Levels Final Project - Nightshift

Design Problem

How do designers leverage game spaces to help control gameplay/narrative pacing while also giving players time to reflect and engage with the mechanics? At the same time, how should they keep a small playable area engaging for a long period of time using contextual transformations of the space?

High-Level Concept & Scene Design

The game concept revolves around the player avoiding loan sharks. After having gambled away the money he borrowed, the player is now forced to go into ‘hiding’ and work unsteady, remote jobs to make back the money he lost. In this specific scene early in the game, the player is working night shifts at a rural gas station in the middle of nowhere to make money while lying low. Every once in a while, people come into the store or get gas and every interaction is a potential point of tension. ‘Could this person recognize me? Do I have to go on the run again?’ These are the questions running through the main character’s head. The unease and paranoia are contrasted by the peaceful rural night and slow-paced job. The undertones of tension are meant to be contrasted by the relaxing nature of the actual gameplay.

The scene is designed to be a small-scale gas station/convenience store in the middle of nowhere within the Pacific Northwest. The lonely highway stretches in both directions with nothing but hills, trees, and darkness all around. The neon lights of the gas station and convenience store stand out in stark contrast. The player is a cashier managing the night shift. Occasionally, a car drives past or a customer comes in to buy something. NPCs may request certain items from the player. As per the feedback received, we have narrowed the scope to be a stationary player behind the counter. This allows us to design what the player sees and hears to get the desired emotional outcome.

Reference/Mood Board - https://app.milanote.com/1RQAXe1MQF5S75?p=aLFlqz9iCbZ