# graphical fidelity vs sci fi storytelling in caffeine summary: teh garme 'caffeine' fails to do at least one thing out of the ordinary and seems currently mired in sci fi horror cliches - the question that needs asking is "what do i really have to say (that's cool and unusual) about this space and situation?" modern video garme designers already well versed in visual design and 'making stuff that looks like stuff look cool' still need to work on understanding narrative - how to match ir doubtless intensity of graphical fidelity with conceptual and storytelling richness and complexity the "caffeine" demo in unreal engine 4 is using traditional storytelling methods such as (inherently) cheesy audio logs and text based post it notes rather than presenting narrative dynamically // video here garme devs still imagine sterile graphical slickness / eye candy wins over challenging storytelling (and perhaps even think should do) because they rush out to "make a garme!" instead of carefully conveying meaningful meanings - other than "my garme looks pretty slick huh?" the increasingly shorter amounts of time it takes to make a half decent looking map or level nowadays is often unfortunately matched by a similar lack of sensitive attention spent on thinking about the ideas and underlying assumptions behind immediate design choices rather than fully integrated storytelling narrative expressed through mechanics - through the behavior of teh garme system as a whole - the false need to capture the shallow eyeballs of potential consumers smothers what (if anything) they could say / be played about the human condition that's why people refer to cool looking video garmes as 'visually stunning' - because they act as though hit over the head with shiny hollow toys consider the weak back story of caffeine - true sci fi horror the year is 2097 the earth is over-populated and is lacking resources. the most consumed drug is caffeine and companies have countless outposts among the stars mining the resources required to quench the endless thirst of earth's population $80,000 for that? for off-world coffee mining? that's a hell of a lot of grande vanilla soy latte space enemas son one is reminded of the failed centration kickstarter campaign suggestions for caffeine **+** "evoking atmosphere" rather than shoe-horning in some wack sci fi story might be better generally **+** improve the initial premise: "you awaken as a young boy to find yourself seemingly alone on a space station." all this amnesiac waking up under unfamiliar ceilings malarkey (#evangelion ref for yall) as all played out **+** why are you a young boy and how might that make a direct and meaningful difference to how teh garme plays? there's nothing in the caffeine demo to suggest teh garme cares what age or size you are - unlike in among the sleep **+** "seemingly alone.." as pure sci-fi cheese / tosh and must be killed with fire immediately; who's to say whatever facially-be'tentacled horror is stalking me in this bland maze of nicely lit metallic corridors isn't also lonely and in need of a hug? (this is not to say someone can't come along and do something interesting with cliches - "it was supposed to be a routine mission..") **+** having a garme set on a space station - seemingly abandoned or otherwise - does not automatically provide a meaningful setting; what can be said that's interesting and new about 'being alone in space' that doesn't state anything more that the obvious fact that "large empty spaces often make you feel alone"? **+** make the audio logs funny; allow the player to discover that the ship was overrun by caffeine junkies bent on leaving audio logs and sticky notes everywhere - that is directly tie together the human effects of deep space isolation and terminal caffeine sickness **+** have a coffee-mutated crew member scream out "i need coffee!" - and make them chase you for the beans you need to power up the space station's life support subsystems.. or something **update patch** one the developer of caffeine has gone for another more modest indigogo campaign goal of $5000 **update patch** two the developer of caffeine has gone for another more modest indigogo campaign goal of $1000 they've also released a new trailer the problem with this trailer is that there's no context and zero narrative; there's simply not enough happening for anyone to care for all new players know it could be just another random loltube playthrough video. as they say in mma: "it's not working son; go to something else" **update patch** three in which the developer has the courage / temerity to charge £14.95 for this turkey // republic of bob