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NARRATIVE

Story and Player Interaction

On this page I have provided some example scenes for the narrative and gameplay. Each scene provides details of the dialogue, the visual environment and the player interaction. I have also provided an explanation for  the purpose of each of those interactions.

Introduction Scene

The game begins at the player-characters home. The visual environment suggests that the main character, Morgan, is living in a state of poverty in a world that is suffering. The wooden house they reside in is crooked and there is a hole in the roof. The sky glows amber and smoke is filling the sky in the distance, beyond the hills. Morgan is stood on the house porch staring into the distance. Their clothes are torn from age, their skin pale and shoulders slumped. It is clear that they lack energy and purpose.

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​Morgan’s father appears next to them on the porch.

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"Morgan, your sister is getting sicker by the day and we are running out of supplies. I'm sorry but your mother and I are not strong enough to collect everything we need. So, I’m afraid we're relying on you kid."

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He hands Morgan a piece of paper.

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"Just do your best to gather what's on this list or anything else you find that’s helpful."

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​The piece of paper opens up on screen to reveal the list of items to collect.

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The aim of the game is for the player to collect items by interacting with the environment and NPC's. The inventory will have a maximum hold of seven items so the player will have to decide the value of what they find. There will be opportunities to choose and trade items.

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Morgan’s father places two items on the porch.

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“Take these and head off”

 

A respiratory mask and a pocketknife.

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"Not long now until it's dark. Be safe"

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He then heads back inside.

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​The mask is essential for outdoor travel, to protect from the potentially harmful atmosphere and disease. These items will not take up space in the inventory. The pocketknife will provide a variety of ways for the player to interact with the environment. 

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​Their father returns inside and Morgan heads towards the forest before pausing at the entrance.

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The player is now free to move Morgan around as they please. The movement indicator will be highlighted. The player will use initiative to pick up the items and that will glow to differentiate from the environment.

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‘Ugh, is the mask really necessary? I’m sure the pocketknife will be useful though”

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Upon picking up items; the icon for the pocketknife interaction will become highlighted in the bottom right corner so the player knows it is purposed for use and separate from the inventory. Morgan will put on the mask and then the next scene will become available.

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As the player heads towards the forest…

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“I can’t believe it has been a month since the forest fire. It’s a miracle we’re still alive. How long can this drought go on for?”

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Throughout the game, Morgan’s thoughts will reveal what has happened to the world and why. This will simply explain the effects of climate change.

Scene to introduce decision making

On the journey, the player will be shown different environments which highlight the ways that climate change is affecting our planet. The first scenario will be a simple test that shows how to play the game and what possible outcomes would be. As the player heads into a forest beside the house, the screen will pan to show the new scene and they will be unable to move back to the previous one.

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The forest is wearing away and plant life is dying. It's an ugly site but there are some sign of life still trying to pull through. There is a stream that is drying up due to the drought caused by rising temperatures. It is heavily polluted by waste. 

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​Walking through the forest anxious yet determined (posture fixed to show determination), Morgan starts to hear gentle weeping.

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"I remember when I used to play in this stream with my family. I miss being a kid..."

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Down by the water, a small rabbit is trapped in some wiring against some shrubs.

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"Oh my gosh, a trapped bunny!"

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The player makes their way down to the stream to get to the rabbit, climbing over a fallen tree and then down a ledge.

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This additional interaction with the environment will make the player use initiative, encourage exploration and hopefully attentiveness. The purpose of this is that we can only start fighting climate change by taking the extra care, consideration and focus. I would hope encouraging this behaviour through a game would transfer to real life.

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​The pocketknife action is highlighted again for the player and once used by this point of interaction; two options will appear. Kill the animal for food. Or use the tool to release the animal and take the wiring for your inventory which is not on the list. What the player is not told is that the item will be helpful to gain an item of higher points later in the game. 

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After the player makes a decision, one of two narrative outcomes will appear.

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The moral option would be to release the animal and Morgan will say "so rare to see wildlife healthy and thriving... I’m sorry we did this to you. We'll fix our mistakes".

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The more thoughtless and less strategic option would be to kill the animal and Morgan will say "Better you than me." This is clearly the more selfish option. The rabbit meat will take place in the inventory and the player loses their opportunity to gain a more useful item.

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​The game will be made up of a series of scenes like this. Each one will show an example of the effect’s climate change has on our planet and a way to combat said effect. For the player, this narrative will hopefully be a source of enlightening education. The scenarios in which they must take considerate action will show what they can do as individuals to create change. And finally, the element of strategy and collecting the objective items is what makes the game playful. 

NPC interaction and dialogue options

The player eventually finds themselves coming across a large farmhouse with a few old rusty cars in the garden. There are solar panels on the roof but other than that is looks mostly uninhabited. Through the cracks of a boarded-up greenhouse, green life is visible.

 

Morgan stops at the beginning of the pathway leading to the front door.

 

“our climate hasn’t been able to sustain plant growth for months now, these people must have built an artificial climate to grow their own food. I wonder if they have enough to share”

 

As the player explores the environment. Morgan’s thoughts will give information about the sustainable strategies such as using solar power and the benefits of growing your own food.

 

Upon exploration of the scene, the player will again have the choice of two interactions. By walking up to the door, they will be able to knock and ask about the greenhouse. If they wonder off path towards the greenhouse, they will be presented the option to break into it. How the player chooses to play out this scene, is a matter of morality. Will they do the right thing and knock? Or will they do the selfish immoral thing and break into the greenhouse to steal the supplies.

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The immoral option...

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The player walks up to greenhouse.

 

“I don’t know if there’s a way to break into it without damaging it. But my family probably need this food more than they do”.

 

The player breaks into the greenhouse by using their pocketknife to cut through a square of the plastic. Suddenly the house owner comes running out with a weapon.

 

“What do you think you’re doing?”

 

“I’m sorry, I wasn’t going to take all of it!”

 

“Get out of here now before I hurt you.”

 

The player lost their opportunity to collect the fresh food by making the wrong decision and they will just have to pass on to the next scene.

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The moral option...

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The player walks up to the front door and knocks.

 

An older man answers the door.

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"Hello. Can I help you?".

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This interaction will open up the opportunity for dialogue options...

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dialogue png.png

The dialogue chain above shows an example of how NPC dialogue would work. The player must empathise with NPC's and de-escalate any aggression if they wish to succeed in obtaining what they require from the interaction. 

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The best outcome of this interaction is a successful trade with the NPC which would reward Morgan with fresh food for their family and satisfy the NPC. This success is dependant on the player treating the NPC with kindness.

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The chain also shows that if the player disgruntles or angers the NPC, they still have the opportunity to turn the conversation around and still be offered a trade. However they would only be able to receive the fresh food if they decided to keep copper wire in their inventory from the beginning of the game.

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This is an example of player punishment but I think that it is necessary in encouraging/teaching the player to take more care and thought when choosing what to collect. It shows that earlier decisions will have future consequences, supporting the idea that every single choice we make, good or evil, matters because it can have greater effects that once perceived. 

 

This relates to how as individuals making small bad choices such as not recycling or walking to work rather than driving collectively has a bigger impact towards climate change.

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