Brief: Class exercise to design a game focused around the theme "Interesting Choices". The majority of choices in the game should have a real impact.

Constraints: The game must be completed within the time frame and must clearly observe the Alpha, Beta and Gold milestones. Since this is going to be a CYOA game, it must also adhere to act structure, story arcs, and rich characters without losing its 'Interesting Choices'.

Concept: I opted to do a CYOA game using an overarching storyline divided into genres. The Player starts in the same place, arriving at a friend's house to meet them. She is gone. The Player's choices shape both the story and the genre that the Player can pursue. The four genres are Crime/Thriller, Fantasy, Sci-Fi, and Rom-Com. 

Choices will shape the Player's stats, which will add or remove certain options when playing the game. Initially, the game was planned to have 12 endings, a good neutral and bad for each genre.

Game Design lecturer suggested aiming for around 5,000 words given the timeframe, which seemed reasonable.

Engine: ChoiceScript

Timeframe: 5 'weeks' (most done during uni hours due to work)

Role: Narrative Designer

Team: Solo Project

Result: Forgot I used to write a lot.

Within the time frame, I completed a 10,000-word game containing four genres and several story arcs for the Player to experience. The game has a variety or endings which can be divided into 'live' or 'die'. As to win or lose... You can finish the game alive with your target alive, but not necessarily both happy. You can finish the game with one or both of you dying. Since your goal is to save Eliza (usually), does sacrificing yourself mean you won or lost?

It has since expanded to 28,500 words to be Beta tested for ChoiceStory's Hosted site.

It can be played HERE. Give it a go and send some feedback. I'm still trying to find those last 3,000 words without resorting to pointless descriptions, conversations, etc. Go on. It's got everything from alien abduction to serial killers ; )

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As requested by testers, THIS is the story map to see where things are and where choices can land you. By necessity, there isn't a whole lot of detail.