Why Game? 1 - TextFiles.com

e kind of like a puzzle game where you don’t
directly control things, but only influence them.
Eventually, by looking at documents on tables -
which you could easily read but you might need
a MC to hold them up for you - and exploring
the area, you will begin to figure out that you’re
being held in the “dungeon” of some kind of
secret paramilitary experimental compound, and
everything you’ve seen so far (including your-
self) is part of the inhuman and unethical work
being done there.
Early on, the main incentive to keep going
is to figure out who you are and get the hell out
of there. The only real dangers are the occa-
sional automated security systems and general
instability of the abandoned areas. However,
about 30-35% of the way through the game,
the threat level increases. This happens when
you start running into human enemies who
appear as very bright red and green essences.
You must try and avoid these enemies, defeat
them through cunning (since you’re not much
of a fighter), or order your Mindless Creature
minions to attack them. But the largest change
to how the player would approach the gameplay
comes when you discover a very alive, very ter-
rified young woman and her little brother.
Suddenly, you’re not only responsible for
your own survival, but also that of two innocent
civilians you’ve found. First, you must gain their
trust and indicate to them that you’re not a
threat. Then you’ll have to establish a system
of communications with the older sister (the
younger brother is either oblivious or ill - this is
currently undecided), using the hand motions
previously mentioned to set up a crude sign
language (with meaning reinforced by shaking
or nodding your head to her questions). It would
obviously take some time for the player to get
a handle on the setup, but when they become
accustomed to it, using these motions allows
the rest of the game to be more interesting and
dynamic.
Unlike the Mindless Creatures, the young
woman, and to some extent the boy, are aware
of what’s around them and pay constant at-
tention to their situation. These characters are
hurt by dangerous things and become fright-
ened, panicky, or even angry (the MCs can be
destroyed, but up until they’re shot in the head
they can pretty much take any abuse). The older
sister can more clearly follow commands to do
things like bar doors and set up traps. There are
other actions only she can do, such as operate
computers and wield weapons. But, as I said,
she’s fragile. So you have to be careful and play
intelligently.
The rest of the game flows on from that -
trying to figure out what’s going on, while at the
same time escaping from the complex without
getting your new human friends killed. Where
it will end up is currently undecided, but more
than likely a cinematic chase of some kind along
a desolate highway or through the woods might
be in order. The game would more than likely
have a positive ending, but that too is currently
undecided.
Another part of the game that is undecided
is how to further elaborate the manipulation
of the other characters’ colors. It might be
interesting if the only way you could restore
health would be to somehow draw these colors
from the Mindless Creatures (or enemies) into
yourself, but that seems a bit too bizarre.
I envision this as one of those games
that’s more meant to be experienced than to
be played. While the player obviously wouldn’t
understand everything at first, their questions
would be clearly answered later on, instead
of asking the player for a second playthrough
where they are asked to make logical connec-
tions. That’s not to say it would be dumbed
down, just that it wouldn’t be a game with any
real chance of loose ends.
Concessions would be made in the spirit
of replayability by including certain factors of
randomness such as area layout, puzzles, en-
emies, and so on. When you complete the game
a shorter version of the game would be unlocked
in which you take the part of the young girl and
follow the orders of a simulated game player.
Henceforth, follow the leader.
Project FTL 59