Events as a metaphor for resilience
I'm sure I'm not the only one who thinks summer flew by, but time does go by three times faster when developing a game. Luckily, I found some of it to finally write a post here. Okay, to be honest, I'm just procrastinating productively. But hey, a lot of things have been done during my absence, and we're on our final 3-week marathon to prepare everything for a pitch deck and send it out to publishers. The terror! The excitement!!
Anyway, one of the most recent things I worked on was the Friendship Day event. It has card reading as a minigame and allows you to learn a thing or two about the inhabitants of your mushroom complex. I won't spoil much more, but there are 11 different events planned, and a player would get to enjoy 10 of them throughout 100 in-game days. In case you're wondering what the 11th one is... it's a secret. No, for real, it's a secret event that you can unlock once a certain frog combination inhabits your complex.
Even though the minigames that come with each event have unique mechanics, the events themselves share similarities in their structure. You need at least three tenants for any event to take place, find themed decorations and a key item, as well as snacks. Oh, and don't forget to invite frogs! Sure, they might have heard of the event happening right next to them, but everyone likes that extra personal touch. Now, you can be sure your amphibian friends will show up and have heaps of fun!
And here's why it's important: we're making a game about building resilience in the face of adversity. Our goal is to show that by finding joy in everyday things and taking control of your mental state and overall mojo you can withstand the most daunting circumstances. No toxic positivity, though! While events are there to help everyone cope with Big Toad's bullying, frogs will sometimes complain to the player about their bug-catching workload, rent, and even feeling alienated. All kinds of feelings are respected and allowed, and events & activities are a great way to release tension and bond.
Furthermore, there are different types of event minigames offered. Some focus on agility, others are more therapeutic (almost literally, as they utilize Narrative Therapy principles), and some are just fun little experiences, for instance, a fashion show, in which you get to interact a bit more with your frog tenants and co! I'll write more about each event as they get added to Frogs & Mushies :)
Now, this is a lot to unpack... Hopefully, I at least got you interested in attending these frog parties! We'll make sure to save you a seat and a pack of fresh Fruity Flies ;) By the way, if you're into bite-sized content, then make sure to check out our Instagram. Live, laugh, reel!