Leefy

RESEARCH – GAME DESIGN – ANIMATION

OCT 2022 – NOV 2022

Leefy is a game designed with mental health in mind. In recent years, the significance of mental health and well-being has received increased attention. Leefy aimes to create an immersive experience that raises awareness about this topic. Through gameplay, users can embark on a transformative journey, navigating emotional landscapes and fostering empathy, understanding, and personal growth.

THE CHALLENGE

Create an immersive experience that brings elements of mental health and well-being.

MY ROLE

I led the creation of character designs and all in-game animations, With the design team, I conducted research and collaborated on defining the game’s story and visual aesthetics.

THE TEAM

2 designers and a team of 4 developers

Research

General Public

First it was import to understand how the general public perceives mental health. To do that a survey was conducted to gain insights into people’s perceptions of well-being and coping mechanisms for “bad emotions.”

During the current period, would you say that you have been experiencing mostly positive or negative emotions?

Do you believe that games can improve your emotional state in a positive way?

When you’re not feeling very well, do you feel better playing games? Why?

Depending on the game I feel a lot better. Mainly campaign or story games, I feel like I can disappear from the world and be immersed in a life different from mine. Multiplayer games are often more stressful.

Because I can stop thinking about the problems and after playing I see everything more calmly and I can analyze how to proceed with everything..

Do you remember any examples of games that impacted you by the experience or feelings generated?

The games in the BioShock series also gave me similar feelings. I think if the game has a cohesive and deep story that keeps the player immersed in its development, that will leave a mark on the player

Solo, a game that feels like an experience, the whole game environment, from colors to sound, contributes to a feeling of panic and anxiety, and how the developers build this narrative and that feeling is something very cool in game design and game design level.

When asked, the two images bellow received the most votes as representing a strong sense of discomfort or negative emotions.

MENTAL HEALTH PROFESSIONALS

As part of the research process, interviews with mental health professionals. whare conducted These interviews provided invaluable insights into the role of emotions in our lives and the importance of addressing them for overall well-being.”

It is important to allow yourself to feel and try to understand why and what sensations these feelings cause. Even fear or anxiety can be good sometimes.

Games can help divert attention from problems and express feelings, as can art, music, nature and the presence of people.

All emotions are important, in our lives we need balance.

Character Design

In games, character design plays a pivotal role in creating immersive and engaging experiences. For this experience, it was very important that the character should be able to evoke emotions that the user can connect with.

Main Character

The main player of the game should convey a sense of comfort and likability. Because of this, it was created with rounder shapes and a simple design, conveying the friendly feeling that was needed. Animations were created to be used in different parts of the game.

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