06/11/2020
Group feedback with Philip and Kiera:
Since I was still fairly undecided on how to move forward I described both of my ideas detailed in the gameplay loops post to my peers, after talking about the pros and cons of both I decided to pursue the second idea, using flashbacks to childhood to solve puzzles and progress through your childhood home. We thought this idea seemed more original and had more potential for interesting gameplay while maintaining the ability to tell a provocative story. The first idea, about exploring someone's past through their old computer, was felt to have much more limited gameplay opportunity and to be overwhelmingly narrative focused, although both ideas were thought to be good interpretations of memory in interactive media.
After deciding on the idea to discuss further we talked about the players motivation, which until now was fairly unconsidered. Our ideas for creating a narrative reason for the main character to return to the house included:
- The characters parents passed away and they are now clearing out the house of the parents possessions
- The parents have split up and need help moving out of the old house, this would also give more significance to showing the parents relationship in the childhood flashbacks.
We also talked of the importance of connecting this initial motivator to the gameplay loops, perhaps after unlocking each area you clear the clutter and clean the area, or after returning from a flashback you find it cleared.
We also talked about how to make the gameplay satisfying, and agreed that repetition should be avoided. I want the player to be able to see the differences and similarities between the past and present versions of the house, in order to generate the nostalgic feeling I am looking for, but this shouldn't be forced. We decided it would probably be best if your position in the present was maintained in the past and vice versa. So when a puzzle is solved in the past you will automatically be at its ending point in the present, but will also be able to retrace your steps and see your solution in the present. This gameplay will need some prototyping and iteration to see what really works best, creating repetition in certain parts may be essential to creating the feeling of nostalgia.
27.11.2020
New ideas:
Could return to multiple different times within the past to see the story of your childhood unfold.
How to trigger flashbacks;
An item that triggers the flashback in the present and corresponding item in past.
Could make for very linear puzzles.
A central location / set of locations that allow you to travel between past and present.
May become frustrating having to travel to and from these locations.
A keyboard / controller button that shifts you between time periods.
May be the most satisfying for the puzzle gameplay, but harder to weave into a proper narrative, and could make it easy for players to miss important story aspects shown in the past.
How to transition between the time periods
Put on a pair of glasses, through the lenses you see the past
Could make for very smooth and satisfying animations
A movie like flash / fade between times
Would be quick and the player could continue moving during the animation, making it satisfying to use as it would be quick and easy, avoiding any disruption to the flow of the gameplay