The passion and artistry poured into this final project speaks volumes about its creators. Not only are the graphics beautifully created, the story itself is compelling and capable of evoking a deep emotional connection. In an interview with Sculpteo, one of the contributors to the game, Florian Coudray, explained what drew him to the game and what he sees as its unique contribution to gaming:
“Matthieu’s pitch moved us because his intention was to denounce the horrors of war, through the eyes of civilians, and while keeping some lightness and poesy. We got inspiration, for example, from the move Life Is Beautiful, in which, in a horrible situation, the father’s optimism protects the child’s innocence. One of our central themes was the contrast between situation and presentation. We wanted to avoid the tendency that some video games have to make a war game in which violence is everywhere and the players spend their time shooting people.”
To design Lily, Coudray used ZBrush and Maya, as well as SketchFab to give life to the game characters. Having created 3D models for use in the game, it was no great leap to get them ready for 3D printing. A 3D printed figurine of Lily has been the team inspiration and has played a part in presentations and talks gives about the game to broader audiences. Coudray described its impact:
“We 3D printed a figurine of Lily, just so we could have it physically with us…it allows people to become more involved with the character, get a clearer idea of her. For us, it’s also a pleasure to have Lily with us after spending so much time working on her design! The object is precious to the people who’ve tried the game. They’re curious about it, want to touch it and know how it was made. And that’s very good for the game, because it relies very much on the player empathizing with the character.”
