2017 Thesis Presentations: Thomas Slattery’s ‘Aura’
What drives the human need to seek comfort from others? Can we escape the suffering that comes with love? Can technology save us from our destructive desires?
Dr. Theo Aphasian is a neuroscientist; a brilliant and charming man whose life experience has led him to believe that the human race needs to evolve away from codependence. Feeling that personalized technology has pushed humans into the first step of independence, Aphasian commits to developing medical therapies to finally eliminate the need for codependency using advanced sound-wave therapy.
In 2036, you are a new recruit at the Internal Investigations Department of the ZeeWell Corporation, sent to investigate Dr. Aphasian’s laboratory after a mysterious incident occurs involving his work, wherein thousands of people are either dead or have gone insane. People affected were only within a mile of ZeeWell labs and the epicenter is Dr. Aphasian’s laboratory. Exploring the lab, you are tasked with finding out whatever you can to determine the cause of the disaster and discover the series of events that triggered it. A complex puzzle reveals itself, shedding light onto Aphasian’s personal life, the real goals behind his work, the other parties with stakes in the technology, as well as the suspicious role of the ZeeWell Corporation.
Allowing the player to experience the game as both Dr. Aphasian and the investigator creates empathy for the characters in a way that takes advantage of the first-person video game medium. Environmental storytelling is utilized to maximum effect, as players explore just how much space and setting play an integral role in visual storytelling.
Thomas Slattery is a multimedia storyteller, who uses writing as a foundation to create character-driven animation, sequential art, games and other narrative work. He looks forward to exploring storytelling within new media, pitching creator-owned work and developing cutting-edge stories.
PROJECT WEBSITE www.auragame.net
PERSONAL WEBSITE www.tslattery.com
TWITTER @themirror72
TUMBLR psychickids.tumblr.com
INSTAGRAM tetsuobulletman
