MECHANICS

Navigation and controls

Below is a concept piece I have made for the beginning scene of the game. I have added the relevant UI pieces that will be used for navigation.

Movement

Objectives

Interactive tool

Change Our Fate is a side scrolling game that is made up of a series of scenes. The player cannot pass to the next scene before completing the given challenge. They will be able to continue walking to the next scene and the image will pan as they do so. Once they have passed from one scene onto the next, the previous one will no longer be accessible which would prevent them from going back and changing the items they have chosen to pick up on their journey.

The icon at the bottom left of the image will be used for the player-character movement using their left thumb. They just have to drag their thumb over the icon to the left, right, up or down to move their character. This will allow them to move left and right on the screen as well as climb up and down or over obstacles.

The interactive tool in the bottom left-hand corner is a pocket knife, given to the character in the first scene (see narrative), that will be used to interact with different parts of the environment in each scene such as cutting loose a trapped rabbit or using it to clear path.

The movement and interaction icons have been placed in the bottom corners of the screen as this game will be played on a touch screen device. The player will be able to comfortably use these buttons with their thumbs and without parts of their hands covering the screen.

In the top right-hand corner are two more buttons that provide access to a list of objective items and main menu. The objective list is made up of the items Morgan is tasked to retrieve and the player can access this at any time throughout the game.

The menu button will provide access to game settings and allow the player to quit the game with or without saving progress.

Dialogue and NPC interaction

The dialogue is an incredibly important element of the game because alongside the descriptive visuals, it provides the education that the game promises. Dialogue will explain the process of climate change, the different ways it is affecting our world and the methods that are available to prevent it.

It will come from three sources.

1. As the player follows the journey, Morgan will think out loud thoughts they have about the surrounding environment and how they feel about it. This will allow the player to connect with the storyline and the character. Some dialogue will automatically display on screen when the player passes by a set point. This will be essential information. Movement will be stopped until the player clicks on the dialogue to confirm that they have read it. Then they will be able to proceed back on the journey. The player will also be able to learn more about the environment by clicking on interactive points.

2. NPC's throughout the game will also contribute to the sharing of information. They will provide explanations for features of the environment in particular scenes and share how the changing world is affecting them as individuals. There will be a range of character types, of different classes, social backgrounds and political beliefs. These individual stories will evoke empathy in the player and help them to feel as though their actions really matter.

3. Interactive dialogue will sometimes be available to assist different events and test the players ability to empathise and communicate adaptively. Aggressive NPC's will need to be calmed down and upset NPC's should encouraged and comforted. These interactive conversations wills serve the purpose of the narrative and allow the player to complete the objectives.

Here is a concept showing how the dialogue would show up in-game. As the player walks up to the forest, Morgan will be stopped and the speech bubble will show up to be read.

This dialogue will be most helpful in telling the narrative of the game and explaining what is happening to the environment.

On the right is an example of dialogue that is specific to a single part of the scene. This will show a highlighted outline in game to show the player that they are able to interact with it.

Giving the player the option to interact with the environment will encourage exploration and attention to details.

Inventory and Items

The main objective of the game is to collect a list of seven items given to the player at trhe very beginning of the game. The list is made of supplies that will be collected by successfully completing events that challenge the player to make ethical decisions. These supplies are items that will aid the survival of Morgan and their family.

The list:

- Food

- Water

- Medicine

- Communication device

- Power source

- Light source

- Tools

The items on the list are unspecific so that the player will find multiple opportunities to attempt to complete it. There will be a variety of options for each of them. For example, for food the player will be able to collect, meat and dairy, tinned food or fresh food. The meat and dairy items will of less value to the player than the tinned or fresh food as its production contributes to mass carbon emissions. The more sustainable or useful the supply that is collected, the greater the success. To win, the player just needs to collect 5 of the items on the list. But if they manage to find the more valuable items they will have a better score at the end of the game.

The player can only carry seven items in their inventory at a time. Therefore, they must trade out what they already have if they find what they think is a better alternative. They could aim for 5 items and then try to find two high point items of the same categories to try and get a greater score.

Low point items: 1 point

Meat

Lighter

Sun protection

Stamps

Spanner

Mobile phone

Regular items: 2 points

Bottled Water

Candles

Multi-tool

Bandages

Batteries

Tinned food

Wind up radio

High point items: 3 points

Fresh vegetables

Water purifying tablets

Torch

Small toolbox

Medical kit

Seeds

Solar Charger

The player must find the 5 key items on the list to win the game. At the end the points the player has earned for each item will be added up and displayed. This system will encourage the player to go back and play again to attempt to beat their score and therefore further explore the different scenarios and interactions in more detail and possibly cover something they might have missed during their first play.