Introduction
Section titled “Introduction”All modern Persona games have a very clear, distinct stylistic direction that they employ. Famously, take P5, which uses a very distinct comic-book effect paired with asymmetric designs & harsh animations to convey the chaotic, stressful & busy nature of the game’s story.
Similarly, P3R also employed a stylistic direction which was focused around water, clean design, and calm fluid animations to portray the melancholy in the game.
Establishing the background of P3D
Section titled “Establishing the background of P3D”Persona 3 Dual is unique in the sense that:
- The hardware itself is unique, with dual screens, a touch screen, and microphone
- The entire game is being custom (all assets are built from scratch)
This gives the team a lot of flexibility and opportunity to develop our own stylistic direction, but also a lot of responsibility in order to ensure that the correct theme & message is being conveyed.
To develop a stylistic direction, we need to understand the following:
What themes does the game itself also have?
Section titled “What themes does the game itself also have?”- Motif of death & fragility of life (memento mori)
- Illusion of reality/escapism (the Dark Hour)
- Violence
- The inevitable passage of time
What common imagery is there in the game?
Section titled “What common imagery is there in the game?”- Shadows, darkness
- Reflections (P3R heavily employs this)
- Clocks
- Evokers
- Personas (by definition, they are a representation of a character, and in Persona games, they are the manifestation of one’s true self)
P3D's Stylistic Theme
Section titled “P3D's Stylistic Theme”Thus, following the ideas from the established information, we have built out a stylistic theme for Persona 3 Dual which will include 3 main concepts:
1. Duality
Section titled “1. Duality”- There are always two extremes
- Dual protagonists (Makoto & Kotone)
- Plays into “Persona 3 Dual” name, dual screens mechanic
2. Reflections/shadows of oneself
Section titled “2. Reflections/shadows of oneself”- Projects your true Persona, from the overworld into Tartarus (the alternate reality)
- Reflection = your projected image (the lie)
- Shadow = your true image (the truth)
- Dual screens can show both realities, both a reflection/shadow
3. Cracks
Section titled “3. Cracks”- Glass is fragile, life is fragile
- Evoker shooting to break through a fake reality
- Cracks forming in an imagined reality
- Touch input can be used to interact with cracks
Don't just implement these concepts everywhere, but use them sparingly in thoughtful, meaningful locations. Otherwise, they lose meaning if it's just plastered all over.
Let's be clear: these stylistic themes are not exclusive to Graphics. The concepts of Duality, Reflections/Shadows, and Cracks must permeate every layer of Persona 3 Dual, including graphics, storytelling & atmosphere, music, video. Each element must complement the others to maintain a cohesive atmosphere.
Ultimately, our stylistic direction is the vehicle for our story. Executing it with intent and precision is our biggest responsibility, ensuring the player feels the weight of the game's themes at every touch of the screen, and executing them poorly can detract from the overall experience. That is why, as it was mentioned earlier, it is every person’s responsibility to implement stylistic designs!