Rationale: Intention
Although my initial concept ideas of unconventional horror and mystery still stand, I decided to add a touch of fantasy to the mix. Moreover, I decided to focus on a less procedural (detective/crime-solving) type of mystery and lean more towards the fantasy side.
Also, instead of the usual, overdone visual novel format of walls of text, I wanted to try something a bit more interactive, keeping to the mechanics of point and click.
Context: Field
The less visual novel elements I’m thinking of adding to my games, the more I’m moving away from the genre as a whole. However, I’m still planning on staying within the horror puzzle niche, so the examples I considered in the previous Folio Plan still apply;
• Spirit Hunter NG series by Aksys Games (2D visual novel, graphical horror, mystery-solving)
• Hello Charlotte series by (Pixel RPG, psychological horror, choice-based multiple endings)
• Little Nightmares by Tarsier Studios (3D platformer, bizarre/unconventional horror, puzzle-based)
In addition to those, the games Angela He has made, such as ; You Left Me and I Woke Up Next To You Again that I’ve mentioned in my Related Works posts, are perfectly in line with the field I plan to pursue.
Method: Conceptual, Technical, Craft & Management
When I was writing my first Folio Plan, I had little to no experience in game design and was unsure about the types of mechanics that were feasible for someone of my level. Now that I’ve experimented with game engines like GameMaker Studio and Unity, I’m a bit more confident about the technical elements I can implement.
I will have a parallax effect that would reveal hidden objects and add to the air of fantasy and mystery. The main mechanic will be to point and click and discover the secrets the game has to offer.