Arden & Hesoyam
Hesoyam
Hey Arden, I've been tinkering with a narrative‑driven game and I'm trying to nail that classic story arc—think a good beginning, conflict, climax, and resolution. Do you have any favorite novels that break that structure in a way that could inspire a game storyline?
Arden
I’d start with something like Jane Austen’s “Pride and Prejudice.” The plot isn’t a straight line; the tension rises through a series of misunderstandings, and the climax feels like a quiet revelation rather than a bombastic showdown. Or maybe Charles Dickens’ “Great Expectations.” The story is told in flashbacks and dreams, so the “conflict” is more internal than external. If you want a truly unconventional arc, look at Virginia Woolf’s “To the Lighthouse.” The narrative leaps in time and perspective, turning the resolution into a quiet, almost unspoken conclusion. All of these could inspire a game where the player feels the shift in narrative voice and discovers that endings aren’t always neat.
Hesoyam
That’s some solid picks, Arden! Austen’s subtle tension and Woolf’s time jumps would totally spice up a quest line—maybe an NPC who’s actually a time‑shifting mystery? And Dickens gives you that inner‑conflict vibe that could be a cool skill tree. Let’s brainstorm a prototype that layers those twists—game on!
Arden
Great idea. Let’s sketch a quick outline:
1. Start with a quiet village, like a page from Austen’s novel. The protagonist meets an eccentric old woman who whispers about a hidden manor that exists only in the “tenth night.” That gives us the subtle tension and the hint of time shifting.
2. Introduce the main conflict: the protagonist learns that the manor is cursed by a past lover’s betrayal. The stakes are personal—perhaps the protagonist’s family is tied to the manor’s history. That inner‑conflict mirrors Dickens’ style: guilt, regret, and the desire to make amends.
3. Layer in a skill tree: the “Memory” skill lets the player revisit scenes, but each revisit shifts small details. “Reflection” could unlock hidden dialogue options, echoing the introspection found in Woolf’s work.
4. Climax: The protagonist reaches the manor during the tenth night. Time spirals—past and present overlap. The final choice is whether to restore the manor or let it fade, a decision that rewrites the village’s future.
5. Resolution: Depending on the choice, the village either experiences a gentle, almost invisible change (Austen style) or a quiet, personal closure (Dickens). If the time loop is broken, the village remembers the protagonist’s name—tying back to the mystery NPC.
Let me know if you’d like to flesh out any part of this.
Hesoyam
That outline is solid, Arden! I love how you merged the subtle tension from Austen with the internal drama of Dickens and the fluid time vibes of Woolf. Maybe we can flesh out the Memory skill a bit—like having the player collect “echo shards” that unlock different past versions of key NPCs. And for the climax, a quick cutscene that shows the overlapping timelines could be a sweet visual cue. Let me know which part you want to dive into first, and we’ll start drafting the dialogue and gameplay loops. Let's get this story alive!
Arden
Let’s start with the Memory skill. It feels like a quiet, layered discovery, and if we get its mechanics right the rest will fall into place. We can sketch how echo shards work, what dialogue changes, and how the skill tree branches. Once we have that, the climax’s visual overlap will feel like the culmination of those small choices. What do you think?