Working Title: Echoes of the Bay
Moodboards
Spotify Playlist
Directions
Direction 1: In this narrative-driven adventure, players assume the role of a photographer in a submerged, futuristic San Francisco, using their camera to capture scenes resonant with history. Each photograph unlocks a “time capsule” — vivid, interactive flashbacks revealing stories of the city and the protagonist’s grandparent. These stories highlight significant historical and personal events that shaped the city and the grandparent’s life. As players navigate through the dilapidated yet beautiful cityscape, they encounter both survivors and remnants of the past. The gameplay emphasizes exploration, puzzle-solving, and emotional storytelling, where choices influence not only the preservation of memory but also the morale and culture of the community remnants. This direction emphasizes the themes of memory, legacy, and the impact of individual actions on collective history.
Direction 2: Imagine a game where the protagonist is known as the “Keeper of Echoes,” a role passed down through generations, tasked with maintaining the balance between remembering and forgetting in a society overwhelmed by its past. In this version, the city itself is sentient, with each neighborhood embodying different aspects of human emotion and history. The protagonist’s quest involves reconciling the city’s, their grandparent’s, and their own memories, which are manifested in physical forms — puzzles to solve, spirits to appease, and echoes to harmonize. The narrative explores themes of what it means to remember and forget, the burdens of history, and the quest for personal and collective peace. Gameplay would blend mystical elements with real-world emotional stakes, providing a deep, philosophical undertone to the exploration and interactions.
Direction 3: In this futuristic exploration game, the protagonist discovers that they can not only revisit past memories but also catch glimpses of potential futures. This ability is central to gameplay, where players must use insights from possible futures to solve environmental puzzles and make narrative decisions that affect both the physical and social landscape of submerged San Francisco. This game direction adds a layer of complexity to the narrative, as the protagonist must navigate the moral implications of their choices: What changes are worth making, and at what cost? How does one choose between possible futures? The game challenges players to think critically about the impact of their decisions, blending strategic planning with emotional narrative arcs in a setting that is both hauntingly beautiful and fraught with ethical dilemmas.
