"Mara" NARRATIVE CONCEPT
HIGH CONCEPT
"Mara" is a 3RD Person Action-Mystery RPG. This is the Narrative Bible detailing the story's events, characters, basic quests, and the initial layout of certain key plot points.
The main character "Mara," is a functioning Schizophrenic Detective who has returned home after receiving two anonymous conflicting letters, one requesting her presence and another telling her to stay away.
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While her investigation proceeds various strange occurrences seem to bubble over all at once when she follows a missing person's report to a related source of the requesting letter as dark shadowlike creatures seem to explode into existence from the depths of the forest.
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This is the Emergence of Grief, it constructs a near-impenetrable barrier over the region trapping many of its inhabitants and visitors. Additionally, suddenly things of the mind begin to take physical form as now Mara alongside her 'Guardians,' must learn the secrets of the Emergence and live long enough that she does not get consumed by them.
OVERVIEW FLOW CHART
DOCUMENTATION
POST MORTEM ANALYSIS
STORY LENGTH & DEPTH - As a story its length was designed to follow more closely to the storylines present in a game like "God of War," something short, but expandable should it be necessary with each section of the game open to expansion. (This is probably not a good reference, but it's the most prevalent I can think of example for the separation of story strcuture). MENTAL ILLNESS - The focus on Schizophrenic Entities being 'Guardians' is countered by the existence of their 'Shadows' which seek to activly harm the player and the 'Guardians.' This is not only meant to reflect an obstacle in Mara's path being herself, but to highlight the duality of a mental condition in a more constructive light. This is of course not the main intention, but considering the games focus on phsycology and its abilities it is unavoidable. THE GUARDIANS - The Guardians overall design, though not visualized with this documentation seek to have an origin from world knowledge Mara would have been introduced to in her youth alongisde their evolving personalities. They are in equal amounts meant to heighten the investment the player may feel for them as they upgrade and use their abilities throughout the game, followed by the final quest. THE DEATH WORLDS - Considering Mara cannot actually die within the game, it seemed to make more sense to have you play as instead a Guardian (In 3rd Person) and challenge their Shadow as an additional mission and a tutorial of sorts for understanding their abilities further and their usage later on. The option to skip them should be available however as I'm sure it would grow annoying. Alternativly they may only appear the first time Mara 'dies' to specific entities. THE MULTIPLE ENDINGS - The splitting paths and alternate endings are relatively short in their contrasting actions and can be discovered easily to prevent an overcomplication of work on the development side since all of the same features and mechanics can be used for either method with the inclusion of a few locations, dialogue, and cutscene additions. THE MOTHER AS A ANTAGONIST - The descision to make Mara's Mother a villain was not done initially, but in attempting to construct the environment from which the Emergence would be related to the Player, she seemed the most plausible secondary antagonist.