Insomnia(c)

Insomnia(c) is a fever dream-like experience that unfolds within the confines of a bedroom. The game invites players into the creative and personal space of its creator. Inspired by surreal art, this experimental game explores the intricacies of the human mind. Through object interactions, players unlock doors to a deeper understanding of the creator's psyche, transforming the virtual space into a symbolic canvas that blurs the lines between reality and imagination.

Developed within a period of six weeks, the project is the succession of three month research around the question: How video game spaces can represent the character's mind?
It marks the end of my game design bachelor.

My Role

Lead Artist / Environment Artist / Game Designer / Programmer / Music Composer / Filmmaker

Main Tasks

  • Research around a thesis question
  • Creation of the game design and visual concept
  • Videos creation & Integration of diverse art medium in one scene
  • Coding of the game
  • Lighting & Final rendering
  • Collaboration on the music composition

Download the game here

Access the thesis

Development

The game space was based on the layout of an existing flat. It includes divers surreal and bizarre objects behaviors.

Game design concept of the game

Video Projections

Each of the videos projected in the room represented different places and memories. Various effects and superpositions of images helped create a dream-like aesthetic, blurring the line between what is real and what is not.

Example of a projected video

Lighting

The lighting played the role of building the atmosphere as well as attracting the player to interactive objects. A mix of warm and cold colors has been used as a representation of emotions.

Screenshot of the Unity video settings

Before / After lighting

Exhibition

Installation of the game for the bachelor exhibition

The Team

Mylène Ben Osman (Lead Artist / Environment Artist / Game Designer / Programmer / Music Composer / Filmmaker)
Mark Widmer (Sound Designer / Music Composer)

Most of the assets as well as some sounds were externally used. Thank you to all the artists:

Electric Guitar: YieldingMist206 - https://sketchfab.com/3d-models/fender-stratocaster-guitar-blue-96a79610434f43b2ac2a09a636afc5d4
Accoustic Guitar: Igor Bistritski - https://sketchfab.com/3d-models/dd-acoustic-guitar-4eeb8f55c0de4521af948a343094baa4
Carpet: Lucas Garnier - https://sketchfab.com/3d-models/carpet-8001f9f214f94388840f0ce40cd13937Monstera Plant: angemturc - https://sketchfab.com/3d-models/potted-monstera-plant-a0cf794be6294479b1adb74db093984a
Vintage night lamp: sergeilihandristov - https://sketchfab.com/3d-models/desk-lamp-ac5135b505694287a64b4370ea2cda8d
Couch table & 2nd night lamp: YJ_ - https://sketchfab.com/3d-models/leather-armchair-coffee-table-floorlamp-fcce92a09de84456a071ea6117b57cbc
Vintage books: Feivelyn - https://sketchfab.com/3d-models/vintage-books-7a9bedf1e85c4f85b1b384dbdadadee9
Simple Stool: Kozlov Maksim - https://sketchfab.com/3d-models/simple-stool-free-2bae1831fdeb4078add64da2767ab0aa
Bed: Alec Huxley - https://sketchfab.com/3d-models/kids-bed-f23d06a8f924458e9207e9249a246453
Teddy bear: pacash1 - https://sketchfab.com/3d-models/worn-and-creepy-teddy-bear-8e878e5543424b61b81b247228cc92cc
Vintage stool: kiksart - https://sketchfab.com/3d-models/chesterfield-style-foot-stool-bbc26fe77dd24364bd48123f17d3a722
Small plant: Xipeng Wang - https://sketchfab.com/3d-models/table-plant-f9b9f2215efd4ae6a8f54dc9a8c65f48
Spot light: Photoant77 - https://sketchfab.com/3d-models/curve-panel-spot-light-ef8021cc745a42b2a19b4a928b32cb4d
Painting: BaptisteBerard - https://sketchfab.com/3d-models/painting-lowpoly-241c0b04a3364a1fac1d4fe656a3956b
Light bulb: AleixoAlonso - https://sketchfab.com/3d-models/low-poly-light-bulb-a7d27c2224d94c86a04083de8f9df7db
Second vintage lamp: Matt LeMoine - https://sketchfab.com/3d-models/lamp-2b14055dc8054ec79b4d0d7e8f00be1e
Old boots: RojNi - https://sketchfab.com/3d-models/old-boots-6ae9463b8261452f9d3089264d459e87

Swans: Stephengury - https://sketchfab.com/3d-models/swan-cygnus-041e5f20ed774d658e26062a15e421e0
Alec Huxley - https://sketchfab.com/3d-models/kids-bed-f23d06a8f924458e9207e9249a246453
Teddy bear: pacash1 - https://sketchfab.com/3d-models/worn-and-creepy-teddy-bear-8e878e5543424b61b81b247228cc92cc
Vintage stool: kiksart - https://sketchfab.com/3d-models/chesterfield-style-foot-stool-bbc26fe77dd24364bd48123f17d3a722
Bird sound: Nakhas - https://freesound.org/people/Nakhas/sounds/360409/
Guitars sounds: skillerious - https://freesound.org/people/skillerious/sounds/570135/Bed:
Small plant: Xipeng Wang - https://sketchfab.com/3d-models/table-plant-f9b9f2215efd4ae6a8f54dc9a8c65f48
Spot light: Photoant77 - https://sketchfab.com/3d-models/curve-panel-spot-light-ef8021cc745a42b2a19b4a928b32cb4d
Painting: BaptisteBerard - https://sketchfab.com/3d-models/painting-lowpoly-241c0b04a3364a1fac1d4fe656a3956b
Light bulb: AleixoAlonso - https://sketchfab.com/3d-models/low-poly-light-bulb-a7d27c2224d94c86a04083de8f9df7db
Second vintage lamp: Matt LeMoine - https://sketchfab.com/3d-models/lamp-2b14055dc8054ec79b4d0d7e8f00be1e
Old boots: RojNi - https://sketchfab.com/3d-models/old boots-6ae9463b8261452f9d3089264d459e87

Extract of the movies:
The Science of Sleep, Michel Gondry, 2006
The Skeleton Dance, Walt Disney, Carl W.Stalling, 1929

Game Design concept's images:
Little Nightmare 1, Tarsier Studios
Stray, BlueTwelve Studio
Half•Alive - Arrow
Kid A Exhibition, Stanley Donwood; Thom Yorke