Awl or Non
"Awl is a child of sunlight. She comes from above where the sun never rests. In contrast, Non resides in the underbelly of Awl’s world. Beneath the sands and among shadows, Non roams, king of his own lonely domain."
Awl or Non has been an ongoing personal project of mine since 2016. It has grown and changed significantly over the years. It’s a project I am passionate about because I believe it represents my core values and interests as a storyteller and designer.
STORY, CONCEPT & MAIN PRINCIPLES
​Themes:
Understanding, Acceptance, Retribution, Rejuvenation
Awl or Non is a story about balance and overcoming one's fears of the unknown. Through partnership and teamwork, these two very different characters from opposite ends of the world must work together to achieve a common goal.
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CHARACTERS
AWL
Awl represents sunlight, but she is not a ray of hope. She symbolizes the decay and desolation that can occur when balance is not kept. She is lost, wandering a barren world scorched by the heat of the sun, desperate for reprieve. However, she is not without kindness. Awl is gentle and intuitive, eager to see the wrongs her world has inflicted on Non rectified.
NON
Non encompasses the worlds we cannot see, the experiences unknown to us, and the emotions that go along with being forgotten. Like Awl, he comes from a place of desolation, however, it is not by his own hand that his world suffers. Non strives to keep the rivers flowing, but through time he has only grown weaker and more desperate. His world is now on the brink of being beyond restoration, his only chance at saving it lies in the little bit of water in a small girl's jug from above ground.
RELATIONSHIP
Transgression → Confrontation → Understanding → Rejuvenation → Rebirth → Forgiveness
Awl and Non begin their relationship as adversaries, both with different goals in mind for their own survival. Awl wants to retrieve her stolen water and return home, while Non wants the water in Awl’s jug to rejuvenate his underground river.
Through the game, Awl and Non develop a partnership through mutual understanding and conquering challenges together.
GAMEPLAY & MECHANICS
​"Traverse and repair Non’s world while he helps Awl find a way to return to her home."
LIGHT VS DARK
Coming from different worlds, Awl and Non must learn to work together and help each other traverse the complicated labyrinth of Non’s world in order to achieve their goal. Both must learn to trust and rely on one another when the world seems against them.
CORE GAMEPLAY LOOP
Traverse → Bypass obstacles → Restore waterways
PROGRESSION
Game progression will affect the fluidity of mechanics involving Non. As they develop a stronger bond, Awl and Non will work more cohesively together, resulting in faster actions and stronger abilities.
Video shows examples of ways Non can assist Awl
NARRATIVE ANIMATIC
(Note: This animatic was an early concept and was developed for story exploration purposes. Does not reflect gameplay)
