How to tell stories through Settings? Towers

Towers & Large Buildings

• Everything is scalable.

• Balance, give the Public Coherence & Consistence.
• Customization, give the Public a sense of belonging.
• Replayability, give the Public a reason to come back.

• As you go Higher/Lower does the size of each level Change?
  • Does it Increase?
  • Does it Decrease?
• As you go Higher/Lower do the resources become more scarce?
  • Water
  • Food
  • Oxygen
  • Other
• As you walk though this Place, what do you experience?
  • Loss
  • Confusion
  • Hesitation
  • Satisfaction
  • Pride

Layered Buildings

• Each Layer creates a unique Atmosphere.
• The Function Justify the Presence of the Layer.
• How is the Fauna?
• How is the Flora?
• What are the dominant colors/light?

• How many Layers?
• Up to 6 : Entry/Exit, Crisis, Rest, Ressources, Research, Reward.
• Can there be more?
• Yes, but they will a variation of the 6 layers aforementioned.

• You can reuse each type of layer/level to install a different rhythm to your Story.
• For Example, Crisis, Rest, Research, Reward, Crisis, Crisis, Rest is a different rhythm from Research, Rest, Research, Crisis, Rest, Crisis, Reward.
• The Layering allows you to adapt & revise your tempo.

The Entry & Surroundings

• What are the main Shapes & Colors?
• The Tower is built with orange Bricks.
• Its surroundings are made of green grass, young trees & other shrubberies.
• At the foot of the tower are small blue fruits very similar to agrumes.

• How is the Light?
• The light is scarce but not nonexistent.
• Clouds have set themselves in the skies above the Tower top.
• There may be a storm.
• Should you enter now?

• How are the senses stimulated?
• The air is cooler.
• You suppose it would be raining.
• You hear only the wind & little frogs near the blue fruits, preparing themselves to feast.
• You touch your leather belt to which is attached your gun.
• There’s nothing to fear, but you can’t enter the tower.

• Are there any Landmarks, Symbols & Remarkable objects?
• The Entry & Surroundings are plain.
• The entrance is clean and you realize is it upkept.

• Who lives here?
• Multiple Individuals.
• Most people couldn’t afford this type of building, nor have the means to keep it kempt.
• Possibly an Organization.

• Why are they here?
• Are there any special resources in the Region?
• Maybe this place is safe & quiet enough for them to orchestrate their operations here.

• Buildings
  • Balance, Customization, Replayability
• Items
  • Balance, Customization, Replayability
• Enemies
  • Balance, Customization, Replayability
• Hammering Threats right at the Beginning

Crisis/Conflict

• What are the main Shapes & Colors?
• As you come in you are stopped by creature dressed in Yellow.
• She is 2 heads higher than you.
• Her face is hidden.
• She doesn’t speak.
• She only blocks your path with her towering figure.

• How is the Light?
• There’s a beam of light illuminating the door behind her.
• But on her very little light.
• She places her hand in front of you.
• A Blinding Light emerges from her hand.
• You close your eyes & dodge.

• How are the senses stimulated?
• A deep sound follows the Beam of light.
• It breaks the quietness to the room.
• You rolled & landed on your arm.

• Are there any Landmarks, Symbols & Remarkable objects?
• The creature has unleashed her beam.
• Now she is static.
• She doesn’t look at you.
• She breathes.
• It seems…
• She isn’t alive, but she breathes.
• There are no holes in the walls behind me.
• You can’t see anything else remarkable on this level.
• You pass the door to the next one.

• Who lives here?
• There was no one on this level.
• Except her.

• Why was she here?
• She let you pass even though she had to opportunity to block you.

• Buildings
  • Balance, Customization, Replayability
• Items
  • Balance, Customization, Replayability
• Enemies
  • Balance, Customization, Replayability

• Will you be Hammering Threats right at the Beginning?

Rest

• What are the main Shapes & Colors?
• You arrive in a small courtyard.
• The walls are cyan & seem to go inwards.
• The walkable place is reduced by the receding walls.

• How is the Light?
• There’s a small lamp on the floor.
• And around it frogs.

• How are the senses stimulated?
• All there is is the croaks of the frogs & the creaks of the walls.
• You didn’t sleep enough recently.
• You fall asleep.
• You feel arms around your neck.
• Cold, but gentle arms.
• The arms wraps around your torso.
• The hands move.
• You awaken.

