Discover How The Alters Redefines Storytelling in Gaming!

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In the game titled “The Alters“, there’s a lot happening: characters are desperately escaping death as the sun approaches, their sanctuary is a massive tire-shaped construction, radiation fills the environment, managing the base and progressing the main plot is a challenging resource-focused journey, and the only trustworthy allies they have are alternate versions of themselves. Through a precious resource called Rapidium and a sophisticated quantum computer, players in “The Alters” can create several “Alters” of themselves for an extraordinary narrative and gameplay experience.

It’s crucial that the narrative and gameplay in The Alters complement each other seamlessly. This unique game offers a distinctly different experience for every player, ensuring no two playthroughs are alike. In a recent discussion with director Tomasz Kisilewicz, Game Rant delved into the storytelling aspects of The Alters, focusing on how it tailors to an individual’s journey. We also explored the in-game resources and how they prioritize the player’s experience. The following transcript has been simplified for clarity and conciseness.

Emergent Storytelling in The Alters

In the previous year when I was here, I witnessed that if you don’t give the Miner drugs, he would cut off his arm. I was curious to see what would happen if he stayed on drugs. As expected, he died and it had a negative impact on everyone’s mood. A quest appeared with the message: ‘Improve their Mood Before Something Bad Happens.’ Thinking about what could go wrong, I tried to boost their spirits but didn’t hurry it. Unfortunately, one of the Alters decided to commit suicide and take everyone else with them. Given that experience, I wanted to ask about how you all handle game over scenarios because that was quite an extreme case of losing the game.

Were you satisfied with it?

Oh yeah. I get why it happened, but I was not prepared for the ‘Oh My God Accidental Altercide.’

The key aspect of systems like this that emerge is for you to comprehend what caused the event and learn from it for future attempts. I don’t recall the exact number, but there are several alternative endings to our story. The most compelling one arises from the varying moods of the Alters; sadness and depression can cause a massive suicide, while anger may lead to rebellion. The main character can be severely harmed by neglecting the base, being outside too long, or not avoiding the sun and getting burned. At some point, we had to establish the ways in which things could go wrong and design these failure states. I believe it’s most impactful when it comes from their emotions because that’s where you experience the depth of the emotional system. It’s entirely systemic and not scripted at all. Regarding the Miner, there are more than just two possible outcomes for its outcome.

I’m curious: did you reload the game?

Initially, I attempted to restart the day, but it didn’t solve the problem. Eventually, I found myself going back a full five days, only to discover that the event had already passed. In my determination to achieve the primary goal, I thought I could handle both the task and their emotions. However, I realized that tending to your Alters is just as important.

On the second day of our gaming sessions, we transitioned into Act 2, and instead of our previously chosen Alters, we were assigned some new, randomly selected ones.

Did you have the Miner today?

In the course of events, I found myself in a situation where he was present, and it was evident that he wore a mechanical limb. The game instructed us to move him into the reflection chamber, and surprisingly, he started discussing Moby Dick.

Incredible! The second phase of his journey could take various paths, and I must say, nothing beats reading Moby Dick for me. Have you finished it yet?

He completed the book and mentioned that he would continue working, however, he wouldn’t let himself become overly preoccupied with it.

You noticed the way he managed to overcome working too much and overdoing it. Essentially, it’s a tale about making up for what he felt was missing in his childhood.

A: Is the complexity I observed with the Miner common among all Alters, or are some of them less complex?

As a devoted admirer, let me express that our ultimate goal is indeed to achieve what we’ve set out for. Rest assured, once the game is completed, I’ll be eager to hear your thoughts. However, I must clarify that we haven’t promised too much, but we’ve certainly aimed to imbue each Alter with a unique characteristic trait. This trait not only creates problems for them but also provides avenues for self-resolution.

Every Alter shares some common unresolved issues, much like the Miner does. We design it this way so they can all work through their internal struggles. Even characters such as the Doctor, Shrink, and Guard—who make their appearance later in the game—have stories with just as much depth as the Miner’s.

The Doctor’s story, in particular, is one of my favorites. It’s a tale that’s both poignant and hopeful, requiring the player to persevere through adversity.

A: In creating the character today, he introduced himself as Johan Dolson. What strategies did you employ to ensure that each version of this character is distinctly Jan while still being unique?

Answer: The question is fascinating as it seems to me that there are two key aspects to consider: characters and voices. In terms of characters, we aimed for each Alter to have a stark contrast. We even plotted them on a graph, emphasizing their polar opposites while also finding some commonalities among them. This way, they appear to originate from the same person because one might seem quite different from another, depending on the sample taken. One could resemble this one more, another could resemble that one, and this creates a sense of unity. The challenge lies in making them look distinct. That’s straightforward: adding a beard, shaving hair, or any other change will do. However, the voice is where it gets tricky.

During the developmental phase, our team, including the voice directors and Alex Jordan (the actor for Jan and all his Alters), devoted a substantial amount of time to refining the characters. They spent countless hours in London’s studio, meticulously working on distinctive voices for each Alter that were neither too exaggerated nor too lifelike. This was crucial because overly cartoonish or realistic voices could blur their individuality. The voices needed a touch of stylization to ensure they remained distinct from one another. With this approach, even if your eyes were closed, you’d know it was the Botanist speaking. Techniques such as accents, varying pitches, and other tools were employed, but with Alex Jordan voicing all the characters. Each Alter has its unique flair, which you can sense.

