At this stage, we are in the Discovery Phase of our production schedule, and testing and feedback have been limited as the foundational aspects of the project are still under development. However, we have received valuable preliminary feedback from Sophie, which has provided direction for the next stages of development.

General Impressions

Sophie provided positive feedback on the game concept, commending the team for creating a project that aligns with each member’s strengths and interests:

• Koyin's Role: Sophie recognized that this project offers a significant opportunity for me to enhance their UX/UI design skills. She appreciated My proactive approach, including research into tools like the Games UI Database, and suggested following industry professionals like Aashrey Sharma to gain deeper insights into UX/UI trends and practices.
• Lotta's Role: Lotta's focus on game design and narrative development was acknowledged as a critical component of the project. Sophie emphasized that crafting a satisfying and meaningful gameplay loop will highlight Lotta's design capabilities, particularly in exploring the obsessive aspects of fan culture.
• Lotta’s Prototyping Initiative: Sophie supported Lotta’s decision to use Twine to develop a narrative prototype, highlighting its potential to refine key story beats and integrate emotional depth into the gameplay.
• Emotional Integration: Sophie praised the game’s potential to explore the emotional stakes of fandom and its consequences, such as the impact of failure on the character's relationship with their idol and community.

Key Suggestions

1. Narrative Integration Across Design Elements

Sophie emphasized that every aspect of the game—its UI, art, and gameplay mechanics—should support and enhance the narrative arc. Specific considerations include:

• Success vs. Failure: How do the outcomes of the player’s actions influence the game's visuals, sound, and interface? For example:
  • Success could bring brighter, more colorful aesthetics and uplifting music.
  • Failure might introduce darker tones, subtle glitches, or dissonant audio to convey the character's emotional decline.
• Dynamic UI and Art: The game's design should reflect the emotional state of the character. For instance, an obsessive fan's room might grow cluttered with merchandise or fan-made memorabilia as the story progresses.
• Inspirational Reference: Sophie pointed to Doki Doki Literature Club as an example of a game where narrative decisions directly impact the interface and overall experience, making the story feel deeply integrated into the mechanics.

2. Narrative Beats

• Sophie recommended outlining key narrative beats to ensure that the gameplay, art, and sound design align with the overarching story.
• This list would serve as a guiding document for the entire team, streamlining decision-making and ensuring consistency across all design elements.
• She suggested playing games like Yuppie Psycho for inspiration on how to convey the emotional weight of player decisions effectively.

3. Prototyping in Twine

• Lotta’s choice to use Twine for prototyping the narrative was praised as a smart step. Twine’s flexibility allows for rapid iteration and testing of storylines, dialogue choices, and branching narratives.
• This prototype will serve as a foundation for integrating narrative decisions into gameplay mechanics during the next phase.