In Week 4, we came out of Quarters with a lot of questions about how to move forward, especially regarding narrative and gameplay.
Narrative
We quickly realized that the hired packer as a playable character was not resonating with people. The feedback indicated that this character felt too detached and not immersive enough. As a result, we pivoted to create a stronger relationship between the player character (PC) and the old man. The PC will now be defined as the great nephew or niece of the old man—family relatives without a defined gender. This familial connection allows us to build an emotional bond between the player and the old man, enhancing the narrative’s depth and engagement.
Game Design
As we continue in pre-production, defining the game loop and core verbs for the player is a priority. Our transformational goal is to tell the story of a gentrified neighborhood losing its culture, using the packing activity in the old man’s apartment as a metaphor. To align with this, we identified three key player actions:
- Packing
- Organizing
- Exploring
A current discussion revolves around the distinction between “packing” and “organizing.” While packing is straightforward—deciding what goes into boxes for removal—organizing will involve puzzle-like actions to keep the player engaged, adding depth to the gameplay.
Art
This week, our art team focused on making the apartment feel culturally whole. The goal was to create a visual identity for the space by blocking out assets that wouldn’t necessarily be interacted with but are crucial for atmosphere. Bruce Chan’s guidance and resources from the Heinz Carnegie Library were instrumental in helping us develop a trim sheet, which will assist in crafting authentic environmental details.
Transformation
We began this week by discussing how to narrow down our transformational goals. Initially, we considered exploring the complex tension between revitalization and gentrification—focusing on how economic forces often gentrify neighborhoods for profit. However, after reflection, we chose to focus our transformation on highlighting the displacement of existing culture within the community due to gentrification. This shift allows us to center the emotional and cultural impact on the people directly affected, which aligns more closely with our narrative and gameplay.
Challenges This Week:
- Redefining the player character to create an emotional connection with the narrative.
- Clarifying the distinction between core game mechanics like packing and organizing.
- Creating an authentic cultural identity for the apartment without direct references.
Next Week’s Goals:
- Finalize the narrative details and relationship between the great nephew/niece and the old man.
- Define and solidify the game loop based on the player’s actions.
- Continue refining cultural details and building assets for the apartment, ensuring authenticity in both visual and narrative elements.