Hi Dear Inzoi Team and Dear Reader,
first off, I’d like to mention how much I enjoy Inzoi and appreciate the amount of work, the whole Team has put behind it. From sound design, voice actors, animators, code programmers to 3D artists, motion capture actors and everyone else who is part of this game. It’s very visible, how much you care and listen to the community, which nowadays sadly has become a rarity.
This motivated me to make a suggestion, for future gameplay.
My Idea was, to implement a Fear and Stress-level system, which would allow the Zois to have a bit more in-depth personality to them. It would work, based on personality type, aspirations, likes/dislikes, relationship status and traits, where the Zois dynamically get fears, similar to their wishes.
If a Zoi happens to make one of their fears reality, then it would majorly impact their Stress-level, while certain smaller actions, that go against their personality type (for example, making a introverted Zoi constantly meet new people or having a lively Zoi not interact with any kind of musical or dance related activity for a prolonged time), add minor points to their Stress-Level.
I would also add two seperate bars, one general Happiness/Stress bar and one daily Happiness/Stress bar.
While the daily bar can change dynamically throughout the day (Zois can have a good, bad or neutral day, depending on what happened), the general bar changes very slowly over time and days, preventing situations where Zois might have a bad day, but their overall life still seems comfortable and enjoyable to them, so one bad day doesn’t make them too stressed out.
The daily bar would slowly influence the general bar and would reflect general satisfaction- or dissatisfaction of the Zois own lifes.
If a Zoi happens to accumulate enough Stress, they will reach the first Stress-Level, giving them a variety of penalties and lack of motivation for their careers, school, hobbies and other responsibilities. Their answers, based on personality type changes to a more cynical, self-defeating, reserved or more aggressive tone, torwards other Zois. Additionally their animations would feel more sluggish, sad or annoyed.
There would be 3 Stress-levels and reaching each, would add more of these penalties and a higher risk of a mental break event. A Zoi at level 2 or 3 of their Stress, would be prone to having a mental break event, which would automatically trigger a fallout of becoming too stressed and play an animation, unique to each personality type, where they break down and are in need of help from their friends, family or therapist (or maybe even Guru).
After this breakdown, they would return to the 1st Stress level and have a negative memory of this event.
How to recover from the Stress? Just like in our life, the Zois can have healthy ways of coping and healing from their stress. Writing in a diary, going for long walks in nature, talking to a trusted friend or Spouse about the problems, going to therapy, doing Yoga, meditation, doing sports, painting, playing with animals, eating your favourite food, getting a massage etc. are just a few examples to alleviate stress and create more balance in the Zois life.
If this Idea has been presented before, then I apologize for the repetition. Regardless, I hope you like this idea and I’ll be glad even if it helps a little for new future Implementations.
Greetings, Leandrah