Game Treatment and Concept Art

Overview:

Grab a friend and step into the paws and feathers of Whiskers the Ferret and Wings the Pigeon, embarking on a heartfelt journey in this cozy local co-op puzzle-platformer. Together, you will navigate the small, snug countryside of Daisy Banks—leaping across platforms, solving puzzles and using your individual skills to help each other along the way. Whether flying high as a pigeon or scavenging the ground as a ferret, teamwork is always key. With each level comes new challenges to conquer as a duo while ultimately searching for a quiet place to rest. 

Setting:

Wings & Whiskers is set in a small, fictional town by the name of Daisy Banks. While not seen throughout their journey, Daisy Banks is primarily inhabited by friendly farmers and country folk. The scale of the main characters, Wings and Whiskers, in comparison to their surroundings, aims to provoke a cozy sense of “smallness” and gentle “isolation” from the bigger, outside world- knowing that their journey will only be experienced and appreciated by the two of them (referencing the player experience). 

Key features:

• Two Playable Characters- Play as a fluffy ferret or a cute pigeon, each with unique abilities to aid you across your journey. 
• Local Co-op- Grab a friend (willingly or unwillingly) to tackle the obstacles of Daisy Banks together, with each player controlling one critter on a single device. 
• Puzzle-Platforming- Beginner-friendly, level-based progression that slowly advances in difficulty, introducing a variety of mechanics along the way. 
• Cosy Pixel Art Style- Sit back and relax as you take in the peaceful atmosphere of Daisy Banks. Each character additionally features idle animations and emotes. 
• Simple and Accessible- Designed for Web, featuring easy-to-learn controls and support for two players on a single device.

Concept Art:

General Atmosphere

The overall atmosphere I would like to capture in Wings & Whiskers revolves around a cozy, peaceful rural town, in a warm-toned pixel art style. The use of soft colouring aims to provide a sense of warmth, aligning with the simplistic and relaxed nature of the gameplay (Figure 1 and 2). The inclusion of nature such as grass, trees and bushes also intend to contribute to this effect. Additionally, as demonstrated in Figure 3, I would like to emphasize the sense of scale between the characters and their external environment as a way of isolating their adventure from the activities of the outside world. 

(Click on images/links to access sources)

                     Figure 1 and 2: Pixel Art Villages 

Image (left): https://x.com/indieshilov/status/1234016950071779329                                                                                                      Image (right): https://www.dreamstime.com/cozy-pixel-art-village-sunrise-colorful-pixelated-cot...

                                                                                                                   Figure 3: Screenshot from "Stray"

Sprite Sheets

The following are images of sprite sheets and props that will be used in the creation of Wings & Whiskers. 

   Figure 4 and 5: Examples of houses and level designs created by Cainos at https://cainos.itch.io/

                                                                                Figure 6: Sheet of used props created by Cainos at https://cainos.itch.io/pixel-art-platformer-village-props

Figure 7 and 8: Sprite sheets created by Ethlen at https://elthen.itch.io/                                                                                                        Pigeon sprite: https://elthen.itch.io/2d-pixel-art-pidgeon-sprites                                                                                                                   Ferret sprite: https://elthen.itch.io/2d-pixel-art-ferret-sprites

ChatGPT suggestions were used minimally to edit grammar, spelling and flow: https://chatgpt.com/share/67f8a64e-76e4-8002-a14d-ceeb8a3468c4