Thesis Faculty
PERMUTATION
Play on itch.io
PERMUTATION is a branched narrative game that collaborates with players to establish narrative and character, exploring the effects of both audio- and visual-based outputs on one’s perception of story and identity. All players begin the game assuming control of the same vacant figure, lost in a cavernous space. Featureless and without identity, the figure must seek to regain what has been lost by traveling into worlds of sound. Without visuals, players will immerse themselves in the story, affecting its trajectory with their choices. When they reemerge into the visual world once again, the player’s personal input into the reality of the game will be reflected by a physical change in their player character. layers continue this pattern until they complete the accompanying narrative arc, thus fully reclaiming the identity of the lost figure. TThe goal of Permutation is to explore the relationship that the player feels between themselves and the character as it emerges throughout the game. Will they feel the same sense of autonomy over their creation as they would when utilizing an aesthetic based character creator tool? Or will the player’s personal connection with this in game character manifest in a different way?
