Jackies Gamejam

Theme and prototype

I already started a day late even though I voted for the theme lol. Theme is “Signal”.

Electrical Signal, im thinking of a 3d world where satellites and satellite stations are used

Visual inspiration would be “Voices of the void”. Even though I do NOT like horror games, this is the theme and the design I want to go for. 3D, controlling Ground Satellite Stations.

Whats the gameloop? I dont like logical and mathematical riddles, so thats a no. I dont like horror.

I like atmosphere and I like exploring. I like heroic deeds and I like getting lost in the focus of doing things. Maybe I can find a gameloop that supports at least a couple of these things?

Lets ask AI what other casual Satellite games are out there.

IDEA: I could combine a console which allows input (Autovervollstaednigungen andernfalls wrong input) with finding Star constellations.

Player maybe has to drive to the next gas station to pick up a kebab, bmw car would fit nice

Also how cute is this demake, make ill use also 2,5D?

Mechanics:

Limit movement of the satellite to x amounts, before one has to go out and recharge motors or until something gets broken
Timewait mechanic, as the sky changes, orient yourself on real events
typical sysadmin stuff, move files from a to b, restart servers, fix Servers, bring them back to sync etcetc

Regarding the narrative, I listened to “House featuring John Cale” and thought about a narrative experience. As the song is very cryptic and displays some melancholy, I thought about the player having other peoples video messages they receive. And with every message the partner gets more desperate as the world around him gets destroyed or something. And in the end, the origin of the message is yourself, you send these messages. To yourself, from the future. Could be combined with the world getting destroyed, or you sending yourself a message from the future telling you something is coming.

Ambience: What about a ground control station in Greenland? Implement snowstorms! Setting could be during the cold war when stations would be used to track soviet objects

Use DEFCON Every Defcon level changes the color in the room

Random events that distract the player from being attentive to the radar

Satellite gets stuck, manual fix needed (maybe among us style?)
Power overload, need to reboot systems (which takes time, bootup pc takes time, everything goes dark, flashlight mechanic)
snow on the satellite, bad signal (less reach, random blibs)
maybe something heat related as its in snowy antarctica? Refueling stuff?

Camera What about a fixed camera like in the old resident evil games?

Sketches

I could also make a surveillance game, right? But what would the gameplay loop be? You go into the safe room and then switch between different cameras? And then what?