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Wren Brier (Creative Director, Witch Beam)
Pass Type: All Access Pass, Core Pass
Topic: Design
Format: Lecture
Vault Recording: TBD
Audience Level: All
A zen game about taking items out of boxes after a move might sound extremely niche. But Unpacking by Witch Beam Games has gone on to achieve critical and commercial success, selling over a million copies and winning over 20 awards around the world including a BAFTA for its narrative and a GDCA for innovation. The game lacks many conventional game design components: there are no scores, no time limits, no fail states, no consequences to choices, no dialogue. Not only did Unpacking not need these elements -- it is a better game for omitting them. What's left when all of these things are taken away? And why design a game like this? This talk will explore our rationale for Unpacking's design and the way we implemented it in practice.
Attendees will learn how practical game pillars and subtractive design can strengthen the core of a game.
Game designers looking to try a new approach, and anyone intrigued by Unpacking.