Hope Express

Transform Your Daily Commute into a Journey of Relaxation

Hope Express is a lighthearted and cozy 2D mobile game experience that transforms users' daily boarding train routines into a relaxing and enjoyable journey, fostering fun and relaxation during their travels.

Diversed and Charming Characters

Hope Express seeks to offer a serene experience that celebrates the diverse cultures of Malaysia, featuring a vibrant array of traditional costumes, practices, and events reflecting the rich tapestry of the nation.

Cultural-Inspired User Interface

A well-crafted user interface can significantly enhance the gaming experience. In line with this principle, Malaysia's rich cultural heritage is skillfully woven into the UI design of Hope Express, where Batik-style elements serve as decorative highlights throughout the interface.

Production Process

Character Design

Shuya

Shuya is a quite individual who excels in his academic performance. However, he has sacrificed his own dreams of becoming an artist to meet the expectations of others and make them happy.

When conceptualizing Shuya's design, my aim is to imbue him with a sense of formality, evoking the image of a model student. His predominant color palette would be shades of grey, symbolizing his conformity and modesty. Complementing this, he possesses a pair of piercing blue eyes and maintains a serene facial expression that harmonizes with his composed demeanor.

Esha

Esha is a thoughtful and timid girl who battles with severe social anxiety, making it difficult for her to interact with others and form meaningful connections. Her shyness has led her to feel isolated and friendless.

When envisioning Esha as a character, her primary color scheme revolves around shades of pink, accented by feminine design elements. This deliberate choice serves to emphasize the stark contrast between her gentle, socially anxious personality and her wolf species. To further convey her timid nature, I've crafted her appearance to exude a shy and reserved demeanor, ensuring that her visual portrayal aligns seamlessly with her character traits.

Oliver

Oliver is an adventurous and free-spirited boy with an insatiable wanderlust. He dreams of traveling the entire world. However, he faces the heartbreaking reality of a life-threatening heart issue that limits his time and opportunities to fulfill his dream.

Oliver, despite facing a serious illness, radiates boundless energy and positivity, earning him the reputation of a bright and spirited youngster. To capture his vibrant personality, his main color palette centers around cheerful hues of yellow and red, symbolizing his infectious optimism. Moreover, his constant companion—a beaming smiley face—accompanies him wherever he ventures, serving as a testament to his unwavering positivity and resilience in the face of adversity.

Latifah

Latifah’s struggle revolves around balancing her desire to protect and care for her son, Oliver, with the overwhelming worry and fear that comes with his life-threatening heart issue. 

Latifah, a single mother and dedicated nurse, embodies a sense of calm and serenity in both her personal and professional life. Reflecting this, her primary color palette revolves around soothing shades of blue and green. These colors not only echo her tranquil demeanor but also align perfectly with her identity and occupation, encapsulating her nurturing and compassionate nature.

Cover Art

Showing all the available passengers having a relaxing time on Hope Express.

Background Design (Station)

Pasar Seni - Chinatown

Rich in Oriental culture, heritage and history, Chinatown is one of the most popular tourist spots in Malaysia.

KLCC - Urban Street View

Kuala Lumpur’s dynamic, high-rise City Centre is known for upscale fashion malls, luxury hotels and expansive views from the futuristic Petronas Twin Towers.

Titiwangsa - Titiwangsa Park

Titiwangsa Park in Malaysia is a stunning and picturesque green space in the heart of Kuala Lumpur.

User Interface Design

A well-crafted user interface can significantly enhance the gaming experience. In line with this principle, Malaysia's rich cultural heritage is skillfully woven into the UI design of Hope Express, where Batik-style elements serve as decorative highlights throughout the interface.

Unity

Dialogue Flow and Branching

As Hope Express heavily relies on its narrative and dialogues, integrating story branching based on choices is essential to enhance interactivity and immersion in the storytelling. Properly organising the flow is crucial to prevent any confusion in the system regarding conditions.

Rigging and Animating

The characters are constructed from multiple components and connected via joints. I utilize Unity's rigging feature to assemble the character, placing all joints and connectors accurately. Each joint and its corresponding area are distinguished by different colors. Consequently, when I manipulate a joint of a specific color, it affects the entire corresponding area.

Mood and Lighting

In order to evoke a sense of warmth and coziness, attention to mood and lighting is paramount. I employ Unity's 2D Light feature to craft both artificial and natural lighting within the scene. This includes simulating sunlight streaming in through windows and creating lively, cozy atmospheres with the subtle movement of particles.

Scene Management

Different stations are being developed across various scenes to enhance optimization. Each scene features a unique particle system tailored to the station's atmosphere. Meanwhile, UI elements are shared globally within Unity, facilitating seamless synchronization of data and information, such as coin and heart counts, across the game.

UI Implementation and Animation

Simply crafting a UI isn't sufficient; to truly make it stand out, UI animation plays a pivotal role. Therefore, I animate the majority of UI elements in Unity, imbuing them with life and allure. This approach not only enhances visual appeal but also encourages users to immerse themselves more deeply in the user experience flow.

Research and Development

Project Background

User Journey

Design Thought

Cultural Representation

Game Features

Mockup