GDD - Narrative - Chapter 1

Chapter 1

  • Title: A Hunt Begins
  • Description: Adira hunting a deer, failing, and going back home with Torion
  • Duration: 10m

What happens?

We meet Adira, a young, tribeless hunter. She’s alone in the wild when she spots a deer — a rare sight in these parts, and a much better catch than the slim pickings her father’s traps usually produce. Against her father’s orders, she abandons the traps to stay with the deer. However, after some tailing it, she needs to run over a leaf carpet — the rustling is too loud, and scares off the deer. The deer leaps away from the scene, and Adira is unable to follow. A disgruntled Adira is found empty-handed by Torion, who is furious at her disobedience. “I was trying to catch a deer,” she says, but Torion ignores her: “There are no deer in these parts. You saw something else.” She tries to argue back, but he will have none of it: “You will come with me back to camp,” he barks. And there’s little she can do about it.

Nightime. Their camp is made of two tents and a bonfire. They live by themselves in the wilderness — tribeless and all alone, save for one another. They sit around the fire, eating something from Torion’s “slim pickings”, while he goes on and on about the importance of patience and timing, of observing patterns and learning your prey’s moves, of using the environment to your favor, of taking advantage of what nature provides, and of mastering every single skill Adira does not possess… which is why he will guide her. Adira is equal parts offended and grateful: although she could see the verbal abuse coming from miles away, she wasn’t quite expecting that last bit. He’s actually willing to teach her. “Let us rest,” he says. “At first light, we hunt.”

How does it drive the story forward?

  • Establishes Adira's character, her desires to join a tribe and her relationship with Torion. Sets the stage for the player's journey and introduces the core gameplay mechanics.

What are the key moments in order?

  • Scene 1 It's an early morning, and Adira appears for the first time to the Player.
  • Scene 2 Adira uses her spear (Equipped from the beginning) to break through a destructible obstacle so she can proceed.
  • Scene 3 Adira rolls over a few obstacles to proceed through the level.
  • Scene 4 Adira notices the Deer in the middle of the room, the Deer runs off.
  • Scene 5 As she tries to walk towards the direction of the Deer, the leaf carpet blocks her path, and she is forced to side track via a different path to continue the pursuit of the Deer.
  • Scene 6 As she makes her way through this different path, she notices a few tribespeople talking, and ponders/narrates being part of a tribe.
  • Scene 7 Adira chases Deer for 1 more room, and then eventually tries to attack the Deer, but fails and it gets away.
  • Scene 8 Torion comes and we hear rumbling, screen shake. Torion's introduction strikes fear into Adira, 'ADIRA!'. Voice is unknown, name is '???'.
  • Scene 9 Once they've spoken, Torion leads the way back to the Campsite, fades to black.
  • Scene 10 They are seated around the Campfire back at the Campsite where they discuss the hunt together in the morning before Adira sleeps.

What locations are required?

  • Moorlands

What music/audio is required?

  • Introductory music to Adira with her trying to hunt a deer and failing that layers over time.
  • The deer chase.
  • Music of Torion turning up angry.