Design Document
Core Concept
A human in marked to be the Fae King's wife and queen. However, unknown to the Fae King, this human is not only a citizen of the Queendom of Iron and Smolder, but its second princess who was on her way to meet her newly betrothed. The Player must decide: do they try to run back home to their Queendom, seek revenge on those who chased her into the forest in the first place, or stay hidden away in the forest and embrace this fate.
Player experience
This game is aims to deliver the following experiences:
Dark court romance
Agency within captivity
Power imbalance tension (both ways)
Romantic options
Revenge Arc
Getting lost in the forest
Core Mechanics
Variables:
Romance
Distrust
Each Potential Partner(PP) will have their own Romance and Distrust variables. Both of these variables work independently of each other, allowing for unique combinations that lead to their own endings.
Romance will unlock heartfelt scenes and love-based actions. Distrust will lead to tougher conflict and its own unique choices.
Endings such as Loving But Letting Go would come from a combination of high Romance but also high Distrust. There will be at least four different types of ending for each PP.
Magic System & Narrative Consequences
Humans are weak to fae magic and it can lead to fainting when overwhelmed. Humans have items to help negate this, however they are hard to make and expensive to buy.
Branching Philosophy
There are four main branches the player can take. Early on, the player will be given chances to change between these branches. Each branch has a permanence point where the player will be locked to that branch. From there, the player choices alter the tone, character relationships, and what kind of ending the player receives.
Episode Arc
Outline:
Hook
Consequence Phase
Character Dynamics Escalation
New Complication
Cliffhanger
Replay Value
Different Main Branches
Romance and Distrust variables bring dialogue changes
Miscellaneous Moments
Special Hidden Encounter