In the first weeks of phase 3 I focused on coming up with game ideas for anything related to time, relativity and timekeeping devices such as clocks. I primarily used my research notes to inspire mindmaps where I wrote down game ideas, and briefly how they worked. I created two mindmaps, one for relativity and one for timekeeping devices, and you can find these on the “mindmaps” page. I decided to stay away from mechanics or games that focused on time loops as I felt that it was an overused trope whenever time is in media, especially within games.

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I intended to create twelve game ideas, which I would then choose three to flesh out more and present to the group at the end of the phase. I planned to make each idea into a functioning game and I converted each into a board that described the game, as well as how it would play and any other information I had. The boards were essentially one-page pitches for each game. I achieved my goal of twelve by the end of the first two weeks and you can find them on the “game boards” page.

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Whilst most of my ideas came directly from the mindmap, I also recorded a video, which you can find below, of a demonstration of how the sun would cast a shadow on a sundial. I utilised a shot glass as the gnomon (see diagram) of a sundial and shined a torch on it to cast a shadow on the paper. I then circled the glass with the torch to give the idea of the sun moving. This movement of the shadow around the circle inspired the primary mechanic of the “escape the shadow” game idea.