Mystic Enigma
(Working title)
Synopsis
This is a game of mystery and intrigue, of relationships formed and broken across time. It’s a story of an unsolved mystery inspired by true events in the past.
The game will begin with the player being introduced to the space and the mystery through a series of intro tasks. The player is taken through a digitally and mechanically enhanced miniature representation of a physical space. They can unlock different doors, boxes, and encrypted messages to advance in the game and get closer to solving the mystery.
A potentially unique aspect of our game is its temporal dimension. Players might navigate the same space across different time periods, enabling them to piece together the puzzle by observing and potentially sharing their findings. The past and present could intertwine as players collaborate, making the gameplay not only intellectually stimulating but also socially engaging.
Audience
The players we see playing this game are 12+ in age, to appreciate some of the complexities of the cyphers and puzzles. They will also be fans of social games and enjoy problem solving.
Tone
We hope this will be a mind-bending game. A psychological thriller which will leave players feeling like they worked for it and it spun their head around. Specifically we want to include these things to help reinforce that.
- Multiple potential answers that keep players on their feet and keep them wondering about where the story might go until they actually solve the full game.
- Unexpected twists that surprise players and add layers of mystery to the story.
- Nostalgic elements that don’t always turn out to be the way they expected.
Gameplay
The game will mainly be played through a physical board or box (we’ll say board for the rest of this document) and a digital interface. Players can advance on a physical board, perhaps using avatars with sensors attached. The board can be programmed to unlock aspects of the game when it senses the avatar reaching certain special zones.
Meanwhile, the digital interface might provide hints and some puzzles that can feed into the game.
We want to immerse players with audio and visuals both in real life and in the digital sphere.
Gameplay idea 1
As players solve different puzzles, their pawns move in a house blueprint to uncover new mysteries. At some point, a specific pawn might be asked to turn on the group, and then it is a race to the end between good and evil.
Gameplay idea 2
The game is played by 2 players/teams, were each team has a different box set in a different era, and they try to work together to solve the mystery by communicating the puzzles.
Artifacts
Our team is mainly comprised of makers, and thus, we wanted to create artifacts that players can feel with their hands.
