What have we done to each other?
"The thing about memories is that they don't always stay buried. And one day, we all have to face our mistakes, our regrets and our dirty little secrets."
What have we done to each other is a demo for PC made by a team of 10 members for our final university project on 2020. It is a narrative adventure game in the psychological thriller genre with shifting POV about a dark family secret coming to light with consequences to the story depending on the player’s choices.
Synopsis: In 1995, Dove Point, Missouri, a little girl named Hope was awfully killed, leaving a small town in shock over yet another victim of the infamous Iron Teeth killer. Or so everyone thought. In 2010 siblings Ava, Caleb and Mia discover new evidence about their cousin's death, but as their investigation moves forward, unclear memories of the past start to resurface. In order to find the truth the siblings are forced to dive into gruesome family secrets that could tear them apart. As the saying goes, the truth will set you free… but at what cost?
The game revolves around three siblings leading an investigation to discover what happened to their cousin when they were children. Along the way they work through their own past traumas and decide what they are willing to sacrifice to get to the truth. Soon they realize their memories are tainted and not everyone can be trusted.
The past is just a story you tell yourself
My role:
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Narrative designer
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Game writer
Goal: To build a dramatic and cinematic experience revolving around a series of complex and flawed characters with unreliable perspectives within a mysterious plot with impactful choices. We were inspired by crime and noir stories but in this case the objective is not only to find the culprit but to decide what to do with them as well.
Download:
https://what-have-we-done.itch.io/whwdteo
Fact sheet:
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Vertical slice from a narrative/adventure game for our final thesis at Cnam-Enjmin university.
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Genre: psychological thriller.
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Platform: PC.
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Team: 10 members.
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Development: 4 months (from november 2019 to february 2020)
Mechanics:
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Exploration of different environments and ambiances.
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Interaction with objects to learn the story behind them.
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Access to memories from each of the main character’s shared past in Memory Mode.
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Choices in the form of actions or dialogues, that could impact the story short or long-term.
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Influence on relationship status between main characters and/or NPC’s.
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Triggering visions in the form of Past Sequences to interpret their meaning.
Characters: The main characters are Ava, Caleb and Mia. Each one has their own personal goal, obstacles to overcome throughout the story, their own personality trais, and a unique ability to communicate with others.
Ava: Oldest daughter who had to take too many responsibilities at a young age. She ignores her own personal desires to take care of her family. Ava is bitter and angry about her personal sacrificies so others could live the life they wanted.
Caleb: Middle child who abandoned his family duties for big city dreams that ended up failing in the end. He likes to come across as an adventurous and cool guy, but is deadly afraid of failure and the possibility of ghaving to live a dull life.
Story Structure:
This vertical slice only covers part of an overall story divided in 5 chapters. Each chapter would reveal parts of the main plot, and pieces of each main character's subplot.
Chapter 1 – Beginning of the story. Mia discovers new evidence on Hope's murder. Her siblings Ava and newly arrived Caleb join Mia in her search for the truth, as forgotten memories start coming to the surface.
Chapter 2 – A new name that could have significance in Hope's case comes up, and Ava tries to protect Mia from her own painful memories.
Chapter 3 – Tragedy strikes, and the sibling's investigation seems to hit a dead end, until a memory from the past leads Caleb to believe somebody in the family is lying.
Chapter 4 – Questions arise as it becomes clear somebody is hiding something. The search for the truth finally comes to an end, and the siblings are faced with a hard decision.
Chapter 5 – The siblings assume the consequences of their decision and each one follows their own path towards the future, be it intertwined or completely separated from the rest of the family.
Mia: Youngest child and Hope's best friend. Mia is creative and smart, but never really recovered from Hope's death. She feels stuck in memories of the past she can't understand, quickly gets obsessed trying to look for answers.
I’m sorry, Hope…
I’m so sorry, but I fear I'm forgetting you.