DevBlog #1

Man VS Machine, it’s what we all fear will inevitably happen in the near future. An all out war of biological life vs synthetic.

This was the initial concept I wanted to begin with, and to some extent one that could invoke audiences to reflect on their own use of technology. Some say that their smart phones have become an extension of themselves, to some extent, have we become trans humanist with our use of technology?

Players embark through minimalistic spaces transporting to new levels through water portals presented in each environment. As the player enters the game each level will be described through a robotic narrator, these levels will all be in the same room format with different nostalgic elements to them such as different video media. The narrator will read out portions of the story that correspond to the players environment, much like a museum guide.

The fundamental goal for this story is to be a reflective journey, it teaches us of the importance of cherishing time and memories with those around us. There will be one ending for all the options and no wrong answers. The journey is the reward in this game, allowing for an immersive narrative to be told with each player having their own interpretation at the end. By taking this approach players should form a nostalgic emotional connection to at least one of the level environments, thus creating deeper engagement with the story.

My plan is to focus on a straight forward narrative, without creating too many options for players to get lost in. At the end of the game, players will have a choice to make between the ‘good’ ending of freeing humanity from artificial intelligence, vs the ‘bad’ ending in which the player returns to their stasis mode.

My two inspirations for the direction of this game are: The Stanley Parable, & Portal 2. Both of which use a narrator to guide players through the environment and story effectively.