Hakopa Ririnui

Tua's Calling

Tua’s Calling is a 3D action–adventure RPG that I developed with Tristin Shakesby as part of our Capstone Project. Inspired by games like The Legend of Zelda and the Spyro Reignited Trilogy, players take on the role of a young tuatara named Tua. Awakened by a sacred butterfly, he is summoned by the village elder to prepare for an emerging evil. As the player, you train, explore beyond the village, and uncover the source of the spreading corruption to protect your home.

My main guideline throughout the project was to integrate Māori and Pacific cultural influences respectfully. This shaped everything from Tua’s design and clothing to the environment and narrative tone. Because it was a two-person project, we had to keep the scope realistic, focusing on strong visuals, a playable prototype, and core mechanics rather than a full-length game. Our target audience includes players who enjoy stylised adventure games and those interested in Indigenous-inspired storytelling.

To build the prototype, I used tools like Maya, ZBrush, Nomad Sculpt, Substance Painter, MotionBuilder, and Unity. This project is significant to me because it allowed me to express my heritage and contribute to growing Indigenous representation in games, all while strengthening my confidence as a 3D artist and designer.