Mysteries of the Zoo: A Rule-Based Creepypasta Gaming Adventure

Exploring the Unseen: A Journey Inside Zoo's Enigma

Based on a creepypasta story centered around a unique set of zoo guidelines, players step into the shoes of a visitor to the mysterious zoo. Throughout their journey, players encounter a series of notes detailing specific rules and challenging puzzles. The choices they make—whether to trust, ignore, follow, or disobey these guidelines, combined with their success in solving the puzzles—will determine the various outcomes they experience. Winning does not require solving everything; the players’ choices dictate their path, offering various scenarios to unravel the mystery guidelines and escape. The primary objectives are twofold: discern which documents are trustworthy at specific conditions and devise a survival strategy for each situation, all while uncovering the enigmatic nature of both 'IT' and the Zoo itself.

Strategic Play: The Framework of Zoo's Challenges

After the game overview, it's essential to delve into the core rules and progression mechanics of the game, designed with the Mechanics, Dynamics, and Aesthetics (MDA) framework in mind. This section outlines the fundamental rules and the gameplay progression to give a comprehensive understanding of how players interact with the game world and achieve the set goals.

I. Mechanics

  • Exploration and Interaction:
    • Players navigate the zoo through a point-and-click interface.
    • Interaction with the environment, objects, NPCs, and the map is crucial.
    • Inventory management and item purchases are integral to progression.
  • Rule Compliance and Violation:
    • The game revolves around adhering to or breaking the zoo's guidelines.
    • Violating rules transitions the player's status from 'Unaware' to 'Aware', affecting game dynamics and outcomes.
  • Sanity Mechanism:
    • Sanity is a key parameter that decreases upon rule violation.
    • If sanity reaches 0, the player fails the game.
  • Outfit Changes:
    • Players can change outfits, impacting interactions and available choices.

II. Dynamics

  • Decision-Making and Strategy:
    • Players must read, analyze, and strategize based on the contradictory rules.
    • Choices directly influence the game’s direction and possible endings.
  • Adaptive Challenges:
    • As players progress, the complexity of rules and scenarios increases.
    • Players must adapt their strategy to maintain sanity and meet winning conditions.
  • Interaction with the Game World:
    • Every area of the zoo offers unique challenges and opportunities.
    • Interactions with NPCs, the environment, and the rule sets players collected along the way reveal clues and influence outcomes.

III. Aesthetics

  • Narrative Engagement:
    • The storyline unravels as players explore and interact, enhancing immersion.
    • Mystery and supernatural elements keep players engaged in uncovering the zoo's secrets.
  • Emotional Response:
    • The game elicits tension and suspense through its rule-based challenges.
    • Players experience a sense of achievement or loss based on their choices and outcomes.

IV. Winning Conditions

  • Unaware Status:
    • Maintain sanity always at full level.
    • Return to the entrance/exit without violating any visitor guidelines.
    • Visit all four areas of the zoo.
  • Aware Status (changed from unaware status once sanity level has decreased):
    • Maintain sanity above 0.
    • Escape the zoo through two specific methods:
  1. Find a blue-clothed staff member and be escorted to the Lion Area (when not wearing black clothes).
  2. Tear a map to get its corner piece, and then feed it to Rabbits in the cage in the Rabbit Area, then choose the right passageway in the Monkey Area (while wearing black clothes).

V. Storyline Progression

  • Players start as casual visitors, gradually uncovering the zoo's mysteries.
  • The storyline evolves based on player choices and rule adherence or violation.
  • The game's narrative drives players towards various endings, dictated by their actions and sanity levels.

VI. Conclusion

This game challenges players to navigate a mysterious and rule-laden zoo, balancing between compliance and rebellion. The Mechanics, Dynamics, and Aesthetics framework is intricately woven into the game design, ensuring an engaging and immersive experience that tests players' decision-making, strategy, and adaptability. The ultimate goal is to either remain 'Unaware' and leave the zoo safely or become 'Aware' and find a unique path to escape, all while preserving sanity and discovering the deeper secrets of the zoo.

