General Idea:

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Portage would be a game which focuses on the journey, not the destination, and tells a simple story built up by unique encounters and experiences. Each players experience of the game differs from the rest due to the interactions they choose to make. Some players may run through the game and try to make it to the end as quick as possible, but for these players, the experience of the game will be lost on them. We are trying to create a diverse world filled with small encounters which aim to make the player realise that life shouldn’t be focussed on achieving an outcome, but rather it should be focussed on the little moments along the way.

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Themes:

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The game will explore themes of escapism, existentialism, mindfulness and relaxation. For research into these themes please look at the blog page: Phase 3 Research

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Gameplay:

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The actual gameplay will be built up of the player moving from one end of the screen to the other in a 2D side scroller fashion. During the game, the player will be able to fish, collect items, and observe nature through numerous interactions. As they travel from left to right, the player will also be responsible for keeping their canoe with them, using it to get over bodies of water, but also carrying it and portaging it overland. If the player decides to sit and wait in one place they may witness something many other players may miss. As the game is simplistic and does not require tedious player interaction, we would aim to have the game designed with a simple HUD and UI, with well-constructed animations and artwork that help immerse the player into the world.

 

Rules:

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1. The player cannot paddle left - As the player traverses the landscape, they will move between islands of land via canoe. When the player is on land, we want the player to move around, left and right, wait to experience different moments and find different things to interact with However, a journey is often linear, many people do not take detours when working or if they have a goal in mind. Therefore it would not make sense to have the player get into their canoe and paddle away from their destination. So, to limit this movement, there will be a current which prevents the player from going too far in the wrong direction. 

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2. No HUD - to keep the game immersive we do not want a HUD to take away from the experience, and therefore we will try and design a HUD that is as simple as possible. 

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3. The player will carry their canoe on their shoulders when moving it across the land - this keeps with the traditional methods of portage. It will also slow down the game and make it more relaxing.

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4. Scripted interactions which are triggered by the player. If the player waits in a certain area or performs a certain action, a scripted encounter may occur.

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5. Paddling will be controlled by turning the analogue stick. This further tries to make the player feel like they are performing the action as it mimics the motion of paddling in real life.

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6. Plenty of animations - we want animations to be frequent in the background and with the player. if they remain idle, we want tons of animations which can randomly play to help create a unique experience and make the character feel alive. We want the background to have swaying trees and little creatures rustling through the undergrowth. We want birds flying and leaves blowing through the air. We want plenty of animations.

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7. One level - we all collectively agreed that cutscenes take away from an experience of a game, and since we want our game to be a form of escapism from urban life to rural wilderness, we want the game to be constant with little to few distractions from the experience of a journey.

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8. We want a day and night cycle - ideally, the game will be long enough to span the course of a few days. The player will traverse different environments and move through day and night. If the player wishes to skip to the next day, we want specific campsites and areas for the player to rest which will cue a scripted animation which would show the passage of time. 

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Ideas for Encounters:

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• Come across a nest of birds on the ground, the player can pick them up and put them in a tree

• A deer gallops through a small part of the background. If the player waits in this area they are likely to see it

• Fishing. At any point of water, the player can sit back and fish. This will take a few minutes before anything actually happens, as realistically a fish isn't typically caught within seconds. In this time, the player will have a moment to reflect and think and not have to worry about anything. The game should give these moments of nothingness to contrast day to day life which is usually filled with interactions occurring quickly which can be anxiety building. Portage's purpose and hopeful charm would be that it gives the players time to relax and do literally nothing.  

• Fetch, the player will have a dog with them who will run around and explore, making the experience more relaxing and enjoyable. If the player comes across a stick and picks it up, the dog will come back to them and wait for the player to play fetch. Furthermore, the dog would also be able to be interacted with, for instance, the player will be able to pet it.

• The player will learn the harmonica. Using uphill algorithms taught during one of James' workshops, we discussed that the player could sit in certain areas which will cue the character to play the harmonica. Over time, if the player keeps resting in certain locations, the AI will learn and develop until it plays a full functioning song.

• Energy restraints. To prevent the player from running straight to the end of the game, they will be limited by their energy which will force them to stop, rest and eat before continuing.

• Nature will interact with the player. For instance, a butterfly may stop and rest on the player if they are still in an area surrounded by them.

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End state:

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The end state of the game will be the reveal that the whole purpose of the journey was to deliver a package. The player will come across a cabin, and another character will open the door. A brief interaction will occur in which the player will open their satchel and deliver a small package to the character. The player will be unaware of what was ever inside the package, but this is done intentionally to further drive home the point that the end of the journey should not be the main focus. Unbeknownst to the player, but inside the package will be a pelt of fur, which is a nod to the old fur trade which occurred in Canada and commonly used portage as a method of travel.

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