A game needs a certain degree of “tension.”
‘Ambition,’ ‘expectation’ – these are all positive systems.
But there should be the opposite of those as well.
For instance, it’s worth considering implementing “negative” systems in the UI such as “worry” or “fear” systems.
If you present players with situations that “should not happen,” players will become more conscious in order to prevent those situations.
Zoi’s worries and fears could be diverse, such as:
“Job failure,” “house fire,” “burglary,” “being rejected on a date,” “being rejected when confessing feelings,” “death of a loved one,”
“traffic accident,” and so on.
These elements can add tension to the game.
And the moment Zoi’s feared worry becomes reality, points are deducted and it’s recorded as a bad memory in the memory system.
Some events can become trauma, and there could be a Zoi who occasionally recalls that memory through a thought bubble.
And as points gradually decrease and become negative, Zoi could develop depression. In that case, Zoi needs to receive psychiatric counseling at a hospital.
While players strive to achieve their goals, they will become more immersed in Zoi’s life and consciously try to prevent certain events from occurring.
This will bring greater immersion to realistic gameplay.
