Welcome back to another exciting episode of our weekly dev diary! 😎

We’re thrilled to have you with us as we continue exploring the philosophical depth behind our game’s design. 📚 In this entry, we’re diving deeper into how time and memory play crucial roles in shaping the dynamic world you’ll be experiencing, drawing inspiration from the works of philosophers Bernard Stiegler and Gilbert Simondon. 🧠

TL;DR This dev diary explores how time and memory affect the game world, with past actions shaping future events and relationships, leading to a dynamic, evolving narrative based on player choices.

Keep reading ⬇️

Time as a Narrative Element ♾️

In our game, time is not just a mechanical feature with ticking clocks or standard day-night cycles. Instead, it reflects how your past decisions resonate throughout the world, affecting future outcomes. Drawing from Stiegler’s concept of technological memory, we’ve designed a system where the game remembers your actions. Whether you treated an NPC kindly or harshly, the consequences will ripple through the game. For instance, NPCs will react differently based on how you’ve interacted with them in the past, and key events may unfold in unique ways due to your earlier choices.

Memory’s Impact on Gameplay 🏃‍♂️‍➡️🏃‍♀️‍➡️

Think of the game’s world as a form of collective memory — similar to how human memory retains traces of past events. This collective memory either aids or challenges you as you progress. Maybe a character you helped long ago will come to your rescue in a crucial moment, or an enemy faction you angered will seek revenge when you least expect it. Our goal is to move beyond the conventional “save/load” mechanic and offer a world that evolves and remembers, where your decisions leave lasting footprints.

The Evolution of World Design 🌏

This idea of memory and time doesn’t only shape the narrative — it influences the game’s level design and character interactions. Every action the player takes is remembered by the game world, creating a dynamic environment that evolves over time based on those choices. This means that the physical layout of levels and the relationships between characters are fluid, adapting to past decisions. This approach ensures that every playthrough feels unique, offering a fresh experience as the world responds to each decision the player makes.

We hope you’re as excited as we are about how these elements will deepen the gameplay experience. Let us know your thoughts in the comments, and don’t forget to check back for more insights into how the game continues to evolve!

For more on this series, feel free to check out our previous diaries here and here.

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What’s Next?
In the next episode, we’ll explore C. Thi Nguyen’s game theory, which emphasizes structuring games with goals, abilities, rules, and obstacles.
Players develop creativity and narrative skills by navigating these constraints, leading to an aesthetic experience where they assess their competence and find harmony between their action-oriented self and the challenges they face.
Stay tuned to see how these ideas shape our game design! See you next week 🖐️