DEV Community: Hanna Park

Weekly Dev Diary #3 - Crafting a World Shaped by Memory and Time ⏳

Hanna Park — Tue, 22 Oct 2024 06:33:03 +0000

Welcome back to another exciting episode of our weekly dev diary! 😎

We’re thrilled to have you with us as we continue exploring the philosophical depth behind our game’s design. 📚 In this entry, we’re diving deeper into how time and memory play crucial roles in shaping the dynamic world you’ll be experiencing, drawing inspiration from the works of philosophers Bernard Stiegler and Gilbert Simondon. 🧠

TL;DR This dev diary explores how time and memory affect the game world, with past actions shaping future events and relationships, leading to a dynamic, evolving narrative based on player choices.

Keep reading ⬇️

Time as a Narrative Element ♾️

In our game, time is not just a mechanical feature with ticking clocks or standard day-night cycles. Instead, it reflects how your past decisions resonate throughout the world, affecting future outcomes. Drawing from Stiegler’s concept of technological memory, we’ve designed a system where the game remembers your actions. Whether you treated an NPC kindly or harshly, the consequences will ripple through the game. For instance, NPCs will react differently based on how you’ve interacted with them in the past, and key events may unfold in unique ways due to your earlier choices.

Memory’s Impact on Gameplay 🏃‍♂️‍➡️🏃‍♀️‍➡️

Think of the game’s world as a form of collective memory — similar to how human memory retains traces of past events. This collective memory either aids or challenges you as you progress. Maybe a character you helped long ago will come to your rescue in a crucial moment, or an enemy faction you angered will seek revenge when you least expect it. Our goal is to move beyond the conventional “save/load” mechanic and offer a world that evolves and remembers, where your decisions leave lasting footprints.

The Evolution of World Design 🌏

This idea of memory and time doesn’t only shape the narrative — it influences the game’s level design and character interactions. Every action the player takes is remembered by the game world, creating a dynamic environment that evolves over time based on those choices. This means that the physical layout of levels and the relationships between characters are fluid, adapting to past decisions. This approach ensures that every playthrough feels unique, offering a fresh experience as the world responds to each decision the player makes.

We hope you’re as excited as we are about how these elements will deepen the gameplay experience. Let us know your thoughts in the comments, and don’t forget to check back for more insights into how the game continues to evolve!

For more on this series, feel free to check out our previous diaries here and here.

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What’s Next?
In the next episode, we’ll explore C. Thi Nguyen’s game theory, which emphasizes structuring games with goals, abilities, rules, and obstacles.
Players develop creativity and narrative skills by navigating these constraints, leading to an aesthetic experience where they assess their competence and find harmony between their action-oriented self and the challenges they face.
Stay tuned to see how these ideas shape our game design! See you next week 🖐️

Weekly Dev Diary #2 - Narrative Depth and Choices: A Philosophical Playground 🎡

Hanna Park — Tue, 15 Oct 2024 10:52:24 +0000

Hey everyone! 😊
Welcome back to our dev diary series. 👩‍💻 Today, we’re diving into how philosophy shapes the narrative of our game, making every choice you make feel personal and meaningful. 🌟

TL;DR Our game’s narrative is shaped by philosophical concepts, where your choices leave lasting consequences, influencing the storyline, your character’s growth, and how you engage with the world.

Keep reading ⬇️

Philosophy in Action: Narrative Influences 🪜
Inspired by Stiegler and Simondon, our game focuses on how memory and individuation shape your journey. Every choice leaves a lasting impact, influencing how the story unfolds and how the world around you grows. Just as your brain adapts to experiences, your decisions reshape the game world, affecting character relationships and future events. The game grows with you, creating a personalized narrative that reflects your unique choices.

Multi-layered Storytelling: More Than Just Right or Wrong 🤷‍♀️🤷‍♂️
Drawing from Schiller’s ideas on reason and emotion, we’ve designed the game’s choices to carry more than just practical or moral consequences. Every decision you make also shapes your character’s emotional development and the aesthetic dimension of the game world. Sometimes, success isn’t about winning or losing but about finding deeper meaning in your choices. This approach makes every decision personal, encouraging you to reflect on your actions as you progress.

L’imaginaire in Play: Exploring Existence, Space, and Expression 📊
We start from Jean-Paul Sartre’s concept of l’imaginaire, setting up three fundamental axes: existence, space-time, and expression. These elements are deeply embedded in the gameplay, allowing players to engage with the world through these philosophical dimensions. They form a core part of our approach, expanding the boundaries of traditional gameplay and genre, offering a deeper, more reflective experience.

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Thank you for joining us in exploring how philosophy and personal choices shape the narrative experience of our game. Just like the decisions you’ll make, our development continues to evolve, creating a world full of depth and meaning.

What’s Next?
In our next dev diary, we’ll explore how your actions leave lasting marks on the game world, with time and memory influencing future events and character relationships. Stay tuned to see how the world evolves based on the choices you make!
See you next week 🖐️

Weekly Dev Diary #1 — Crafting the Core Philosophy of Game Existence

Hanna Park — Tue, 08 Oct 2024 09:34:44 +0000

Hello, fellow gamers and game enthusiasts! 👾

Welcome to our first dev diary! 🎉 In this entry, we’re excited to share what makes our game unique — its deep philosophical foundation.🧐 Beyond just impressive visuals and mechanics, our game is designed around meaningful ideas that shape both the story and how you play.🎮

TL;DR Our game is all about growing and evolving as you play, inspired by the ideas of Simondon, Stiegler, and Schiller. Your decisions shape not just the game, but also your own journey. We want to reward creativity and adaptability, making your experience deeper and more meaningful.

Keep reading ⬇️

The Philosophical Underpinnings 📖

Our game’s design draws from the philosophies of Gilbert Simondon and Bernard Stiegler. Simondon’s ideas on human-machine interaction shape how we focus on player becoming — your decisions, mistakes, and victories don’t just affect outcomes, but also shape your relationship with the game world and characters. Rather than simply overcoming challenges, you evolve through the game’s processes. Stiegler’s ideas on technological memory shape how your actions leave lasting effects on the game world, much like how memories shape the brain. The game evolves with you, making each decision meaningful and part of your growth as a player.

Gilbert Simondon

Bernard Stiegler

Building a Narrative with Depth 🌌

We also lean heavily on Friedrich Schiller’s ideas from On the Aesthetic Education of Man. Schiller’s views on aesthetics, freedom, and human development inform how our narrative choices aren’t just “win” or “lose” but instead contribute to a more holistic sense of personal growth within the player. Much like in life, not all decisions in the game are binary; they’re nuanced and affect your aesthetic and ethical growth.

Friedrich Schiller

Gameplay Evolution: More Than Just Mechanics 🧠

Our gameplay isn’t just about following set rules. Inspired by Christiane Ganter-Argast’s work on brain plasticity and creativity, we focus on rewarding creative problem-solving. Instead of grinding through levels, we want you to tackle challenges in flexible ways that help both you and your character grow.

Christiane Ganter-Argast

Thank you for joining us in this first look at the philosophy behind our game. Your journey, like the game itself, is one of evolution, and we can’t wait to share more.

What’s Next?
We’re excited to bring you our game that’s about more than action — it’s about growth and depth. Stay tuned for how these ideas shape our level design! See you next week 🖐️