Recalculating...
Interactive Narrative | PC | Team of 3 | 6 Months
Game Designer & Programmer
Finalist
"Recalculating" is a soft-thriller visual-novel that simulates an uncomfortable position familiar to many: being in a rideshare vehicle. The game takes place in the back seat, with players talking to the driver by launching a ball at dialogue options bouncing around the screen. As the game progresses and the narrative intensifies, certain things become harder to say... literally.
Showcasing "Recalculating" at MIGS 2019
"Recalculating" at the 2019 MIGA Awards!
Design Goal
The design goal of "Recalculating..." was to capture the challenge of speaking though dialogue selection. This meant designing a system that reflected the chaos and nuance of trying to say "the right thing." To achieve this, I took an old ball-game prototype, and re-contextualized it for dialogue.
Development
Multiple changes were made from the original prototype. The ball was simplified to select the first option it hit, unique level designs were added to better reflect the content of the conversation, and the narrative scope was expanded be a more non-linear experience.
As the game designer and programmer on "Recalculating...", I conducted playtests, iterated upon mechanics based on feedback, then coded those alterations into the game.
Result
"Recalculating" was a finalist at the 2019 Montreal Independent Game Awards (MIGA) in the Narrative Design category.
The game was also a curated selection for Wordplay in Toronto, and the Montreal International Games Summit (MIGS).
Finalist
