Bar Night
*Game demonstration video
Concept Design
I've developed a strong rapport with the owner of a local bar near my university, and it's a place I often visit.
Over time, the owner has shared operational challenges with me, and patrons have opened up about their personal struggles.
These narratives resonated deeply with my university experience, inspiring me to integrate these compelling stories into a game
Plot overview
This game chronicles the transformative journey of a group of college students throughout their four-year tenure.
It centers around Xue Jingqiu, who embarks on a startup venture and explores the ups and downs that ensue leading to the eventual closure of the studio.
The narrative also delves into the intricacies of Xue Jingqiu's relationship with Shen Haimei, from their initial connection as a couple to their subsequent breakup, while simultaneously exploring the gradual shutdown of the bar.
Introduction
This text-based game immerses players in the role of a bartender. Through interactive conversations with NPCs, players unravel the comprehensive story and content.
As they listen to the NPCs' narratives, players blend drinks, propelling the plot and dynamically influencing the game's pacing
I opted for a first-person perspective to heighten player immersion and enable a more intimate observation of NPC characters.
In the game screen layout, I allocated the left half to the game scene and the right half to text content.
To ensure a seamless experience, I utilized a semi-transparent background, enabling players to view the scene with minimal abrupt transitions.
Mechanism
Bartending
Begin
Target
bottles that controls the movement direction of a red dot.
The core gameplay of this game centers around bartending, where players assume the role of a bartender and must pour drinks into a glass by selecting one of four directions: up, down, left, or right
Once the drink is poured, a red dot in the upper right corner of the screen will move in the selected direction, and the player must use this movement to guide the dot to a specific position to complete the bartending process. Once the drink is prepared, it is delivered to an NPC for consumption.
Choice
In this game, players will encounter pivotal moments where they must make dialogue choices.
We present them with three options, each leading to a different outcome.
While only one option progresses the main plot, the other two choices unlock additional storylines that enrich the overall narrative.
Players will need to make subsequent choices until they find the option that propels the plot forward.
Game Plot
Plot Structure
The game's storyline unfolds across 5 acts, employing a reverse chronological order to captivate players with its narrative.
Each act concludes with tantalizing clues, heightening players' curiosity
The storyline comprises two main plotlines and one subplot.
One main plotline explores the evolving romance between Xue Jingqiu and Shen Haimei, while the other delves into the growth of the studio.
These intertwined plotlines are complemented by a compelling subplot that mirrors and contrasts the overarching storyline—the changing fortunes of the bar.
The romantic storyline of Xue Jingqiu and Shen Haimei
The studio development storyline
The bar management storyline.
Character Design
Xue JingQiu
Cheng Gong
Shen HaiMei
Tie Zi
Gui Mi