The minimalist design also leaves only a vague sense of tone. This can be a positive thing, for a play group the has a clear idea of the kind of story they want to tell, and just needs a structured framework to build on.
But a more well-defined aesthetic could nudge a less-experienced group towards a specific mood or vibe.
Given the subject matter, my gut instinct would be one of two trope-y approaches: the “Ghibli way” (or possibly the “Gaiman way”)—emphasis on mood and atmosphere to weave mundane concerns into a spiritual/existential realm, and vice versa—or alternatively, the “Pixar way”—humanize the abstract, and hope it all seems internally consistent enough.
And yes, I realize that neither of these is mutually exclusive.
The physical appearance of the game is under-developed - I'm hoping to update this game when I can afford to improve its layout and art. People who've downloaded it should get the updated version as well.
I appreciate the comment on the design aspect of the end condition, by the way, and in the updated/expanded version, I might have to add more text to talk about that. I like how it is right now honestly (which is why I released it in the first place) but that appears to be something fruitful to pursue.
Let me get one bias out of the way: I’m generally not fond of games that don’t have a well-defined end condition. It doesn’t need to be a ‘goal’, resolution, or question answered. But I prefer it to be framed as “play until X happens”.
On one hand, there’s the practical consideration of knowing how long a session might last. But in a meta sense, it gives players an idea about how to move towards—or delay!—the end.
Monologue suggests possible ways to wrap things up. But in practice, the various options leave a bit too much room for narrative threads to dangle, which could leave some players feeling underwhelmed or left wanting.
← Return to game
Comments
Log in with itch.io to leave a comment.
The minimalist design also leaves only a vague sense of tone. This can be a positive thing, for a play group the has a clear idea of the kind of story they want to tell, and just needs a structured framework to build on.
But a more well-defined aesthetic could nudge a less-experienced group towards a specific mood or vibe.
Given the subject matter, my gut instinct would be one of two trope-y approaches: the “Ghibli way” (or possibly the “Gaiman way”)—emphasis on mood and atmosphere to weave mundane concerns into a spiritual/existential realm, and vice versa—or alternatively, the “Pixar way”—humanize the abstract, and hope it all seems internally consistent enough.
And yes, I realize that neither of these is mutually exclusive.
Thank you for your thoughts and comment. :)
The physical appearance of the game is under-developed - I'm hoping to update this game when I can afford to improve its layout and art. People who've downloaded it should get the updated version as well.
I appreciate the comment on the design aspect of the end condition, by the way, and in the updated/expanded version, I might have to add more text to talk about that. I like how it is right now honestly (which is why I released it in the first place) but that appears to be something fruitful to pursue.
Let me get one bias out of the way: I’m generally not fond of games that don’t have a well-defined end condition. It doesn’t need to be a ‘goal’, resolution, or question answered. But I prefer it to be framed as “play until X happens”.
On one hand, there’s the practical consideration of knowing how long a session might last. But in a meta sense, it gives players an idea about how to move towards—or delay!—the end.
Monologue suggests possible ways to wrap things up. But in practice, the various options leave a bit too much room for narrative threads to dangle, which could leave some players feeling underwhelmed or left wanting.