session-based game flow

Created: Jan 16, 2022Published: Mar 28, 2023Last modified: Apr 05, 2023
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I want to create games with user sessions in mind.

Do not defaulting to play-forever.

Work breaks in, give people a breather.

Help them find more balance.

Sword and Sworcery did this very well - a host npc came out, took the record off the player, took a sip of coffee, and told me to go for a walk. Then the app closed in my face, leaving me staring at my busy ios homescreen.

This experience has stuck with me! I want to do the same for my players.

Other games sometimes put similar messaging in their load screens.

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Play Sessions!

I think we can go further - when a player approaches, we can ask what kind of time they want to spend. We can adjust the gameplay and story arc to fit that time, and let them reach a moody peak just in time to take a deep, memorable breath.


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Inspired by NaNoWriMo's "magna carta"s, this is a list of things in games that I've liked.

They are here as inspiration, motivation, and as a tribute. I hope to borrow/steal/remix/create with this, to give my own games a bit of the joy these brought me.

These should help step towards the principles I care about in games. What themes are threaded through all these?

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