Gather 'Round the Campfire

Overview:

Gather 'Round the Campfire tells the dark story of five hikers who, after spending weeks arguing and fighting, die during a snowstorm in an abandoned forest. As the lingering remnants of the bond they briefly shared before death, your task is to help their souls move on to the afterlife by retrieving their lost prized possessions and help them overcome the grudges that plagued the group leading up to the storm.

Gameplay Mechanics:

• Phases - the game is divided into two phases. In the first phase, the player must roam the forest, collecitng materials to feed the hikers' campfires. Time during this phase is represented by a day-night cycle that lasts approximately 3 minutes. In the second phase, the player must navigate mazes to retrieve the hikers' missing belongings. When the player finds the missing item, or runs out of time in the maze, they are brought back to the forest to restart this cycle.
• Player Input - use the 'E' key to interact with various objects in the game (picking up/dropping off items, collecting maze objectives, activating riddles, etc.) Use 'Spacebar' while in the forest to jump. Press 'Shift' while moving to sprint.
• Campfires - around the forest are 5 scattered campfires, each housing a hiker's soul. By collecting forest materials (pinecones, coal, logs) and bringing them back to a campfire, that hiker will reveal to the player information about the events leading up to their death. Stoking these campfires also allows more time during the next maze.
• Mazes - at the end of each day in the forest, the player is transported to a maze representing one of the hiker's subconscious. The goal of each maze is to retrieve the hiker's missing possession; however, some mazes also have additional requirements that must be completed prior to receiving the lost item. The mazes are set in a static order; completing a maze returns the player to the forest, and at the end of the next day, they will advance to the next maze in the list. (Each maze contains a secret cheat code key that facilitates completing each objective).
• Waypoints - in the mazes, glowing white orbs will guide the player towards either their objective or the maze's treasure. Glowing black orbs indicate an incorrect turn. Press 'Esc' while in a maze to return to the start.

Development Note:

Gather 'Round the Campfire marks my first major attempt at creating a game with a prominent narrative focus. The project combines visual storytelling (the evolution of the player character's design as the game progresses) with extensive character dialogue to tell a story about connections, regrets, and personal growth. Above all, the game represents my desire to further develop my skills at effectively telling emotional, meaningful narratives through an interactive medium.