APART (In Development)
APART is a poetic adventure that finds you controlling a tiny spinning wheel, somewhere between animal and machine, a minuscule character in a vast abstract world of odd shapes and strange creatures.
Inspired by contemporary ceramics, brutalist architecture and the aesthetics of Genetic Locomotion Experiments, this project is a collaboration between myself and The Line Animation, with myself leading development and rendering needed to match the ambition and incredible vividness of the concepts and direction of director Bjorn-Erik Aschim.
The Game
Apart is a deeply physics led game, so all of the movement is fluid and dynamic. You have a real sense of momentum as you blast over sand dunes or fling yourself off pieces of architecture.
“It’s like Tony Hawk Pro Skater meets Salvador Dali.”
This world is inspired in equal parts by contemporary sculpture, brutalist architecture and the skate park bowls of my youth.
 |
 |
Rendering and Adaptation
Apart takes place in a colourful abstract world far removed from our own. Inspired by the incredible paintings of its director, and as such asked for a very particular approach to its visuals and rendering. We rely on bold ‘Chiaroscuro’ style shadows, noisy dithered shading and bold saturated colours.
 |
 |
Procedural Animation and Living Machines
As you journey through the world of Apart, you will encounter many weird and wonderful creatures who desperately need your help. Inspired by the results of genetic locomotion experiments, and the seminal work of Karl Sims in his Evolved Virtual Creatures, these creatures are found in various states of learning to be. Often awkward or half formed and clumsy, but beautiful in their imperfections.
We are not employing any actual machine learning or related techniques in our project, but we are leaning heavily into physics based procedural animation for both the natural characterful clumsiness and interactivity that it brings.
 |
 |
 |
 |