior, designed to resemble ancient Indian architecture. The large bright object in the middle is meant to resemble what a television might seem like with weird chaotic energy surrounding it.

This is a small underground pathway between two gardens. The game is full of small secret spots.

This is a small underground pathway between two gardens. The game is full of small secret spots.

The main garden with a glass table and chairs designed to resemble shrines.

The main garden with a glass table and chairs designed to resemble shrines.

There's a parallel pathway of connected tree branches over certain parts of the map with their own secret spots and collectibles.

There's a parallel pathway of connected tree branches over certain parts of the map with their own secret spots and collectibles.

Some items are simply portrayed as odd-looking geometric shapes of an artificial matter, to show how the cat is unfamiliar with human technology.

Some items are simply portrayed as odd-looking geometric shapes of an artificial matter, to show how the cat is unfamiliar with human technology.

I just really like these plants in vases.

I just really like these plants in vases.

The game's art style was heavily influenced by Prince Of Persia: The Sands Of Time (Car parking in the garage)

The game's art style was heavily influenced by Prince Of Persia: The Sands Of Time (Car parking in the garage)

Besides the interiors and gardens, there is a massive park on the other side of the map.

Besides the interiors and gardens, there is a massive park on the other side of the map.