Devlog_9-24_Prototype

My Game Design concept outlined a game where you play as a judge in a near-future dystopian court system where Ai ruling have replaced most of Due Process.

The feedback I received on my concept document was significantly helpful as it indicated to me what did and didn't work and prompted new ideas I hadn't considered. One of the best pieces of advice I received was the idea to transform real images into my art. I lack art skills, so this idea, alongside inspirations from YouTube (pictured below), gave me an idea on an aesthetic to shoot for.

I decided to use RenPy, as reccomended by my professor, since it incorporates visuals well into a text-based experience as proven by acclaimed titles such as "Doki Doki Literature Club" and "Slay the Princess".

A good amount of my time was getting used to the quirks of RenPy as I had not used the engine before or Python either. In my prototype, I wanted to practice executing most of the techniques I want to use for my final product (NVL mode, images, color and outlines of text, menus, etc.). 

In regards to my core loop, I made a strippped down version of it that's coherent narratively and acts as a sort of vertical slice to what the game could be. My loop consists of: information, investigation, judgement, and consequences. Setting this up on a small scale with much of the detail removed helped me get a sense of how this loop would flow as well as how it would work functionally in-engine. 

After overcoming some of RenPy's basic learning curve, I found it simple to iterate on interactions as the system RenPy uses is extremely modular. Through my prototyping and testing process, I was able to discover the ratio of time spent developing to content in RenPy which will better help estimate time needed to develop my project fully. I also discovered that while my core loop works, it needs lots of embellishment and detail in order to make each case a significant length so the player feels invested. This can likely be resolved through my planned "Memory Exploration" sequence I want to implement in each trial which gives full backgrounds and characters to help the player learn more, empathize, and ultimately provide more content.

I also went back and forth on whether or not to make the player character distinct or just serve as a stand-in. My idea, as of now, is to have the character speak and express thoughts that are fairly neutral. In turn, these would be influenced to go in one direction or another based on the player's choices. 

Going forward, my goal will be to flesh out the game's world and trials, add sound effects and music, refine image implementation, and hone in on the player experience and how their interactions shape the narrative.