# Intro

# Design

This game’s design intends to create a uniquely interesting take on a grid-based roguelike, by playing with the expectations of turns and also to create a unique aesthetic for horror-like media that doesn’t rely on jump-scares.

# Audience

There is an audience for retraux horror games, games such as World of Horror, and Faith, which build an unsettling environment using the limits of their graphical presentation. The nostalgia of older style hardware and presentation is something that has a niche yet devout audience throughout the history of gaming, and I think that if we go the ~~pixel art~~ manual route, we can capture that audience.

Note: Because of the team's skills and goals, Pixel-Art, was dropped in favor of a hand-drawn cartoon-like art style.

# World Setting

The game takes place in a fictional town in the United States. Most likely a small suburb with a school, some stores, a summer camp, and other amenities, perhaps it even has a few abandoned environments such as a sawmill, or dock.

On October 13 198X, A teenager broke into an abandoned house on a dare from their friends, while exploring, they find a forbidden text and read it, expecting nothing more than a way to pass the time.

Instead, all hell broke loose, many of the town’s inhabitants became possessed by demons, and some even became the willing servants of the devil, aiming to hunt down and kill the teen.

The player is a teenager, one of many slasher tropes, desperately seeking out the resources required to perform the counter ritual and set everything right again, it’s the only way one can make it out of this alive.

Also, the girl we all thought would be the “Final Girl”? She’s nowhere to be seen.

# Gameplay

The gameplay is split up into two main phases that allow the player to explore the town at will.

The town is split up into different regions depending on the location in town, ranging from the town center to, suburbia, outskirts, fields, and woodlands around the town.

Within these regions, expedition events and locations are represented as the typical 198x amenities and settings that are scattered across the map. Basic housing, shops, camps, schools, hospitals, and so on.

In both phases movement is grid-based.

# Expedition Phase

During the second phase, the player investigates events in town, gets ambushed during travels, or the place one is visiting has become hostile. Events take place in the typical 198x amenities and setting that are scattered across the town map and differ from region to region.

In this phase time is turn-based, and movement is instant.
The goal now can be to banish hostiles and/or gather items.

# Preparation Phase

The first phase plays out on the town map where the player gets a fixed amount of Time Units to spend during his day out in town. These units can be used to work a job; buy supplies, get medical treatment, or take a long rest.

Time passes as the player spends available Time Units.
The goal of this phase is to buy or earn info and materials.

# Example

Preparation Phase:

After the last expedition a player is wounded and has a broken weapon. With the limited time, one has available a decision has to be made on what to prioritize and how to spend time in the most efficient way possible.

The best weapons may only be available in a store on the opposite side of town from the medical facility, or the medical store near the weapons shop may have run out of supplies. Ether way, choices have to be made, and the more one travels, the more chances there are one will get ambushed.

Expedition Phase:

As the player enters an abandoned lumber camp, there are a bunch of lesser demons. The player takes time to set up and dispatch them while looking for useful items. But as combat is ongoing, one of the slashers enters the map and the player has to get away or hide until it moves on. Success, items found, and no slasher around time to take the items home.
While traveling home, an ambush happens. Demons stop the player, and a slasher rushes onto the map. The player quickly kills the daemons and tries to runaway or hide from the slasher. In doing so one tries to bash through a locked door but is not strong enough and fails. As the next best option one leaps through the glass window and takes some damage.

Losing direct sight the slasher slows down, and investigates the last know location. During this time the player runs or hides and hopes the slasher gives up on the chase.