i just had a game idea
horror? mystery? i dunno but i'm just gonna dump what i have
quite a bit of the first part is exposition of sorts
(warning for hallucinations?)
okay, so basically it's a sort of first person simulation and you're babysitting a child who's clearly not human. Nothing too freaky but they're very clearly not human and is well aware of it, and it's also treated as a normal thing. The child is small, too young to be stressed about studies and life but also too old to be talking in a baby way and being overly innocent, but they also stumble with words sometimes. A certain stat with them is 'trust', which will be important throughout
you come from another town, so when you get to their home town, you find that it's mostly deserted, but the child assures you that lots of people live here, but just coincidentally stay inside. The things that stop you from doubting the child is the faint chatter from homes, public buildings being crowded and evidence of people like litter and graffiti. You mostly stay inside their home, go to the park or take walks in a nearby woods.
you only ever meet the child, but they also mention several people: their parents who have to go to work most days, but are also very loving, evidence from the decorations in their home and the child's health. They also talk about their friends; there are only a couple of individuals they like to talk about, but they often go on about a large friend group they're in. They talk more of their friends than family.
one of the many activities you can do with the child is draw, which is where a lot of the plot comes from. At first they'll draw normal, simple things, like rainbows, birds and trees. As the trust stat raises day by day, they start opening up through drawings: their friend group is full of taller, non-humans, who the child describes as 'a second family'. However, whenever they draw their family or other friends, they still talk highly of them, yet the drawings look blurry to you. If you mention this, they'll take the drawing back and say that there's nothing wrong with it. You're able to take the drawing to show to someone later, who'll also say it's fine.
now for when things take a turn
if you take the child to the park, you can explore but it will never let you too far. One place you can check is a dark alleyway. At first, there's just trash cans and rubbish, maybe a rat or racoon. However, if the trust stat is high enough, you'll see a figure in the dark. If you choose to step closer, you'll notice their eyes. Step again, and you'll see the entire figure in more detail. They look the child but grown up.
At first, they'll just stare at you until the child calls for you. Look again the next day and they won't be there, but will reappear the day after. try to talk to them and you'll be met with silence. Once again, when the trust stat reaches a certain point, their blank stare turns to a look of sorrow, before never appearing again,
The game goes on with everything becoming more unsettling. Less people appear, it becomes quieter, and the day goes by with nothing eventful or exciting. The lack of sounds, people and really just the lack of any life starts to creep you out, but the child ignores it and shrugs it off, hoping for it to fix itself. Places still look normal but it's only you and the child.You don't even see their parents' car near their home. Actually, you can't remember anything between putting the child to bed and arriving at your own home. Time goes much faster and things happen without you noticing.
The trust stat has reach its maximum and the child has told you everything it knows, none of which is out the ordinary.
You start seeing shadowy figures outside. In the background but noticeable. They seem to be having normal lives, having fun, but the shadows in their home are much more unsettling. There's nothing in the entire building, except for large, dark splodges at the head of their bed and at their desk. This goes on for the next few days, which become increasingly quicker.
At one point, before the child goes to sleep, they say that you can tell them anything if there's something troubling you, but they fall asleep before you can reply. When you reach the front door, you're given the choice to go back home or explore the town. This is the first choice that will determine your ending.
imma stop there because my mind has just hit a small block but if anyone wants to here the endings, i'll try to explain those
quite a bit of the first part is exposition of sorts
(warning for hallucinations?)
okay, so basically it's a sort of first person simulation and you're babysitting a child who's clearly not human. Nothing too freaky but they're very clearly not human and is well aware of it, and it's also treated as a normal thing. The child is small, too young to be stressed about studies and life but also too old to be talking in a baby way and being overly innocent, but they also stumble with words sometimes. A certain stat with them is 'trust', which will be important throughout
you come from another town, so when you get to their home town, you find that it's mostly deserted, but the child assures you that lots of people live here, but just coincidentally stay inside. The things that stop you from doubting the child is the faint chatter from homes, public buildings being crowded and evidence of people like litter and graffiti. You mostly stay inside their home, go to the park or take walks in a nearby woods.
you only ever meet the child, but they also mention several people: their parents who have to go to work most days, but are also very loving, evidence from the decorations in their home and the child's health. They also talk about their friends; there are only a couple of individuals they like to talk about, but they often go on about a large friend group they're in. They talk more of their friends than family.
one of the many activities you can do with the child is draw, which is where a lot of the plot comes from. At first they'll draw normal, simple things, like rainbows, birds and trees. As the trust stat raises day by day, they start opening up through drawings: their friend group is full of taller, non-humans, who the child describes as 'a second family'. However, whenever they draw their family or other friends, they still talk highly of them, yet the drawings look blurry to you. If you mention this, they'll take the drawing back and say that there's nothing wrong with it. You're able to take the drawing to show to someone later, who'll also say it's fine.
now for when things take a turn
if you take the child to the park, you can explore but it will never let you too far. One place you can check is a dark alleyway. At first, there's just trash cans and rubbish, maybe a rat or racoon. However, if the trust stat is high enough, you'll see a figure in the dark. If you choose to step closer, you'll notice their eyes. Step again, and you'll see the entire figure in more detail. They look the child but grown up.
At first, they'll just stare at you until the child calls for you. Look again the next day and they won't be there, but will reappear the day after. try to talk to them and you'll be met with silence. Once again, when the trust stat reaches a certain point, their blank stare turns to a look of sorrow, before never appearing again,
The game goes on with everything becoming more unsettling. Less people appear, it becomes quieter, and the day goes by with nothing eventful or exciting. The lack of sounds, people and really just the lack of any life starts to creep you out, but the child ignores it and shrugs it off, hoping for it to fix itself. Places still look normal but it's only you and the child.You don't even see their parents' car near their home. Actually, you can't remember anything between putting the child to bed and arriving at your own home. Time goes much faster and things happen without you noticing.
The trust stat has reach its maximum and the child has told you everything it knows, none of which is out the ordinary.
You start seeing shadowy figures outside. In the background but noticeable. They seem to be having normal lives, having fun, but the shadows in their home are much more unsettling. There's nothing in the entire building, except for large, dark splodges at the head of their bed and at their desk. This goes on for the next few days, which become increasingly quicker.
At one point, before the child goes to sleep, they say that you can tell them anything if there's something troubling you, but they fall asleep before you can reply. When you reach the front door, you're given the choice to go back home or explore the town. This is the first choice that will determine your ending.
imma stop there because my mind has just hit a small block but if anyone wants to here the endings, i'll try to explain those
