Moodboard
Playlist
Narrative Directions
1. Free Exploration + Interactive Story
This direction focuses on exploration where the player moves through the house at their own pace. It relies on a strong background story to keep players engaged, similar to What Remains of Edith Finch. There are no clear goals or instructions, and the player figures things out by observing small details in the environment. The main mechanics are simple movement, switching between animal characters, and interacting with nearby objects. Each character changes how the player moves and what they can reach. The dog explores the ground level, the cat reaches higher places, and the fish moves through the basement aquarium. Progress comes from slowly understanding the space and finding new areas naturally.
2. Perception-Based Puzzle Solving
This direction is the closest to what we are currently developing. It uses the player’s memory and perception as the main mechanic. The player sees small details that become useful later. Things that did not make sense at first can become hints after switching characters. The game tracks what the player has seen and uses that for progression. For example scratches or object placements might look random but help guide the player later. Each animal character allows the player to notice different things. The gameplay is about recognizing patterns and using them to solve puzzles.
3. Minigame Based Progression
This direction uses small minigames to make progress. The player encounters small challenges in different parts of the house and gets rewards after completing them. These rewards can be tools or access to new areas. Each animal character can have its own type of minigame. The dog might focus on smelling or searching, the cat on climbing or timing, and the fish can move through water. The mechanics are more structured compared to the other directions.