Creative Roots: Inspirational Sources Behind Zoo's Design

In the wake of detailing the game's rules and progression, this section acknowledges the creative influences shaping our game's visual and interactive elements. We highlight inspirations from various esteemed video games, instrumental in crafting our unique UI and art style. Feel free to check our UI design on Figma.

I. UI Design Influences

Our game's HUD (Heads-Up Display) design draws inspiration from the recent game, 'World of Horror'. Known for its retro-style graphics and narrative-driven gameplay, this game blends horror and mystery effectively. This game has inspired our UI's layout and information presentation, ensuring a blend of readability, style, and thematic coherence.

Additionally, for UI components related to rule reading and item purchasing, we have drawn inspiration from the 'The Legend of Zelda' franchise. This series, renowned for its adventure and puzzle-solving gameplay, is noted for its intuitive and accessible UI design. This influence is evident in our game's menu design, item interaction, and the streamlined presentation of complex game rules, aiming to provide players with a clear and engaging experience while not scaring them away with prolonged reading.

GitHub Repository:

Zoo Creepypasta Code

II. Art Style Inspiration

The art style of our game pays homage to the 'Rusty Lake' franchise, known for its distinctive, surreal, and often eerie visuals. 'Rusty Lake' combines hand-drawn graphics with a muted color palette, creating an atmosphere both unsettling and captivating. This inspiration is reflected in our game's visual aesthetic, where we aim to evoke a similar sense of intrigue and mystery. The use of color, character design, and environmental artwork alludes to 'Rusty Lake's unique style, creating a visually cohesive and immersive world for players to explore.

III. Conclusion

From the narrative-rich and stylistically bold 'World of Horror' to the iconic and user-friendly 'Legend of Zelda', and the visually striking 'Rusty Lake'. These inspirations guide our UI and art style and ensure our game stands as a testament to the creative potential of drawing from a tapestry of beloved works in the gaming industry.

Cognitive Task Analysis

In the context of our game, which intricately weaves a narrative around a mysterious zoo with a unique set of rules, a Cognitive Task Analysis is crucial to understanding the cognitive and social processes involved in gameplay. This analysis, complemented by a detailed diagram, dissects the mental tasks and decision-making processes players engage in, from comprehending complex rules to strategizing for survival and escape.

I. Comprehend and Analyze the Rules

  1. Rule Interpretation:

    Players must initially interpret the rules presented to them. This involves reading comprehension and the ability to discern between literal and figurative language, as indicated in the CTA diagram.

  2. Analyzing Contradictions:

    The game introduces contradicting guidelines, requiring players to analyze and prioritize rules based on their current situation and objectives.

II. Make Decisions and Develop Strategies

  1. Evaluating Choices:

    Players must evaluate potential actions and their consequences, considering factors like sanity levels and inventory status.

  2. Strategic Planning:

    Long-term planning is essential, especially in managing resources and navigating the zoo areas to meet the winning conditions.

III. Social Interaction and Negotiation

  1. NPC Interactions:

    Players engage with NPCs, which involves interpreting cues and dialogues, and choosing responses that align with their strategy.

  2. Collaborative Decision-Making:

    In scenarios where players discuss strategies or share experiences, social negotiation skills are engaged.

IV. Adaptation and Learning

  1. Adapting to Game Dynamics:

    As players progress, they must adapt to changing scenarios and rules, learning from past experiences.

  2. Cognitive Flexibility:

    The game challenges players to be cognitively flexible, shifting strategies as they move from 'Unaware' to 'Aware' status.

V. Conclusion

The CTA diagram and accompanying analysis provide an in-depth look at the cognitive and social processes players engage in while navigating our game. From understanding and analyzing complex rules to strategic planning and social interactions, the game demands a range of cognitive skills and adaptability. This analysis not only aids in understanding player behavior but also serves as a guide for further refining game design to enhance player engagement and experience.