Posted on by Amber Holt

Final Game Research? 

For my final game, I really wanted to try to make a video game, so I’ve conducted a little bit of research about various video game making software and applications. I really would like to make a choose-your-own-adventure game, something that is super narrative and text-based. So I started looking up the best platforms to make stuff like this and this is what I came up with. If anyone has any other suggestions for what I could use, I greatly appreciate it! 

Game Reviews 

As part of my exploration for this game, I also played various interactive fiction type games, specifically ones that were made using Twine. Twine is a big contender for what I will use to make this game, as it is mentioned a lot online and I really like some of the games that people have created using it. I highly recommend playing some!! 

A Man Outside – https://litrouke.itch.io/a-man-outside 

  • Was it fun? Yes! And very suspenseful at that! I was super impressed with the way the game was made as well. 
  • What were the player interactions? As a single player game, the player did have the chance to interact with other “characters”. There was a text conversation going on between you and your friend, regarding the man standing out your window. The friend would check in on you and it helped escalate the game.
  • How long did it take to learn? I learned this game almost instantly. With the help of little notes and flashing symbols indicating what to click, it made it very easy to grasp. 
  • Would you play it again? Yes, I would, especially to see if there were any other endings that I missed. I also wasn’t able to play with sound for my first playthrough and I think that would really add to the game experience. 
  • Analyze the game using the 3 act structure. Act 1: text conversation with your friend begins. You discuss about how you need to study on your vocabulary app, but there is a weird guy who has been standing outside your window for a long time. You complete the first set of vocabulary flashcards on your phone. Act 2: the man is still there, and you move on to work on the second set of vocabulary flashcards. The flashcards start to glitch a little bit and some of the words have creepy definitions, and the tension really starts building. Act 3: the man is still there (at some point he does disappear though). Your friend gets worried and you have to make the decision to either call your mom or ask your friend to drive there. I asked my friend to drive there, but before she got there, the man disappeared and I heard a sound in the house. I thought it was my friend but when I went to go investigate, I presumably died and had the “bad ending”. 
  • What is the game’s metaphor and which of the game’s mechanics standout? This is a horror game about trying to do your school homework, but there is something that threatens your safety outside, however you are persistent to finish your homework, but it can lead to your demise. I thought it was super interesting to have the player actually go through the vocabulary flashcards. The glitching moments of that were also super cool and made it very suspenseful. 
  • What was the most frustrating moment or aspect of what you just played? It felt like some of the cards took forever to load up or assess if I was right or wrong, but I’m pretty sure that that was intentional to add to the anxiety and suspense. 
  • What was your favorite moment or aspect of what you just played? My favorite aspect of the game was the subtle details in the vocabulary cards. The definitions seemingly reflected the situation that you were in at times and were actually quite challenging to answer. (It also let you pick your vocabulary level and I thought that was a nice touch!)
  • Was there anything you wanted to do that you couldn’t? I don’t think there was a way to go back to the text conversation without exiting the vocabulary app altogether and losing your progress, so I wish I could have done that. 
  •  If you had a magic wand to wave, and you could change, add, or remove anything from the experience, what would it be? I think I would have enjoyed more emphasis on the text conversation. 
  • What should be improved with the next version? Very little! Maybe more alternate endings?
  • What was the game’s message? Homework can wait. Prioritize your safety. 
  • Describe the game in 3 words. Suspenseful, educational, dark

Goodbye – https://artsybarrels.itch.io/goodbye (depression and suicide warning)

  • Was it fun? I enjoyed the game, but I’m not sure I would call it fun. It’s a little too sad a subject for that. 
  • What were the player interactions? The player got to make decisions that determined the actions of their character. The player was also able to interact with other characters, most notably, the mom, as they are on their way to end their life. In certain paths of the game you also have the opportunity to call other characters such as your sister, dad, or friends to say your goodbyes. 
  • How long did it take to learn? Games like this are pretty intuitive so I understood it pretty much instantly. 
  • Would you play it again? Yes, I would like to go through all of the different storylines and endings. 
  • Analyze the game using the 3 act structure. With a game like this, the 3 act structure is going to change based on your actions. The 3rd act in some of the playthroughs ends with your character ending their life, and the others you decide not to. But generally the first act is how are you going to start the day that you intend on ending your life (will you shower, clean your room, etc.) and then the 2nd act is when you go downstairs and have to say something to your mom as you are leaving. This is a pretty pivotal point in the game as your mom notices that something is wrong and here is where you may select a choice that will convince you to not end your life. 
  • What is the game’s metaphor and which of the game’s mechanics standout? The game’s metaphor is about depression, suicidal thoughts, with a big emphasis on saying goodbye to people before you end your life. The mechanics themselves weren’t necessarily anything special, but I really liked the touch of being able to select who to say goodbye to in the one ending. 
  • What was the most frustrating moment or aspect of what you just played? I think the frustration I experienced was mostly out of anxiety of not knowing what was going to happen. It is frustrating because you don’t want to think about someone ending their life and frustration about what your family members have to say in their last conversation with you. It was all intentional. 
  • What was your favorite moment or aspect of what you just played? The art style of this game was beautiful, and I think they really portrayed a scenario like this well. It definitely had me in my feelings. 
  • Was there anything you wanted to do that you couldn’t? 
  •  If you had a magic wand to wave, and you could change, add, or remove anything from the experience, what would it be? Not really!!
  • What should be improved with the next version? Maybe slightly more interactivity or choices? But I also don’t want it to become unrealistic for a person who is battling depression. 
  • What was the game’s message? Saying goodbye to loved one’s before you end your life. (very well done!!)
  • Describe the game in 3 words. Beautiful, heart-wrenching, poetic 

2 Replies to “Final Game Research? ”

  1. I’d say you should go for it, as making a videogame can give the creator far more freedom in terms of how they wish to present their game, and have it played. I’d also love to see your art either in stills or animated even, as I feel like your art holds stories behind it, and I think making a story based game can give you the artist so much less constraints that a board game might do. With videogames there’s art everywhere, from the backgrounds, to the characters themselves, and even the scores.

    1. Thank you. I appreciate it. I would like to add music, and would love to develop my own scores but I know nothing about that lol. My game will probably be pretty barebones, all things considered.

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