Paws & Personalities

Paws & Personalities: A Journey to Self-Discovery" is an interactive narrative game where players guide a compassionate cat, Whiskers, to help Sarah, a young woman facing mental health challenges, through a path of empathy, understanding, and self-discovery.

Use "WASD" to control movement of the cat, mouse-drag to move camera :)

***Below are Unimplemented MBTI Questions***

Integrated MBTI-Style Personality Test

Introduction in Game

Brief: As Whiskers observes Sarah's daily life, help him understand her personality better. Does she lean towards being an Introvert or an Extrovert?

Question 1

• Text: "When Whiskers first met Sarah, did she..."
• Choices:
  • "A. Seem to enjoy the quiet of her apartment, finding comfort in solitude?" → Go to Question 2
  • "B. Brighten up at the chance to interact with Whiskers, showing excitement in meeting someone new?" → Go to Question 2

Question 2

• Text: "During their time together, does Sarah prefer to..."
• Choices:
  • "A. Have quiet moments, often engaging in activities like reading with Whiskers beside her?" → Go to Question 3
  • "B. Play and chat with Whiskers, actively seeking his company?" → Go to Question 3

Question 3

• Text: "When Sarah is feeling down, does she..."
• Choices:
  • "A. Retreat into her own space, seeking time alone to recharge?" → Go to Question 4
  • "B. Find comfort in Whiskers’ company, talking to him and playing together?" → Go to Question 4

Question 4

• Text: "How does Sarah typically spend her weekends with Whiskers?"
• Choices:
  • "A. Enjoying quiet activities at home, like gardening or painting?" → Go to Question 5
  • "B. Going out to pet-friendly cafes or parks, enjoying the bustling atmosphere?" → Go to Question 5

Question 5

• Text: "In her interactions with others, does Sarah..."
• Choices:
  • "A. Listen more and prefer deeper conversations with a few close friends?" → Go to Results
  • "B. Enjoy meeting new people and easily engage in lively discussions?" → Go to Results

Results in Game

• Logic:
  • If most choices are "A", the result is "Introvert (I)"
  • If most choices are "B", the result is "Extrovert (E)"
• Text for Introvert (I): "Sarah seems to be more of an Introvert. She finds comfort in her own space and enjoys deep, meaningful interactions."
• Text for Extrovert (E): "Sarah seems to be more of an Extrovert. She gets energized by social interactions and enjoys being around others, including Whiskers."

Game Development Log:

Game Loop: Move around - Interact with Objects - Get Feedbacks

Process Journal 

What is your idea? Describe the full game in a couple of sentences

A narrative game that can guide player finding more about themselves. A self-exploration game. 

What question do you want to answer?

Will player understand themselves more after playing this game?

Describe the prototype you will build to answer the above question

It will be a prototype that may contains more texts with less movement interactions. 

What do you (yourself) plan on accomplishing this first week?

Finalize the game idea and start writing the game scripts. 

Collecting all necessary assets. (Arts, Muisc etc)

Process Journal 3:

Developer Log: Week 1 Summary

• Accomplishments: Created game's cover image; drafted essential narratives and game logic. Initially planned for Twine, shifted to Unity 3D, but settled on Bitsy 3D due to technical challenges.
• Impact on Demo Plan: The platform transition reshaped the demo approach. Bitsy 3D's constraints and strengths necessitated a revised strategy for game development.
• Next Week's Goals: Focus on enhancing object interactions and refining game logic in the Bitsy 3D prototype, aiming for a more intuitive and immersive player experience.

Reflection Journal 3:

Reflecting on the concept demo of my game, I can say that it aligns well with the core loop I envisioned. The final outcome is successful, capturing the essence of the game's theme and mechanics. However, it's apparent that the game could benefit from more dialogues and interactive elements to enrich the player experience.

The demo effectively answered my initial question. It succeeded in making players feel connected and engaged, and their responses to the game were overwhelmingly positive. This feedback confirms that the game's concept resonates well with its audience.

To enhance the game, my focus will be on adding more interactive objects and dialogues. I also plan to experiment with a broader color scheme. This will ensure that players' judgments and experiences are shaped by their interactions with the game environment, rather than preconceived notions influenced by color.

Moving forward, the game will expand to include additional rooms, weaving in a more comprehensive story. Integrating music is another key aspect I intend to implement, aiming to create a more immersive and emotionally resonant experience for the player. These developments are geared towards enriching the game, making it not just a visual journey, but a multi-sensory experience that deeply engages players in the narrative.

Thank you for those play-tested my game :)

Credits:

Game Design & Narrative: Murphy Li (2023)

Game Engine: https://aloelazoe.itch.io/bitsy-3d (Bitsy-3D Beta Version)

Cover image is generated by OpenAI, DALL E