(P4): Artist Statement

The House of Secrets was a semi-thrilling journey into crafting an immersive, eerie narrative experience. My concept revolved around giving the user a choice-driven story that balanced suspense, curiosity, and light-hearted humor. My main goal was to evoke a sense of exploration and tension while incorporating creative visual elements to heighten the atmosphere.

I wish the web allowed for music/sound to auto-play when you open a page so that I could add to the experience without the user having to initiate the ambiance. The process of designing each page was fun and emphasized interactivity and thematic cohesion. From the flashing, dimly-lit title screen to the final chaotic "truth" endings, the aesthetic choices were deliberate. GIFs, backgrounds, and links to YouTube videos were selected and created to sustain a haunting tone while providing light-heartedness with the "you're a loser" pages. Incorporating easter eggs like the painting in the hallway allowed for deeper engagement, encouraging the users to explore and uncover the hidden layers of my story.

Reflecting on the outcome, I am proud of the visual aesthetic and depth and flow of the narrative choices. Each path carried its tension, challenges, and endings, providing diverse outcomes for the users to experience. I do wish I included a few more pages that further enhanced the narrative and made the game longer, however, I wanted to take my time on each page to ensure they looked spotless. Technical constraints also limited some interactive features, such as seamless transitions and more advanced animations.

In all, House of Secrets succeeded in blending storytelling with interactivity, inviting the player to navigate a dark, mysterious world where their choices held real consequences. This project challenged my creativity and technical skills while delivering an engaging, atmospheric experience.