Parallel Universe of Dogs

W - A - S -D Move

Press E Talk

Dog's Parallel Universe is inspired by real-life events, telling the story from the perspective of a stray dog, highlighting the injustices they face and their longing for a warm and safe home. The main inspiration comes from a social news story from two years ago. Surveillance footage showed a large dog attacking a mother and daughter in a residential area without its owner present, resulting in severe injuries to the daughter. The dog was subsequently caught and euthanized by the authorities, and its owner faced penalties.

 This incident sparked widespread outrage online, with many demanding a city-wide crackdown on stray dogs and stricter punishments for irresponsible dog owners. Subsequently, all stray dogs and any dogs found off-leash were targeted for capture. The situation escalated further, with reports of senseless killings and abuse of stray dogs.

 

One of the most talked-about stories during this time was about a stray dog named Xiao Haung, who had been living on a school campus for many years. Xiao Huang, with its fluffy yellow fur and small size, had become a beloved figure on campus. Despite being gentle and obedient, and never harming anyone, it became a target for the city's dog-catching teams. They entered the campus, captured  Xiao Haung with a net, and killed it on the spot.

 

The image of  Xiao Haung, happily approaching the dog catchers, still haunts me. Despite the decline in public interest over time, the memory of this event remains vivid in my mind. The treatment of stray dogs varied from city to city, with some opting for street executions while others sought to rehome them.

 

Therefore, with this game, I aim to once again advocate for stray dogs.

In this game, there are no complex game mechanics, and it's not a complete tragedy. I approach the game from the perspective of a stray dog, aiming to give them a good ending in the game world. However, I also want players to understand the challenges faced by stray dogs in the real world.

 

I have designed a journey of rebirth for  Xiao Haung, giving it the opportunity to prevent its own death and find a parallel universe where all the souls of dogs killed in the dog-catching event can find safety and warmth. The game focuses on dialogue and simple interactions with objects in the environment to depict the world from Little Yellow's perspective.

 

Players can interact with objects and characters in the game world and view news and comments from that time. The goal is to educate those who may not be aware of the event.

Reference

1. XiaoHuang: dog animation - 4 different dogs by NVPH Studio (itch.io)
2. Backgraund :Free Pixel Art Street Backgrounds by Free Game Assets (GUI, Sprite,
Tilesets) (itch.io)
3. Sky:Pixel Skies Demo - Free Pixel art Sky background pack by Digital Moons
(itch.io)
4. Free Sky Backgrounds by Free Game Assets (GUI, Sprite, Tilesets)
(itch.io)
5. Music ： Bach Variaciones Goldberg - Download free sheet music
(musopen.org)
6. XiaoHei : Pixel Dogs by Benvictus (itch.io)
7. The photo materials are sourced from screenshots of news videos.