NARRATIVE DESIGN

I wanted to build a mystery that felt like a cozy but clever puzzle. The real trick was balancing supernatural european folklore with a dose of absurdist humor (very much inspired by authors like Terry Pratchett). I had to make sure the 'silly' situations didn't undermine the overall tone of the investigation, all while working with low-poly models that couldn't 'act' like actors in a movie, leaving all the emotional heavy lifting to the dialogue.

• Writing for the Engine: Since our characters had limited expressions, I leaned into explicit, punchy dialogue to guide the player. I treated the script as a technical blueprint, not just a story.
• Dialogue Choices: To improve player agency, I developed a branching system where every choice is color-coded in blue. This wasn't just for me; it was a visual map that helped implementing complex conversations without getting lost in the script.
• Iterative Polishing: Every line went through an iterative polish to strip away redundant text to let the comedic timing and the mystery shine.

• Less is More: I learned that in a game, a redundant sentence is a hurdle for the player. Multiple passes were key to finding that 'sweet spot' between a rich world and a fast-paced game.
• Limitations are Fuel: Working with low-poly taught me that when you can't show a character’s smirk, you have to make the player feel it through their voice and the choices they're forced to make.
• Tone is a Mechanic: Using humor isn't just for laughs: it is a tool to make complex information stick and to keep the player curious about the next weird encounter.