Paper Crown

(Prototype)

Shhh... Don't make a sound.   

Paper Crown is a psychological 2D side-scroller that begins as a charming, watercolor storybook and gradually twists into a game where the toys that once comforted you in the dark are now the very things you hide from.

Play as the little girl, The Princess, guided by your loyal companion, The Knight. Your journey is one of unmasking the darkness that lurks beneath the surface of a seemingly safe memory.

Action	Key	Notes
Move Left	A key
Move Right	D key
Jump	Space Bar
Crouch	Shift key
Attack	K key	For sword mechanics.
Interact	E key	For searching, opening, and activating objects.
Push/Pull Objects	J	Hold J and move using A (to pull left) or D (to push right).
Pause Game	P

Core Features: Survival Tactics as Gameplay

Every mechanic is designed to create a sense of unease hidden in innocence.

• Emotional Stealth Game play: Sound is your enemy. Every footstep, every swing of your sword raises your Noise Level, drawing twisted remnants of comfort.

• The Fading Light of Hope: You carry a precious light that reveals safe paths and hidden hazards, but it constantly fades over time. Manage your light carefully: risk expanding it to see, or conserve it and stumble blindly into the dark.

• The Princess & Knight Bond: Work with your unwavering companion. The Princess leads and strikes, while the Knight provides crucial shield defense and puzzle support, embodying the power of a safe, reliable relationship amidst chaos.

• Visual Corruption Storytelling: Watch the beautiful storybook world decay in real-time. Warm pastels drain to cold grays, soft lines become frantic scratches, and your paper crown visibly tears.

SPOILER WARNING!

The following instructions contain a complete walkthrough for the puzzle.

Puzzle Solution:  

Phase 1:  Find The Key 

• Search the Music Box: The key to the toy box is hidden inside the music box.
  • Immediate Danger: Taking the key fixes the music box, which plays a loud tune. This immediately triggers the toys behind the closet door. 

Phase 2: Confrontation and Escape  

• Unlock and Retrieve: Use the key on the toy box to unlock it and retrieve the toy sword. This action releases the toys into the room. 

• Use Light to Stall: While fighting the toys, interact (K button) with the lantern to activate it. The resulting glow temporarily freezes the toys, but the light immediately starts dimming. 
  • Note: the toys can not be defeated, you must escape them.  Create Escape Route: While the light is active (the countdown), push (E and A/D to push/pull) the stool and position it directly under the window to escape. 

Help Us Finish the Story

We are so proud of what we've built in six short weeks! We hope you enjoy this first glimpse into Paper Crown.
If you play, please consider leaving a comment and filling out our quick Google form! Your feedback will directly influence the development of the game. 

Meet the Team: The Creators of Paper Crown

Paper Crown was brought to life over six short weeks by a passionate group of creative minds, each dedicated to weaving a twisted fairy-tale experience.

This prototype is the culmination of our team's diverse talents:

Caitlin – Team & Creative Lead / Concept Art

 Caitlin is the visionary and the heart of the project! Paper Crown  is the beautifully twisted fairytale that she's been nurturing as a passion project for years. When the opportunity arose to pitch our game concepts to the class, Caitlin rallied this amazing team together to finally bring her dream to life.  We mostly follow her lead... unless she gets distracted by a shiny new idea, in which case, Anna has to gently guide her back.  You're awesome, Caitlin now stop giving us so many brilliant-but-impossible ideas!

Anna – Project Manager / Animator

Anna is the only reason this beautiful, complex fairytale actually got finished! As our Project Manager, she's the one who wrangles the chaos, makes the schedules, and somehow keeps eight different creative geniuses on track.  But she doesn't stop there! She's also working on animation   and game flow, ensuring interactive elements of the game feel smooth and immersive. She's so organized, her to-do list probably has a to-do list. Seriously though, without her, we'd all just be sitting around talking about who’s going to make the next pot of coffee while the deadlines point and laugh at us as they pass by.

Maggie –  Sound Designer / Writer

Maggie turns feelings into nightmares and metaphors into mechanics. The reason every step and every fading light source feels so meaningful? That's Maggie, she  wove the complex themes of survival and hope into the fabric of the world. She ensures every fading color and broken toy hits you right in the feels. She ensures every mechanic serves the narrative, making sure the world feels safe... right up until it shatters.

Cahaya –  Animator

Cahaya is pure magic, Cahaya's animations bring the Princess to life, making every delicate step and frightened pause feel real. She takes a static illustration and breathes a soul into it. We gave her hand-drawn concept art and she gave us life. (We suspect she trades sleep for frames, but the results are always worth it.)

Diego –   Unity Developer /  Programmer

The man who makes the 2D world actually breathe! Diego built the entire foundation of our game in Unity. Diego takes the beautiful, abstract concepts the rest of the team throws at him ("We need the shadows to feel cold and betrayed") and somehow brings it to life in Unity.  He’s the reason the Prototype runs and doesn't just crash into a pile of sad watercolors and ideas.

Rhi – Background Designer

Rhi is responsible for the stunning, storybook world you explore. She creates such beautiful, soft watercolor backgrounds that it almost hurts when we will have it decay into jagged corruption. She's constantly giving us more gorgeous environment layers than our computers can handle, but we don't complain! Rhi's backgrounds are so detailed, they might contain hidden secrets even Maggie doesn't know about yet. (Shhh...don't tell Maggie)

Phoebe – Enemy Designer

Phoebe is the reason you'll never look at a stuffed animal the same way again. She designs our Corrupted Toys, those perfectly unsettling blends of cute and terrifying.  (Is it wrong our entire group wants to snuggle her evil Melody Bunny design?) Phoebe designs enemies that perfectly embody broken comfort. We're a little worried about what she draws in her free time, but man, the Melody Bunny is chef's kiss

Robson – Unity Developer / Programmer

Robson tackles the toughest challenges, like the tricky Light-Sound detection system and the physics of a large, swinging sword. He is the quiet force keeping all the complex moving parts moving. He's so efficient, we're half-convinced he coded himself an extra two hours in the day