• Are there any Landmarks, Symbols & Remarkable objects?
• The frogs are gone.
• Before you is a statue of a young woman on her knees, planting a dagger in her own chest.
• Under the statue is a plaque : ‘Mathilda Metalmaiden’.
• At the statues’ feet grew a mattress or turquoise leaves.

• Who lives here?
• You still saw nobody.
• Except these statues.
• As you now realize the one that attempt to block your way truly wasn’t alive.
• Who sculpted these statues?
• Why are they still here if the inhabitants of the tower are gone?

• Buildings
  • Balance, Customization, Replayability
• Items
  • Balance, Customization, Replayability
• Enemies
  • Balance, Customization, Replayability

Replenishment & Resources

• What are the main Shapes & Colors?
• You put feet in a grove of purple flowers.
• You feel hungry.
• Some of these flowers bear fruit.
• But the fruits have began to waste away.
• Other flowers are wilted.
• Though, they didn’t lost their deep purple.

• How is the Light?
• Others again are about to bloom.
• They are still bright.
• But as you approach of them you can see white dots on them.
• The flowers are infected.
• You can’t see any animals in the room.
• Even insects.
• What caused this infection?
• You realize the most wilted ones are the ones which receive more light.

• How are the senses stimulated?
• The Space is empty.
• And yet filled with the life of the orchard.
• You can hear the flowers, trying to bloom.
• Pushing their petals away from their core.
• Searching the Light, and trying to escape her once they had blossomed.
• The perfume is embalming the room, but you didn’t realize.
• Your thoughts were focused on the Light.

• Are there any Landmarks, Symbols & Remarkable objects?
• You look…
• You listen…
• The Orchard itself attempts to speak to you.
• Walk, forwards.

• Who lives here?
• Growers it seems.
• Farmers maybe.
• Did they domesticated the frogs as well?

• Why are these flowers here?
• How can they hope to fully grow inside?
• Do they still wish to fully grow?
• Or only to reach a state where they can bear fruit & disappear.

• Buildings
  • Balance, Customization, Replayability
• Items
  • Balance, Customization, Replayability
• Enemies
  • Balance, Customization, Replayability

Research & Hidden objects

• The Setting is design to influence the Behavior of the Characters.
• You feel trapped here.
• Not in a Place.
• But in a Scheme.
• The Environment pushes you.
• The Tower pushes you.

• What are the main Shapes & Colors?
• You cannot see much.
• This level is owned by Darkness.
• She is hiding.
• She is denying your progress.

• Use Light to Hide or Reveal object.
• There are holes in Darkness.
• Her bed is decorated with shining pebbles.
• Small stones, small friends.
• You walk on them to find a way.
• The path interrupts.
• Before you can quit the level.

• How are the senses stimulated?
• A presence whispers.
• You recognize your language.
• The name she whispers is not your name.
• But you will follow her words.
• Walk on the hidden pebbles.
• Walk, it clings under your feet.
• You walk on sound.
• And sound pushes you.

• Are there any Landmarks, Symbols & Remarkable objects?
• …

• Who lives here?
• Does Darkness lives here?
• Or is she just here, in transition?
• Does the presence lived here?
• Does she think she is still…
• Why are they still here?

• Buildings
  • Balance, Customization, Replayability
• Items
  • Balance, Customization, Replayability
• Enemies
  • Balance, Customization, Replayability

Reward

• What are the main Shapes & Colors?
• A mauve circle.
• A mauve discus.
• Both, in the middle of the room.
• You walk on a orange path made of petrified wood.
• The walls are cracked.
• Splintered wood & bones come out of the fissures.
• Emerald moss & vines course through them.
• The vegetation converges to the mauve discus, on which is a pedestal.

• The Light Welcomes you.
• The Light Bath You.
• The Light Surrounds the Pedestal.

• How are the senses stimulated?
• You walk on the path of green.
• You feel the wood & bones shards through your worn boots.
• The shards pierce through your skin.
• Nonetheless, you walk.
• You triumph is rhythmed by remains of these who once built this tower.
• You reach the Pedestal.

• Are there any Landmarks, Symbols & Remarkable objects?
• The Pedestal is standing before you.
• At its foot dance the small frogs.
• On it is a Purple Sphere.
• A Purple Fruit very similar to those outside.
• You bite it.
• The bit of flesh you bit out regrows.
• You bite again.
• The flesh grows once more.
• As you satiate yourself, you experience stubbornness.

• What pushed you to come here?
• Did you simply return?
• Who lived here?
• Why were they here?

• Buildings
  • Balance, Customization, Replayability
• Items
  • Balance, Customization, Replayability
• Enemies
  • Balance, Customization, Replayability