Latest news with #CrystalGarden
The National
6 days ago
- Business
- The National
'GTA Paisley' game is capturing imaginations
Richard Gellalty was blown away when a video of gameplay posted by his girlfriend, the musician Linzi Clark, went viral on TikTok, receiving more than 30k likes and over 1000 comments. The clip showed a man in a hi-vis jacket running around a deserted Neilston Road at night in the pouring rain, to an atmospheric and ambient soundtrack. Many of those commenting celebrated similarities with the iconic Grand Theft Auto series, created in Dundee and Edinburgh by Rockstar Games, but set in fictional versions of cities in the United States. In the finished version the graphic designer says that gamers will be able to use 'a mouse/keyboard or controller to freely run around and interact' with characters and objects in order to uncover mysteries surrounding the town. Whether the project can become a playable third person game by next year depends on funding. At the time of writing, £3623 has been pledged through crowdfunding. Another £8377 is required by June 11 for the 34-year-old to receive any of the money, as Kickstarter funding is 'all or nothing'. Gellalty, who is known professionally as Bovine, needs help from fans to make the project a reality. Haddows features in the game (Image: Bovine) 'Anyone interested can share the Kickstarter link and encourage others to share it," he said. "The priority is getting as many people seeing the project and making it easy for them to decide if they like it enough to donate.' The self-taught developer learned how to use graphics and game software programs like Blender, Unreal Engine and GIMP in order to recreate his hometown of Paisley. This time-consuming task involves creating an entire 3D world with characters, soundtrack, story and puzzle development. Bovine says that the exterior or interior of one building 'starts to look acceptable with a few days' work, acceptable being white cubes that loosely resemble a building, and within a week it's mostly there.' READ MORE: Glasgow arcade fights anxiety with calm games and quiet sessions The artist has confirmed that the game's name will be 'Crystal Garden' after the much loved restaurant on Neilston Road. The takeaway will feature as a sanctuary for the main playable character, who his creator describes as 'a builder putting up high flats by himself, in the rain no less'. Further details on the story and character interaction are Kickstarter-dependent. Bovine wants to devote time to writing dialogue and would like to source local talent for voice acting, saying: 'It's a balance but I think it would add a lot to it if done right'. Different opportunities for involvement in the game's final form are accessible for those who donate. For example, £80 can get supporters a short clip of their voice featured as a response when the character uses a buzzer entry system. While it will need to be something that works in the game, Bovine says that the person speaking will have creative control of what they say 'within reason". (Image: Bovine) Bovine says that many have reacted positively online to the game being set in the 2000s. He believes that 3D worlds can trigger nostalgia more effectively than films, images and music due to the 'added interactive element' and that he'd 'like to show the game to people who know the area but have lost a connection with it'. One Instagram user described a clip of gameplay in the Lagoon Leisure Centre as 'haunting", saying the footage reminded them of "the mad wave noise" and smell of the chips served in the café. On whether the game will satirise Scottish society in the way that GTA satirises the USA, the developer states that satire 'goes hand in hand with mimicking reality', acknowledging that GTA's creators 'are obviously tenured experts at it'. READ MORE: Edinburgh: Scottish gaming industry celebrated in major new exhibition Elaborating further, he says that a lot of logos and trademarks will need to be changed, and shop names 'remade for the in-game world' which 'could potentially have nods to the real world equivalent in a similar way to GTA'. Alongside GTA, Bovine says Crystal Gardens will be inspired by multiple game universes. In particular, the Broken Sword series, which focuses on ancient mysteries and conspiracies. Other inspirations include Oddworld, Tomb Raider, Resident Evil, Courier Crisis, Namco Museum, and Men In Black. The synopsis on the Kickstarter hints at supernatural themes, but Bovine has confirmed the game will be 'probably more comically scary than serious', involving 'underground exploration'. Check out the Kickstarter for further details on the game and what content financial backers can access.
STV News
13-05-2025
- Entertainment
- STV News
Scot raising funds for new video game after ‘GTA Paisley' viral success
A Renfrewshire man is seeking funds to develop a new video game after going viral on social media with a showcase of his Grand Theft Auto (GTA)-like project based on Paisley. Richard Gellatly has turned to the crowdfunding platform Kickstarter for his latest venture after the response to his last video 'exploded' on social media. Originally posted by his partner on TikTok, it gathered almost 400,000 views on the platform. 'The amount of people showing interest in making this happen made the choice obvious,' explained the 34-year-old graphic designer from Paisley. 'With this idea being quite a varied and dense one, it would take many years to make without funding, and with funding it would take many less.' Bovine Richard wants to make sure his project is as authentic and as detailed as possible. Bovine, Richard's professional pseudonym, is looking to crowdfund £12,000 that would enable him to spend more time working on the game and properly delve into things like developing the game's code, characters and story. The Crystal Garden is to be a mystery game that players progress through via puzzles and character interactions. The latest trailer shows the streets of Paisley shrouded in darkness on a wet night, with the game's description teasing a touch of the supernatural. While the Crystal Garden represents Bovine's maiden video game project, he hopes to rely on his rich experience in graphic design, with work for large music festivals such as TRNSMT and Terminal V on his resume. And although he admits that 'the internet liking your idea poses dangers of inflating one's ego beyond reality', he is trying to stay humble and realistic about his latest project. Bovine The latest trailer shows the streets of Paisley shrouded in darkness on a wet night, with the game's description teasing a touch of the supernatural. He added: 'I'm confident I can make something engaging that'll look good and resonate with people who know the area.' 'The player should feel relaxed and not like they are experiencing a modernity overdose – it'll be quite cosy and allow you to go at whatever pace you like.' Bovine hopes the campaign's success will allow him to make a game enjoyed by many, one that could turn into a 'series of Paisley games'. But he says a potential lack of funding won't stop him either. 'I'll keep working on it, but just at a slower rate, and it will not be the same end product,' he said. 'But I enjoy working on it far too much to just stop, regardless of it being funded or not.' Get all the latest news from around the country Follow STV News Scan the QR code on your mobile device for all the latest news from around the country
