The game is set in a 3D world with 2D characters. The player will see the world from the first person perspective.
Essential experience
I want my players to feel the “loss of time and moments”. This special feeling that I’m going for is understanding and accepting that everything in life has its own time. Some things just cannot come back and you have to accept that. I want it to be kind of nostalgic letting the player to reflect of his life, but also overall positive.
Pitch
The game is set in different timelines. A player is thrown into unknown and play as an adult woman. The world is dull, and the main character doesn’t seem happy, but nothing is told directly. The player gets a task to complete. While he does that, he can explore his environment and interact with him until he finds an item triggering a flashback. While playing in a flashback choice don’t influence the present much, rather the other flashbacks and the ending.
ESRB rating:
Moderate amounts of violence (including small amounts of blood), mild to moderate use of language or suggestive themes, sexual content, and crude humor.
Genre:
Interactive narrative with exploration of the environment.
Design goals:
- Not focusing on making an original and complicated game for the people to be able to relate to the story more easily. I want it more to be an experience that player can go through if he is willing to.
- Gameplay mainly in the flashbacks.
- I want the flashbacks to be unexpected (the player cannot exactly predict when they will occur).
- I want to show that main character doesn’t always remember everything or might remember things differently on how they really were.
- To show the differences on how people perceive the world depending on age.
- To show everyday effects of climate crisis by comparing it with the past.
Mechanics:
Tasks:
Tasks are the core mechanic of the game. In each chapter player will be given tasks.
Present: In the present tasks will be easier. Firstly, the main character would speak out loud about what is the next thing to do. Tasks will also be written down in the main character’s mobile phone (for the player to be able to check what he should do if he got lost). Tasks in present are simple, for example: prepare coffee. During performing those tasks player will be obligated to interact with different objects. For each chapter one of them will trigger the flashback, but the player doesn’t know which one.
Past: When the flashback is triggered the player will also get a task. However, here it would be one big task, which completing will mean the end of the flashback. The main task will also be written down somewhere (depending on memory might be a piece of paper/ notebook/ old phone).
Exploration:
The player will be able to explore the area he is in and interact with the given objects. It’s up to a player is he wants the gameplay to be shorter and only interact with objects that the tasks point him to use or experience the game fully interacting with everything that he can. In the present player has to manage his time right because he never knows when this phrase of the game will end. After the flashback is triggered it is not possible to explore the present. In the past exploration is easier, because the player knows when that phrase will end.
Choices and interactions:
During dialogue sequences or while interacting within an object the player will often be given a choice. The important choices will happen mainly in the flashback phrase. Choices made won’t influence „the present” much. The player will see cosmetic changes in the environment if he pays attention. The choices will influence what ending the player will get and what will happen in the next flashbacks. The player will only have a few seconds to make his choice in dialogues. If the choice is important the perspective would change from 1st person perspective to 3rd person perspective.
Gameplay:
The gameplay is separated in chapters. Each chapter has two phrases. Present and the past.
The pattern of a chapter: Present – the flashback is triggered – past – cut scene
There isn’t any backstory or cutscene introducing a player to the game. The game forces the player to use his interpretation and suggests what is happening with visuals.
The pattern of a chapter: Present – the flashback is triggered – past – cut scene
There isn’t any backstory or cutscene introducing a player to the game. The game forces the player to use his interpretation and suggests what is happening with visuals.
PRESENT
In this phrase, a player will perform small tasks and interact with the objects and people until they find a certain thing triggering the flashback. The events happening in this timeline are happening one in short time after another.
„Beginning of the game in present phrase” moodboard
„Beginning of the game in present phrase” colour palette
At the beginning of the present phrase the environment is presented in dark, dull and dirty colours. Those colours embrace sadness. The player does’t have a backtory, but he can understand the emotions of the main character from the colours of the environment.
After every flashback coulours become less and less „dirty” and monochromotaic. and become more realistic.
