Insomnia is a meta game, the main idea of the game is “People always trust something they fantasize about”. Firstly, I wanted to make a game with three different levels, and there are some kinds of relationship between these levels. Player will transform in the levels and find the narrative under the surface.
Inspiration:
This game’s inspiration comes from Story Untold, which is a narrative puzzle game combining with varies of mechanics. Story Untold have four stories and finally player can tell a main thinking about the game.
According to it, I want to build a spiritual world with fantasy colors. The mechanics don’t need to have too much connections. firstly, player begin in a room with a typewriter, they will switch to the second level by completing something. The second level is explained by texts, player can type some keywords to explore the story, and switch to the third part. The third level is some action puzzle mechanics, player will return to typewriter room when pass the third level. The game has four loops just like it.
Mechanic:
Level01:
Player can click the red typewriter to open the letter UI, and drag any sentences to the block below, then there will be some texts appear on the paper. Clicking the “Enter” key can switch to another level.
Level02:
Level03:
Playtesting and feedback:
Level01:
- Try to let players know which object can be interacted. For example: when cursor stay over an interactive object, cursor will change to another shape.
- Add more interactive text so that player can build different letter.
Level02:
- Need a more detailed guide level to tell the player how to type.
- Give players suggestion when they try too many times.
- Add more available keywords.
- Add more branch for exploring.
Level03:
- Visual guidance of lights is very necessary.
- Platform jumping is always difficult, which will make players annoyed.
- Pushing blue box is an uncomfortable interaction.
- White boxes should conclude more message.