Dead State Design Update
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The most fascinating parts of the story process for me is exploring the characters' real human needs, emotions, and fears. A lot of the human element isn't in the allies acting out a morality play or emphasizing how (sad) or (crazy) something is, but from the small things they say and do, and incorporating their personalities into life and death decisions. You could have a simple, pleasant conversation about how satisfied they are with the new garden, and then they go out that day and are downed by a rifle shot, a few turns away from death. Sure, this ally isn't particularly good at anything, but maybe they're pretty loyal and are one of the more positive individuals in the shelter. You like hearing about a dream they had or the fact that never bug you for personal favors. There's no trick to the character they've got no unlockable gifts or abilities to bestow they're just, on paper, a warm body to throw at your enemies. This one ally is not going to make a huge difference at the shelter by themselves - are they worth risking more valuable teammates for because you like them?
I'm interested to see if people will play the game without abusing the save/load, to let tragedy into their stories. In most games, you have a traditional story arc play out over the course of the game with allies that can, at worst, be KO'd and resurrected. Death is pre-scripted, with your emotional reaction spelled out and the tragic ending clearly built up throughout the story, generally culminating in a heroic death. The people you want to kill get to live until they've thoroughly proven their villainy. There's rarely senseless or untimely loss in most stories, even when it's one of the most painful ways to lose someone in reality.
