A first-year student of Novosibirsk State Technical University (NETI) is developing a computer quest in the horror genre "Pushkin".
"It is extremely important that the world of video games includes a diversity of cultures, and I believe that projects based on Russian culture are an integral part of it. After visiting the city of Pushkin in 2022, I decided to create a video game inspired by this place," said Nikita Plinsky, the author of the project, a student of the Faculty of Automation and Computer Engineering at NSTU-NETI. The player will get acquainted with the real locations of Tsarskoye Selo and historical figures from a new perspective. The game is based on a story about an archaeologist—art critic, who from the present time finds himself in Tsarskoye Selo of the XIX century, where fictional facts are woven into historical reality. The player's task is to solve a series of puzzles that can help the main character find answers to all questions. During the game, you will be able to get acquainted with the real sights of the city of Pushkin — from the largest and most famous tourist spots: the Catherine Palace, the Cameron Gallery — to the most intimate historical sites: the fountain "Milkmaid" and the bust of Alexander the Great. The player will have to get acquainted and enter into a dialogue with several heroes, including real historical figures: Emperor Paul the First and his wife Maria Feodorovna. Horror will delight with the level of detail of the atmosphere: changing the weather in accordance with the plot, interactive change of locations and sound design. According to the developer, the horror genre was not chosen by chance.
"It was important for me to create an atmosphere that would keep the player in suspense throughout the gameplay, and stimulate his interest throughout the gameplay," Nikita Plinsky emphasized.
"I'm planning to find like-minded people and develop the project together to make it even better. Now I am working independently on each stage: creating 3D models, textures, programming, animation, location and character design. However, this does not diminish my passion for the project. I want to create a high—quality product that is available to PC players," the developer shared.
The Pushkin project is at the initial stage of development: the main plot and the course of the quest are prescribed, the design of game locations is actively being developed.
The student plans to form a team for the implementation of the project, as well as participate in grant projects and competitions. In the future, it is planned to develop the game for various platforms.