In regards to the Guard, we intended to give you a bit of an unexpected twist. Unlike what you might anticipate from the Tree of Life, this Kratos-like figure isn’t as rough or intimidating as you’d think. Instead, he has a soft-spoken demeanor and is quite calm. He doesn’t embody the typical tough guy persona one would expect. I believe it adds an interesting twist, and you’ll have to uncover the reasons behind his character. Since the Tree of Life only provides a glimpse into their lives, you’ll need to interact with him, delve deeper into the storyline, and understand why he distrusts others and believes he can’t be trusted if he wants to achieve success.

Yeah, did you do anything else with him or just make him?

I started the Perfect Crime quest, but I never got to the end of it.

The Systemic Elements of The Alters

Moving on to another topic, I noticed that this game has an abundance of resources. Could you share your strategy for determining the quantity of resources and how many to include? Additionally, how did you manage to prevent the game from becoming overwhelming due to an excess of resources?

A: Our system designers have created numerous maps and put in a significant amount of work. Earlier today, I demonstrated a paper prototype, and the fundamental elements are still derived from that original model. Additionally, we have previous experiences with games like Frostpunk and This War of Mine, so designing economical and systematic structures is something we feel comfortable and experienced with. It’s an ongoing process of adjusting various aspects, creating mechanics and systems, and preventing potential exploits. The system could easily be exploited if we didn’t establish certain safeguards such as storage space limitations. This balancing act is crucial to the process.

In The Alters game, we understand that the mix of genres may pose a unique challenge since our players will have varying levels of experience, particularly with strategy and economically-demanding games. To make it more approachable for newcomers, we’ve incorporated separate difficulty settings for economic challenges and adventure-style challenges like anomalies. This way, strategic players can minimize the action-adventure elements if they prefer, while action-adventure enthusiasts can focus on the story without being overwhelmed by the economy.

Could you describe the nature of that equilibrium – is it more about storytelling with survival aspects integrated or primarily a survival experience with a strong narrative element?

A: To be straightforward, we’re shooting for a balanced mix in our game – equal parts survival challenge and immersive narrative. We want it to be more than just a routine survival experience, requiring your active participation, but also offer a compelling storyline that stands on its own. If you strip away the economic systems, there’s still a solid narrative game left, much like a walking simulator. Fortunately, we’re able to deliver both aspects. However, achieving this perfect balance is subjective and may vary based on individual opinions. Nonetheless, our goal has always been to strike a 50/50 balance between the two elements of our game.

Q: What can you tell me about the overall act structure? Is it a classic three-act story?

A: Absolutely! We intentionally designed our game around an ancient theater structure, with Acts 1, 2, and 3 as our main locations. However, there are additional elements in between these acts. I don’t want to reveal too much, but even the prelude consists of about an hour of gameplay before you reach Act 1. There are trips and adventures along the way, as well as some unexpected twists. We structured it this way deliberately to maintain control over the narrative flow.

In our storytelling approach, we aimed to combine a traditional linear narrative with multiple endings and side plots for each character, known as Alters. Beneath these personal narratives lies an underlying emergent narrative, which arises naturally from the various systems within the game. For instance, one such system could be the decision to commit suicide or not, but there’s also a quick-decision system that presents choices like choosing between better food and worse food, additional radiation or no radiation, using enriched metals or avoiding them, etc. These elements are generated by the game’s systems and are further influenced by the Alters you choose to follow in your gameplay.

When I select the Botanist character, unexpected situations may arise that wouldn’t happen with other characters. These situations are both unpredictable and deeply ingrained in the game mechanics. I find it fascinating that we can create such scenarios within the game, especially since they stem from systemic elements. The ability to tell a story in this manner is one of the many reasons why video games are so captivating. By incorporating these systemic aspects into a traditional narrative framework, we’re able to maintain control over the main storyline while also adding depth and complexity.

As a huge fan, I can’t help but wonder about the journey you’ve taken with the game over the past year. Could you share some insights into that process?

Over the past year, we completed our game, ensuring it was playable from start to end. Since then, we conducted extensive playtesting, identifying what functioned well and areas for improvement. We dedicated significant time to refining aspects and adding new content. Even when the game was fully playable, some dialogue was still missing and additional content was being added. However, the most significant transformation over the last year involved enhancing certain exploration and survival mechanics. We revised the day count system in each act because we noticed players were often rushing to complete the main objective at the start of an Act due to the counter. To address this, we altered the system so that initially, the sun is far away, indicating ample time for Alters and other objectives, but then it starts moving closer and the counter becomes active.

This year, we delved deeper into the subject of unusual occurrences. Previously, we only encountered one type. I’m not sure if you recall its functionality, but this time, you’ve noticed various types, multiple methods to interact with them, and strategies for their destruction. These new elements were incorporated in the last half year, and they seem to enhance the gameplay experience.

We significantly broadened the research structure and incorporated fresh components and automation techniques for enhanced replayability. This not only offers a distinct narrative but also introduces more diversity to your base construction. You might consider auto-mining, or perhaps you’ll gain radiation repulses, improved shields for your base, better cosmic items – all sorts of possibilities like that.

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2025-05-22 19:34