We conducted a behind-the-scenes interview for the unique outdoor escape room experience <World Beyond the Sea> taking place at Gwangalli Beach in Busan!
Join Seunghyun on an adventure to find the world beyond the sea for his sick father!
Shall we take a look into the thoughts of the <World Beyond the Sea> planner and designers?
<World Beyond the Sea> Planner
"Live courageously!"
Q. I'm curious about the planning intention behind <World Beyond the Sea>.
A. I wanted to tell a story about challenges. While the sea can be a space for relaxation, I thought it could also be a space of fear for some people. As a place to make a living, couldn't the sea also be a frightening space? With this in mind, I wanted to incorporate stories about life and living.
Q. The story follows 'Seunghyun' on his journey to find his dad. Is there a particular reason you chose the character 'Seunghyun'?
A. Through a story of dreaming with his dad and growing while searching for him, I wanted to tell the tale of a young boy growing up and becoming independent from his parents.
Q. It seems like you wanted to incorporate themes of challenge, life, and growth. Were there any difficulties while planning this game?
A. Since it's a game played in Gwangalli, which is a tourist attraction with many people coming to have fun, I wondered how we could make people want to play the game rather than just wanting to have fun (without playing). I think we had those kinds of concerns.
Q. I see you had such concerns. I'm curious if you paid special attention to those aspects during planning.
A. Since it's played outdoors with many people around, I think we paid a lot of attention to the 'difficulty level' so people would want to play and stay immersed in the game even in such an environment. We adjusted the difficulty downward so players would stay engaged and not give up. Also, we wanted them to play without being distracted by all the tourists around.
Q. Planning a game in such a famous tourist spot must not have been easy. For those unfamiliar with 'outdoor escape rooms' where you find clues on location to solve the game, do you have any tips?
A. All guides and clues are in the mission cards (app)! I'd recommend looking carefully to see if there's anything in the mission cards that resembles what you see on location. There's not a single thing in the mission cards that wasn't intentional. (laughs)
Q. 'Namgung Jara Junior', the protagonist from <Dad, Where Did You Go?!>, appears again. Are you personally interested in environmental issues?
A. Yes, I think so. I'm really obsessed with recycling. I also value organization and tidiness... (suddenly picking up visible trash) Actually, this has been bothering me since earlier (laughs)
Q. It would be great if many players think about the environment while playing. What would be your 'words of encouragement to your childhood self' that appears at the end of the game?
A. When it comes to choosing paths in life, don't overthink it too much and I hope you have courage!
Q. That's a wonderful message. Finally, please share a word for the players.
A. I hope <World Beyond the Sea> makes this summer vacation a special and memorable trip for you. Also, I hope you gain some courage through playing and don't lose that courage as you live your daily life!
<World Beyond the Sea> Designer
"Through the work of design, I tell stories
and convey meaning"
Q. I'm curious about your thoughts on working on <World Beyond the Sea>!
A. When I usually draw alone, my artistic style isn't popular at all. When working on <World Beyond the Sea>, I did a lot of research to give it a more mainstream feel, and when working on the key visuals, I sketched a lot and kept starting over because I was really ambitious about it.
Q. You must have been quite ambitious. <World Beyond the Sea> features many characters - were there any challenges with this?
A. There are many characters, but the planner provided detailed concepts and specifications, which made the design process not too difficult.
Q. Is there something you particularly focus on when working?
A. Since I'm working within the 'Realworld' community, I think 'communication' is most important. I try to actively ask team members for feedback and reflect it in my work.
Q. Do you have a working philosophy as a designer who values communication?
A. I believe meaning is given to each and every element. The grandfather in <World Beyond the Sea> wears a Hawaiian shirt, shorts, etc. to emphasize that he's a grandfather you meet by the sea. When working like this, I try to incorporate meaning well through details.
Q. Do you prefer the sea or the forest?
A. Definitely the sea! Since I lived in the mountains when I was young, I think I prefer the sea over forests.
Q. I heard you often draw by hand. What does drawing mean to you as a designer?
A. When I was young, 'drawing' was a way to relieve stress and let my imagination run wild, but as I've gotten older, I think more about how other people can see my drawings too. So 'drawing' has become a space for conveying my thoughts and meaning.
Q. Conveying meaning through drawings sounds really cool. The illustrations in <World Beyond the Sea> are particularly cute - where do you get your design ideas?
A. First, I tried to analyze the planner's text a lot. From the <World Beyond the Sea> proposal, I tried to understand the planner's perspective and attitude toward the work elements through the adjectives, modifiers, and writing style they used. Based on this analysis, I collected various references and expressed the content's story through design. (laughs)
Q. You seem to really value 'conveying meaning' and 'storytelling'. Are there any elements in <World Beyond the Sea> that you'd especially like players to notice?
A. In the board sequence matching puzzle, I actually drew each board by hand! I'd like them to appreciate my hard work (laughs). Also, Seunghyun's hair is quite unique. His hair wasn't meant to represent semi-curly hair, but rather the shape of waves!
Q. Oh... that's something I'm learning for the first time. Finally, please share a message for the players.
A. <World Beyond the Sea> is my first design as a Realworld designer. Even if there are some clumsy or awkward parts, please look at it kindly since it's my first! I'll work to present more diverse design styles!
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