Lotte marks the transition to a new universe

Lotte was Mathis's mother's friend, an almost mythological figure in his childhood. She was trained as a ceramicist at what was then called Kunsthåndværkerskolen in Kolding – today’s Design School Kolding – the very same place where Mathis is currently graduating with his Bachelor's degree in Communication Design. And that is how some of the elements in the story about Lotte, the computer game that Mathis has designed to commemorate – and honour – his mother's friend, who left a large imprint on Mathis' childhood memories, come together.

Spirituality – and lots of ciggies 

– Lotte was a very special person and I was fascinated by her. She chose to move to Norway, where she settled alone in a huge house, in a universe marked by her fascination with fairy tales, fairies, spirituality, Tolkien, art and nature. At the same time, there was something else that made her special, namely that, due to an illness, she was only 140 centimetres tall, and moreover humpbacked. But she herself was not an elf, far from. She could be cheeky and harsh and she smoked loads of cigarettes, even though it was not good for her, says Mathis Meilby Nielsen. 

– She was not afraid of death either, for she had always known that she would die before the rest of us, says Mathis, thus approaching the theme of the computer game he has dedicated to Lotte's memory.

Death is the start of something new
Once you have played a classic computer game – or seen others do it – you are probably familiar with 'dying', when you are unlucky enough to be shot by an enemy, eaten by a slimy monster or are driving off a cliff. Game over, that’s it. But that's not the case with the game Lotte. First of all, death is inevitable in this game, in the form of the deep ravines and abysses that even the greatest gamer talents cannot escape. 

– Because that's what Lotte was like, says Mathis.

– She truly was not afraid of anything. Despite her disability, she threw herself into numerous challenging ventures. “If you choose to die, it’s up to you to do it,” she said.

That’s quite a harsh statement, which for some would be associated with suicide, but that’s not at all what this is about. In fact, the message is closely related to the second premise of the game, namely that death is not an end. You are merely transformed into something else – in the game it’s a little fly – and then the next world is suddenly open, since the fly is capable of penetrating walls.

– The fact that you glide into a new world is closely related to Lotte's predilection for what is fantastic and imaginative. And then it shows that death is nothing but the path to something new.

Memories presented in an 80s look 
The game is developed in virtually 80s-like aesthetics, mixed with contemporary elements. The universe appears in black and white and combines Pixel art, such as the little Lotte figure, with natural elements such as a softly swaying grass carpet. Although it’s obvious to imagine that the game could have an almost therapeutic effect for people in grief, for example, it is not really the intention that the game should be 'used' for that purpose – although Mathis would be pleased if it was.

– The game is a memory, which I have chosen to create digitally, and which reflects the world of a deceased person, with the graphics, the sensation of nature from the swaying grass, sounds from the forest and then the blank surfaces that must be filled by the imagination. It’s a suggestion for how to capture the essence of a human being. My memory relates to Lotte, but the game is open for everyone to base it on their own interpretations and memories of someone they have lost.

- I'm going to post it on a platform so other people can try playing it too. And I actually think it's really beautiful that Lotte is reborn every time someone opens the game.

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Mathis Meilby Nielsen has a Bachelor's degree in Communication Design from Design School Kolding, June 2022. He is employed by the gaming company Kong Orange, Aarhus.

‘Lotte’ is the computer game about death – where you cannot die. The designer has named the game after his mother's deceased friend, Lotte, and is exploring how to recreate a memory digitally. He has minimized the use of traditional means and tools such as images and text, and instead tries to create a narrative through games and themes such as fantasy. The game tries to frame the essence of a human being through the actions that the player performs. The game has been developed in collaboration with Esben Kjær Ravn from the gaming company Kong Orange. The game will be shared on the platform.