ZooEscape – Hyper Casual 2D Mobile Game
ZooEscape – Hyper Casual 2D Mobile Game
Grantee Profiles
Hassan Qureshi
Qureshi hails from Multan, Pakistan. Qureshi graduated as a graphic designer from Multan College of Arts, BZU Multan in 2009. He did his post-graduation in MA Visual Arts from the prestigious National College of Arts, Lahore in 2017. He is Assistant Professor at College of Art and Design, IUB. Qureshi has an active creative practice and has showcased his work in a three person show: ‘Every day Glamour’ at Taseer Art Gallery Lahore, Lahore Biennale 2018. Currently he is CEO of a Bahawalpur based art and design agency, named as Maatay Creative Agency. He has also presented his research at conferences and his research paper on Bahawalpur Zoo Design Project as Instructional Resource Material has been accepted for publication in JAEP (Journal for Art Education of Pakistan).
Reema Qadeer
Qadeer hails from Bahawalpur, Pakistan. She has completed her post-graduation with a distinction in Art-Education from BNU, Lahore and Bachelors in Graphic Design (gold-medalist) from College of Art and Design, IUB. Currently, she is serving as a visiting Lecturer at IUB and The Government Sadiq College Women University, Bahawalpur. She is Co-director, HR and Creative Designer at Maatay Creative Agency, Bahawalpur.
Zakir Baloch
Baloch hails from Quetta, Balochistan. Baloch graduated in Fine Arts (Painting) from University of Balochistan Quetta and completed his MA Visual art from NCA, Lahore. Baloch is currently based in Bahawalpur as a Visiting Lecturer at IUB and Sir Sadiq Women University Bahawalpur. His upcoming Group Show with the title “The Winners” is going to be held in January at Gallery 6 Islamabad. Baloch is the Creative Director at Bahalwapur based Maatay Creative Agency. His research paper has been accepted for publication in JAEP (Journal for Art Education of Pakistan).
Project
South Asian princely state, Bahawalpur has been the seat of desert royalty for more than two centuries until it got merged into Pakistan in the mid-twentieth century. After the fall of the Mughal and Rajputana, the desert artists under the patronage of royalty turned to camels for their artistic expression. Camels are the family of a Cholistani (inhabitant of desert in south Punjab). The men with genius shearing skills carve fabulous motifs and patterns with scissors on camel fur.
The project not only represents the blend of traditional and modern designs but also particularizes the historical significance of this visionary surface design with a cultural context of celebration and aesthetic reflection.
Fig # 1 – 2009 References of geometric inspiration (camel hair trimming art)
Fig # 2 – 2018 Study of zoo forms and sketches for minimal geometric illustrations
Final set of Icons developed for Way Finding and Information Signage for Bahawalpur Zoo
Zoo Escape incorporates the aesthetic camel patterns into vector illustrations for a Hyper-Casual Mobile Game. This genre of Games is characterized as lightweight in size and instantly playable with infinite fun elements.
The ideology behind the project was to widen the audience and scope of the work. The industry of game design is situated in the amusement industry and is particularly suited to interdisciplinary design practice that diversifies design practices into hyper-active mediums. The project follows Pedagogy of Play as its philosophy1 which focuses on playful directions in pedagogical structures in the early education system. As designers and art educationists we believe that these ideologies are not only useful in early education but also for overall criterion of the education system. The proposed game would serve a purpose of education along with an indirect way to enhance viewers/players’ soft skills2.
The leading characters in the game include the animals/birds kept in the Zoo. The players will be able to learn about the fun facts and brief zoological knowledge about the leading characters in the game. The objective behind creating this game is to create fun based learning through empathy and awareness about animals.
Brief description of game – Zoo Escape
The vectors created for Bahawalpur Zoo are employed into two dimensional hyper casual game. The orientation of the game is in landscape. The concept of escape refers to not caging the birds and animals in cosmeticized habitats rather they should stay where they belong. The mechanics and game play has been kept simple to make it fun to play with no expert level/training required.
1“Pedagogy of play” focuses on the educational value of this field of experience, by claiming that play characterizes the two fundamental guidelines which are at the basis of education; the spontaneous and natural direction on the one side, and the intentional one on the other side.
2 A soft skill is a personal attribute that supports situational awareness and enhances an individual’s ability to get a job done