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Once upon a Time.

This project started with a seminar or a thought experiment at school. What if the classic fairytales we all know where set in the future?
My favourite fairytale is 'the little mermaid', so I had some ideas for her story, but I ended up with 'Sleeping Beauty' after some brainstorming with a friend at work.

This version of sleeping beauty starts in the 1950s. Aurora has an incurable disease called 'Maleficent'. Multiple doctors try to cure her, but none succeed. Then one day, a doctor comes to Aurora with a proposal. "the doctors here might be unable to cure you, but what if the doctors of the future can save you?"
The doctor doesn't describe a treatment but a different way to prolong her life, cryosleep. Aurora decides to take this chance. No matter what she chose, she would have to leave her friends and her parents behind.
After hundreds of years of cryosleep, Aurora finally wakes up. But she is immediately confronted by the new 'world' around her. Technology has advanced more than she could have imagined.

For this project, I planned to make an interactive story in a comic book style. It didn't entirely end up looking like a comic book as I focused on using particular colours more than anything else. I'll try to walk you through my process a bit.
(This project uses Disney's version of sleeping beauty as a reference. For example the characters and some clothes.)

This is the first drawing I made of Aurora (during the seminar). As you can see I pretty much only modified the dress Aurora wears in the Disney film. At this point, this project was only one drawing.

This is the first drawing I made of Aurora (during the seminar). As you can see I pretty much only modified the dress Aurora wears in the Disney film. At this point, this project was only one drawing.

The rest of the drawings were made when I was thinking about the story a bit more.

The rest of the drawings were made when I was thinking about the story a bit more.

In this drawing, I explored Aurora's character a bit more. The left one is what she would look like when she was still healthy and happy in the '50s. The right one is Aurora when she woke up in the future, she is sick, shaken and depressed.

In this drawing, I explored Aurora's character a bit more. The left one is what she would look like when she was still healthy and happy in the '50s. The right one is Aurora when she woke up in the future, she is sick, shaken and depressed.

These are some doodles of one of Aurora's friends (back in the50s). She is based on the fairy 'flora'. Her personality is outgoing and extravert. I named her 'Iris'.

These are some doodles of one of Aurora's friends (back in the50s). She is based on the fairy 'flora'. Her personality is outgoing and extravert. I named her 'Iris'.

More doodles of one of Aurora's other friends (from the50s). She is based on the fairy 'fauna'. Her personality is more introverted and shy. I named her 'Merel'.

More doodles of one of Aurora's other friends (from the50s). She is based on the fairy 'fauna'. Her personality is more introverted and shy. I named her 'Merel'.

These are two doodles of the character based on the last fairy 'Merryweather'. She befriends Aurora in the future. Her character is happy-go-lucky and positive. I named her 'Marie/Mai'.

These are two doodles of the character based on the last fairy 'Merryweather'. She befriends Aurora in the future. Her character is happy-go-lucky and positive. I named her 'Marie/Mai'.

To try and capture Aurora's arrival in the new world I made some illustrations. This one is the awakening of Aurora.

To try and capture Aurora's arrival in the new world I made some illustrations. This one is the awakening of Aurora.

Aurora has just awoken and she feels scared and lonely. She never expected the world to change this much.

Aurora has just awoken and she feels scared and lonely. She never expected the world to change this much.

Version one. Aurora puts a distance between herself and the world. She only watches over the city while keeping herself detached. She finds comfort in the space between her and the rest of the world.

Version one.
Aurora puts a distance between herself and the world. She only watches over the city while keeping herself detached. She finds comfort in the space between her and the rest of the world.

version two.

version two.

Aurora makes a wrong turn and ends up between the robot parts. Something she is not familiar with. This new habit of humans still scares her. I tried to have contrast in the colours of Aurora and the colours of the environment again.

Aurora makes a wrong turn and ends up between the robot parts. Something she is not familiar with. This new habit of humans still scares her.
I tried to have contrast in the colours of Aurora and the colours of the environment again.

Aurora gets more acquainted with the people in the new world. Slowly she opens up and starts looking into the new world more. note the contrast I try to put on Aurora's colours and the colours of the environment.

Aurora gets more acquainted with the people in the new world. Slowly she opens up and starts looking into the new world more.
note the contrast I try to put on Aurora's colours and the colours of the environment.

After finding some disturbing news in the library Aurora falls apart all over again. She feels alone once again.

After finding some disturbing news in the library Aurora falls apart all over again. She feels alone once again.

Aurora finds comfort in the kindness of her new doctor and slowly starts opening up to him. He becomes her light.

Aurora finds comfort in the kindness of her new doctor and slowly starts opening up to him. He becomes her light.

In the following bit, I'll show you a few frames that ended up in the unity project. This is called 'Prologue 1' and is in fact a conversation between Aurora and her doctor.

In the following bit, I'll show you a few frames that ended up in the unity project. This is called 'Prologue 1' and is in fact a conversation between Aurora and her doctor.

I worked in contrasting colours. Here you see that Aurora is orange and the background blue. While the doctor almost disappears in the background. The orange shows that Aurora doesn't belong, or doesn't feel like she belongs, in her current environment. S

I worked in contrasting colours. Here you see that Aurora is orange and the background blue. While the doctor almost disappears in the background. The orange shows that Aurora doesn't belong, or doesn't feel like she belongs, in her current environment. S

'Aurora I know that it has been difficult these past few days.'

'Aurora I know that it has been difficult these past few days.'

'But You've got to keep trying.'

'But You've got to keep trying.'

'sigh'

'sigh'

'Well, it's late so I'll leave you alone. I'll see you again tomorrow.'

'Well, it's late so I'll leave you alone. I'll see you again tomorrow.'

'Oh right. One last thing.'

'Oh right. One last thing.'

'If you ever come across a door with an 0 on it, don't enter.'

'If you ever come across a door with an 0 on it, don't enter.'

'click'

'click'

The frames after this are part of 'Prologue 2'. This piece of the prologue leads up to the choice you'll have to make.

The frames after this are part of 'Prologue 2'. This piece of the prologue leads up to the choice you'll have to make.

Pastel colours the show Aurora is at ease.

Pastel colours the show Aurora is at ease.

Darker colours to show urgency.

Darker colours to show urgency.

'Shit, I'm late.'

'Shit, I'm late.'

A simple doorway to establish the environment. (coloured over a 3d screenshot.)

A simple doorway to establish the environment. (coloured over a 3d screenshot.)

The background gets darker the more lost and scared Aurora is.

The background gets darker the more lost and scared Aurora is.

'I'm lost.'

'I'm lost.'

'I guess it's one of these doors then.'

'I guess it's one of these doors then.'

'I'm sure this path will bring me back to my room but I rather not go through it.'

'I'm sure this path will bring me back to my room but I rather not go through it.'

'This door has the 0 on it that the doctor warned me for. He said that I definitely wouldn't like what I'll see there. But how well does the doctor really know me? How would he know what I like or not?'

'This door has the 0 on it that the doctor warned me for. He said that I definitely wouldn't like what I'll see there. But how well does the doctor really know me? How would he know what I like or not?'

At this point, you'd have to choose between these two doors. Both doors leading to a different ending. Both doors are dark blue making your choice urgent and scary.

At this point, you'd have to choose between these two doors. Both doors leading to a different ending.
Both doors are dark blue making your choice urgent and scary.

If you want to try and make the choice you can visit this page: https://youtu.be/ljtpGe5gS50

If you want to try and make the choice you can visit this page:
https://youtu.be/ljtpGe5gS50

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