Infinite Level’s Next Game - Impressions
Originally published February 1st, 2019
It’s funny that last month I was talking about first impressions…
War Ender Store Links:
Steam: https://store.steampowered.com/app/884070/War_Ender/
Itch.io: https://prof-smash.itch.io/war-ender
GameJolt: https://gamejolt.com/games/war-ender/355809
I know I originally said I would hold off on showing anything about the small project. But after thinking about it for a month and getting the opinions of others, I feel I may have misspoken. So, without further ado, allow me to show you what I’ve been working on for the last few months. Just bear in mind that everything you’re seeing here is in the alpha stages of development. Not that this should come as a surprise to you. Just look at that programmer art.
This is the alpha version of Impressions. Impressions is a game where you take control of what is essentially a pundit. You and two other pundits have the pleasure to discuss one of the greatest moments in human civilization. It has been confirmed that aliens are real. Not only that, but we were able to communicate with these aliens. And so the world (well, most of it) now acknowledges that we truly are not alone in this universe. But not everyone agrees on how we should approach this life changing discovery.
The game is split into four days, with each day relating to alien activity in some way. For example, the first day is all about initial thoughts on knowing we’re not alone in the universe. When a day begins, you’re shown a brief article about what you will be discussing and some early thoughts from some of the off screen characters in the world. Navigate to another screen to check out what the general public is saying about the event on the internet. Suffice to say, initial impressions (ha) are quite divided.
After reviewing this information, you move on to your job. You and two others are gathered around a newsroom to discuss these events. As you may have guessed, the discussion gets quite heated. On the left is someone who believes this can only be good news for humanity as a whole. She is already fantasizing about the great things our species can accomplish thanks to this newly formed relationship. To the right lies someone less than thrilled about the news. He believes this could mark the beginning of the end, and that we cannot simply trust these aliens. At least not now.
This is where you come in. You’re effectively the mediator. As the discussion continues, you will be asked to give your thoughts on the situation. But of course, you have a lot of eyes on you. What you say will be heard across the world. And perhaps even more intimidating (or exciting, depending on your point of view), the aliens will be witnessing your commentary as well. So what will you say? Do you side with the woman to the left and think this is positive news? Or perhaps you agree with the man to the right and think this is a bad thing all around? Maybe you’re just not sure yet?
What you say will affect the story and world around you. Sometimes those consequences are felt immediately, while other times you don’t see the end result of your decision till later. In the above gif, the conversation happening is suggesting that the player has a generally positive take on this news, and the dialogue following that choice reflects that. Though gameplay is relegated to this newsroom, you’ll get a peek at how your choices affected the rest of the world during the “pre-day” segments. On Day 2, the article you read will change based off your choices, and the public reaction will be different depending on your leanings and even some of the individual choices you make. The whole world is watching what you do. No pressure.
As noted earlier, this game is still in the alpha stages. But it became important to start sharing what was coming up. Currently the game has two days of story beats programmed with the third day halfway complete. There’s still several checks that need to be done to make sure the choices the player makes will be felt throughout the game, and obviously a proper artist will be needed for the project. I’m hoping to have a much more polished game to show off within a couple months, but that will certainly be dependent on a few things.
Hopefully you enjoyed this early look at the game. Now that I’ve officially unveiled it I’d like to do more posting about it in future. So be sure to follow me on Twitter to get the latest info. Keep an eye on War Ender’s Facebook page as well as I’ll be sure to post updates on the game there. As stated before, I’d like to finish this game sometime in Spring, and I think I’m well on my way to accomplishing that. Day 3’s story beats are nearly finished, and Day 4 is looking to be fairly easy. Keep an eye on this dev blog as well as the aforementioned social media to see how the game is shaping up. And above all, as exciting as Impressions will be, don’t forget to show War Ender some love.
Until next time!
-Lance T.
War Ender Store Links:
Steam: https://store.steampowered.com/app/884070/War_Ender/
Itch.io: https://prof-smash.itch.io/war-ender
GameJolt: https://gamejolt.com/games/war-ender/355809