MANCHESTER UNITED: TRAIN TO WIN

As a sequel experience to the United Way game, Local Projects was asked to create an immersive training experience that would be authentic to the principals of the Manchester United School of Soccer.

This project is still in development.

My Role:

My role was to lead the visual direction of the game, create animation tests, design visual effects graphs, design the UI, advise gamedesign based on my knowledge as a gamer, and design the visual environments the game took place in.

Run Trainingprogram.exe

I wanted to utilize the fact that players are in a projection mapped room with a floor made of turf and not try to fool them into thinking they are in a simulation of a real place. I wanted to be fully transparent that the game is a “virtual reality” designed to test their abilities.

By being honest with the player they willingly suspend their disblief and accept the surreal environments and objectives that they are presented with. This allowed me to create environments made from iconic elements of Manchester United’s Old Trafford stadium in a fantastical and unexpected way.

Begin Program: Train to Win

The entire training program is designed to have the narrative that a super computer AI known as “The Cube” has absolute power in the game. Every kick, pass, goal, and juggle feeds The Cube data and it rewards the player with points and greater challenges.

The Cube has the ability to create and change the enviornments as it wills to test the player’s abilities. The Cube creates obstacles, targets, and challenges through its “powers.”

Visual Progressions

Each Drill starts in a realistic environment and progresses into a surreal landscape as the player progresses using various elements of Old Trafford as the medium that creates them.

Prototype Videos

Here are some recent prototype videos in our staging site.

Making it “Juicy”

A game lives and dies on its feedback animations. Keeping players engaged and having fun requires triggering their reward system through audio, animation, and gameplay. If any one element is lacking then the player won’t enjoy themself.

I spent time honing the animations for impacts and giving direction on the audio feedback and soundtrack for the game.

Credits:

Guillaume Marais
Senior Interaction Designer

Cameron Erdogan
Creative Technologist

Christian Browne
Visual Experience Designer

Keeli Shaw
Executive Account Director

Mike Hansen
Project Manager