Keyboard Kingdom
Rhythm · Adventure Game
A RHYTHM-BASED ADVENTURE GAME
Keyboard Kingdom is a rhythm-based adventure game that originally used a MIDI keyboard as the primary control method. Players followed chord progressions that appeared on screen to move, interact, and defeat enemies, advancing through the story. The game was designed to teach basic rhythm and note-playing skills, which evolve into more complex chord progressions as the game progresses. Although the game is no longer in production, it was showcased at COMX, highlighting its potential in a live event setting.
My Contribution
Game Design
I conceptualized the core idea behind Keyboard Kingdom and worked closely with the team to refine and shape the gameplay experience. One of the key gameplay elements I focused on was helping players learn rhythm and note-playing through interactive game mechanics. I collaborated with students from the University of Gloucestershire’s Popular Music course to design structured gameplay and engaging music.
Level Design
I designed the two levels in the game: a "Lo-fi" level and a "Funk" level. The "Lo-fi" level introduced players to the MIDI keyboard and basic note-playing, guiding them through a magical forest with simple melodies. The "Funk" level presented a more challenging environment with ‘groovy gnomes,’ adding more complex note sequences to the gameplay. The gameplay was designed with a fail condition where players could lose by missing too many notes, encouraging precision and rhythm. The game also tracked scores with a visual bar, offering positive reinforcement through a star system.
3D Modelling, Texturing, and UI
I modelled and textured several assets within the game, including grass, trees, rocks, mushrooms, fences, and even the MIDI keyboard itself. For this, I used Blender for the models and Adobe Substance Painter for the textures. The art style was kept consistent with a stylized, magical forest theme. I also designed the game’s user interface in Adobe Illustrator, including health bars, score bars, and 2D art for particle effects. The UI elements were designed to align with the aesthetic of the environment, keeping the magical theme intact.
Character Modelling
I created the character models for the helpful pig, which follows and encourages the player throughout the game. This character was modeled in Blender, inspired by figures like Navi from Zelda and Pua from Moana. I also designed the princess character to match the established art style, ensuring consistency across the game. Additionally, I created four different gnome models that populate the magical forest, drawing inspiration from the gnomes in Gravity Falls. All of these models were created in Blender and contributed to the cohesive, stylized aesthetic of the game.
Shaders
I created several shaders to enhance the visual appeal of the game. These included a water shader that created foam effects around objects in the water, a grass shader that changed color depending on the player’s distance, and a wind effect that made the grass sway. I also created a cartoon shader for specific objects and an outline shader, although the latter wasn’t used in the final version of the game.
Screenshots
Other Projects
