Space Dog
Space Dog is a cozy puzzle-platformer following Laika, the first dog in orbit. Players explore a retro-futuristic space station, manipulating gravity with Laika's collar, to collect components of her space suit along the way.
Project Statement
Space Dog is a video game that blends science-fiction mechanics with elements of the real history of the Space Race. The game follows Laika, the first animal to reach orbit in 1957, as she collects pieces of her space suit throughout gravity-bending puzzles to prove the success of her mission. She’s accompanied by the first man in space and the first man to reach orbit, Yuri Gagarin, who was launched only three years later, in 1961.
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I’ve always loved telling stories and creating characters that audiences can fall in love with, but it was only relatively recently, in high school, that this interest turned towards history. Inspired by several YouTube videos, I became fascinated with unconventional stories of the past, of people (and sometimes, animals) who were often overlooked in history for a variety of reasons: They didn’t meet the status quo or they were only one story left forgotten in altogether chaotic times. It made me realize that history isn’t boring, like I’ve always dismissed it as, but fascinating when you know where to look.
Game Features
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A well-integrated gravity-manipulation system that doesn't just change the direction of gravity, but the strength of it as well, called BARK (Biometric Axis Reorientation Kernel).
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Physics-based puzzle platforming that requires players to think outside of the proverbial box.
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Multi-room levels to explore, test, and solve.​
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A cozy, low-stress atmosphere for the casual gamer (to be added).
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A shipsworth of space artifacts to collect with relevant historical facts included (to be added).
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A light, playful narrative inspired by the real journey it took to get to space.
An early sketch of Laika's potential
design.
History
Space Dog is based on the real history of early spaceflight and the animals who paved the way. The player controls Laika, one of the famous "Soviet space dogs," who flew aboard the Sputnik 2 spacecraft in November 1957, cementing herself in history as the first living creature to orbit the Earth. Unfortunately, Laika was unable to return safely, passing away due to stress within the craft's fourth orbit around the Earth. Since her death, Laika has been colloquially dubbed the "Patron Saint of one-way trips."
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Her in-game companion, Yuri Gagarin, similarly reached orbit in 1961 aboard the Vostok 1 spacecraft. Thankfully, Gagarin returned from his flight unharmed.