„Ending of the game in present phrase”: moodboard
„Ending of the game in present phrase” colour palette
The closer the ending of the game the colours will resemblance those presented on the second moodboard.
PAST
When entering the flashback a player is quickly introduced to the situation he is in. In the flashback, a player is given one main task. When he completes it, the flashback ends. Until then he has a chance to interact with the environment and other characters.
Flashbacks aren’t showing the story of events happening one after another. Between two flashback there can be a difference in years.
„Flashbacks” Moodboard
„Flashbacks” Colour palette
Colours in this phrase are very different from those in „present” phrase. They are much brighter, vibrant and unrealistic.
„Present” phrase is always shorter than „past” and migh change based on players’ choices in the past.
Characters
Anna
The protagonist silhouette through flashbacks
To help players interact with the game better they can name the character however they want. If they don’t want to do that the name set up as defoult is Anna.
Anna is a 26 years old women living in city center of a big metropolia. The player doesn’t know much about her. She seems to be tired and sad. She has younger brother Tom.
Anna is very pale. She has green eyes and dark brown hair. She wears dark blue jumper, grey leggins and brown uggs. It’s her perfect outfit to spend the whole day not going out, and watching tv on the sofa.
Tom
Tom is younger brother of Anna. As a kid he used to give her a hard time all the time.
Tom's silhouette
Appearance: He looks similar to his sister. He is pale, have green eyes and dark brown hair. Tom always wears a t-shirt with big „OK” on it. A pairs of jeans and favorite red trainers.
Tom sketch
The Old Lady
She is a lady livin in the same village from where Tom and come from. She doesn’t seem to have anyone close to her exept her cat Lucifer.
She hes short grey hair which she is hiding under the red, flowery shawl. She always wears a blue dress and a crochated scarf, that she made for herself. She loves to crochate sittin in her altana in the backyard and admiring the view. The house of the old lady is on the closes one to the cliffs, so the view is indeed amazing.
Matt and Lily
Two friends that Anna bumbs in in a park.
Matt hobby is skateboard and Lilys is photography.
Mrs. Brooks
Annoying neighbour of Anna in the present
Main story overview
Chapter 1:
Present: Introducing a player to the controls
Showing the grey world and a sad main character.
Performing basic task. When it comes to leaving the level of air pollution is too high to leave without a mask. Looking for a mask. When a player finds it, the main character knocked down a photo. That triggers the flashback.
Present: Introducing a player to the controls
Showing the grey world and a sad main character.
Performing basic task. When it comes to leaving the level of air pollution is too high to leave without a mask. Looking for a mask. When a player finds it, the main character knocked down a photo. That triggers the flashback.
Flashback: Task: Buy coffee.
Possible outcomes:
-Anna argues with her brother
-Anna makes friends
-Anna meets with the old lady
-Anna knows how to ride a skateboard
-Anna argues with her brother
-Anna makes friends
-Anna meets with the old lady
-Anna knows how to ride a skateboard
*cut scene od Anna leaving the apartment*
Chapter 2:
Anna comes back to her apartment. She seats down on the sofa and turns on the tv. Just a moment after that someone knocks to her door. Conversation with her annoying neighbour. She brought Anna a letter addressed to her that “accidentally” ended up in a wrong mailbox. Anna slowly gets annoyed. End of the conversation. When Anna can finally sit down again and try to relax, she hears knocking again. Now she sees little girls informing about a charity event. That triggers a flashback.
Anna comes back to her apartment. She seats down on the sofa and turns on the tv. Just a moment after that someone knocks to her door. Conversation with her annoying neighbour. She brought Anna a letter addressed to her that “accidentally” ended up in a wrong mailbox. Anna slowly gets annoyed. End of the conversation. When Anna can finally sit down again and try to relax, she hears knocking again. Now she sees little girls informing about a charity event. That triggers a flashback.
Flashback: Task: Take part in a charity event as one of the volunteers.
