Pixelsocks: Can you describe Ulitsa Dimitrova for context?

Lea Schönfelder

Lea: My game is about little Pjotr. He’s a seven-year-old homeless child who lives on the streets of St. Petersburg in Russia. He’s a chain smoker, and he tries to get cigarettes all the time. So he’ll steal vodka and glue to exchange with people he meets on the street. For example, he gives his mother the vodka and gets money to buy cigarettes in exchange. When you stop playing, Pjotr gets tired and lays down. It begins to snow, and then he’ll freeze to death. So you can explore the world as long as you want to, but when you stop playing, you’ve already lost.

Pixelsocks: Why did you make the game?

Lea: The idea came to me when I visited my brother, who does civil service work with homeless children in Russia. He told me about little Pjotr, who was a child who sometimes came to them. My brother played with him, but one day Pjotr didn’t come back. People later told him that it’s quite common in Russia that little children freeze to death in the streets. Not everything is real in the game, for example I don’t know if his mother was actually a prostitute, but she might be.

Pixelsocks: It seems like the game bears a message. Do you think that games are a good medium to communicate these kinds of ideas?

Lea: I particularly wanted to tell this story, and games seemed to be the right way to tell it. I come from an animated film background, so that’s what I normally do. However this isn’t a linear story. Pjotr lives for some time and then he dies, and I wanted to put the struggle to the player. So you play as long as you can, and when you just don’t want to anymore, Pjotr lays down and dies.

Pixelsocks: Your game is notable for using player engagement as for its win/lose criterion. Most games use arbitrary rules instead. Why was that a good idea for Ulitsa Dimitrova?

Lea: In addition to being part of the story, it’s because the player remains on the same low level of happiness. Even if you try to improve your situation, you just can’t. If you give up, it’s even worse! I find that funny.

Pixelsocks: I completely agree. Now, would you say the project is finished at this point?

Lea: Yes. Well, of course when I rethink the whole thing there are a few things I would do differently. However, I have to look forward, and I’m planning to do a new game.

Pixelsocks: So what’s next?

Lea: My next game is about a woman who has to have sex as much as she can before getting married. I’m still producing it, but I hope it will be available soon, maybe this month.

No related posts.

Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.

Tags:   GDC · gdc 2010 · IGF · IGF 2010 · Lea Schönfelder · Student Showcase · Ulitsa Dimitrova1 Comment

Trackback to this article.