Blossom explores childhood memories with a pop-up book controller
The 2023 Game Developers Conference will once again feature Alt.Ctrl.GDC , an exhibition dedicated to games that use alternative control schemes and interactions in new, exciting, and clever ways. Ahead of GDC 2023, Game Developer will be talking to the developers of each of the games that have been selected for the showcase.
Blossom is an exploration of childhood and being labeled through five life stages, all told through an interactive pop-up book controller.
Laura Meng, director for the pop-up book controller and game, spoke with Game Developer about what appealed to them about working with a pop-up book as a controller, the challenges of creating meaningful interactions within the book that would connect the player to the protagonist's life events, and the way the extra interactions within the book help the player really feel the game's world and story.
What’s your name, and what was your role on this project?
My name is Laura Meng and I am the game director of Blossom.
How do you describe your innovative controller to someone who’s completely unfamiliar with it?
Blossom is a slice-of-life interactive novel that is navigated with a pop-up book controller. Each page of the book focuses on a different chapter of the main character's life (Aspen is this character's name). Players complete minigames within each chapter by twisting, pushing, unfolding (and more!) pieces inside the page to push the story forward and learn more about Aspen as she grows up.
What's your background in making games?
I’m actually an MFA student at the University of Southern California in the Interactive Media and Games department, so I’ve spent the last two and a half years studying and designing games. Through my studies,
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