IF:
-In the previous flashback, Anna met the old lady, the money from the event can go for her cause.
-Anna made friends, she will be working with them
-In the previous flashback, Anna met the old lady, the money from the event can go for her cause.
-Anna made friends, she will be working with them
Possible outcomes:
-Anna learns how to play an instrument
-Anna grows closer to her brother
-Anna makes new friends (if the player haven’t done that in chapter 1)
-Anna learns how to play an instrument
-Anna grows closer to her brother
-Anna makes new friends (if the player haven’t done that in chapter 1)
cut scene where Anna opens the letters and finds train ticket inside
Chapter 3:
Present: Anna is waiting for the train. Waiting at the station. She goes to the store to buy some water. She looks at the calendar on the wall and realizes that December just started.
Flashback: Task
Present: Anna is waiting for the train. Waiting at the station. She goes to the store to buy some water. She looks at the calendar on the wall and realizes that December just started.
Flashback: Task
IF:
-Anna know the old lady she is helping her to decorate her house alone/with friends/with her brother (depending on previous flashbacks)
-Anna know how to play an instrument she might play some carols
-Anna know the old lady she is helping her to decorate her house alone/with friends/with her brother (depending on previous flashbacks)
-Anna know how to play an instrument she might play some carols
Possible outcomes:
-Anna grows closer with her friends
-Anna grows closer to her brother
-The old lady teaches Anna how to make her famous cheesecake.
-Anna grows closer with her friends
-Anna grows closer to her brother
-The old lady teaches Anna how to make her famous cheesecake.
Anna arrives at her destination; players’ previous choices determine who will pick her up from the train station
Chapter 4
Present: Anna walks around the city. When she enters the coffee shop, she gets a flashback.
Present: Anna walks around the city. When she enters the coffee shop, she gets a flashback.
Flashback: Task: Apply for a job
Possible outcomes:
-Anna gets a job at the coffee shop.
-Anna gets a job at the local bakery.
-Anna gets a job at the local music store.
-Anna doesn’t get any job.
-Anna gets a job at the coffee shop.
-Anna gets a job at the local bakery.
-Anna gets a job at the local music store.
-Anna doesn’t get any job.
Chapter 5
Anna walks through the park with someone (depending on players’ choices). A cat approaches the girl. Flashback.
Anna walks through the park with someone (depending on players’ choices). A cat approaches the girl. Flashback.
Flashback: Task: Leave the village
Possible outcome:
-Anna leaves alone
-Anna leaves with her friends
*Anna is visiting the grave of the old lady*
-Anna leaves alone
-Anna leaves with her friends
*Anna is visiting the grave of the old lady*
Final choice: Will Anna go back or stay?
If a player decides to stay, he receives one of two endings. If she decides to come back, more endings are depending on the players’ choices made in the game.
If a player decides to stay, he receives one of two endings. If she decides to come back, more endings are depending on the players’ choices made in the game.
Environment
The environment of the game varies between the timelines and phrases of the game.
Comparison between the same building: How it looks in the „present” and how it was shown in the „flashback” (past)
In the present the building is already consumed by time.
In the past, the building looked almost brand new. The paint is fresh and colours are vibrant. In our memories some things might seem more colorful and magical than they really are.
Past
Present
Places:
Big city
Moodboard
The city where action takes place isn’t named. It is a big city full of trash and pollution. The massive grey building can be a little overwhelming. It is possible to find a place to be alone with your mind, but it’s hard.
FLAT/APARTMENT
Moodboard
First place that the will see after starting a game. It’s dark, messy, small and old. Characters on the moodboard are also accurate to how the main character behaves in the first chapter.
VILLAGE
Moodboard
For the majority of time village is visible only in the flashbacks. The moodboard shows the vibrance and brightness of those memories. In the present scenes scenerio would be the same. But colours would be more washed out.
Map of the village according to chapter 1
Twine prototype of chapter 1