Devlog #5

Done List:

1.Gathered feedback from class playtesting on Monday and a few friends

2. Adjusted priorities and revised goals based on feedback:

• The game lacked a clear and engaging plot.
• The narrative was too obscure, telling its message directly instead of letting players experience it through gameplay.
• It was not clear what the game was supposed to be about.

3. Realized why I was stuck in my previous brainstorming—the issue was that I was approaching it like a literary analysis, focusing on the logic behind themes and how elements contribute to a single argument, rather than actively building a world and experience from a storytelling perspective. In the end, I understood that I needed to move away from conveying a conceptual ideology and instead focus on creating a fictional world that offers an immersive experience for players. This was a major breakthrough that removed many mental blockers in the production process.

4. Brainstormed the second time using a randomized method:

• Jotted down names of places and characters on sticky notes.
• Crumpled them into balls and selected them at random.
• Used the results to connect concepts, characters, and locations, gradually shaping the story’s structure.
• Made a visual collage representing the 4 acts to get a clear sense of the story.

5. Developed a psychological Neo-noir detective story blend with Twin Peaks-style mystery and surrealistic fantasy horror.

6. Mapped out a 4 act structure and structured Act 1 & Act 2’s main locations & key scenes:

• Act 1: Sanitarium, Beach, Café

 Act 2: Cinema, Dinner, House Party

Worries:
1. After revising the narrative, the scope might now be too large, though I only plan to develop Acts 1 and 2 this semester.

2. I haven’t implemented any systems in Unity yet, which is okay I guess since I officially transitioned into production last week and this week.Now that the ideation phase is wrapping up with a more fleshed-out plot and a settled art style, I can focus solely on development.

I’ve adjusted my production plan accordingly. This week—the second week of Phase 3—I will begin developing all core systems and try to complete them by the end of the week, using next week’s presentation as a small milestone.