Redo Two: Single-Player Breath-Powered Fan Crafting Mechanic
I think that this mechanic needs to be single player. The idea of a team is nice but it is important that the game be played alone.
Overview:
This crafting mechanic focuses on resourcefulness, creativity, and personal growth, reflecting the player’s character’s journey. The process of crafting symbolic items, such as "The Breath-Powered Fan," provides both gameplay benefits and emotional narrative impact.
Mechanic: Crafting Symbolic Items
Setup:
The player takes on the role of Jordan, who must gather resources and overcome challenges to craft symbolic items that help him navigate his emotional journey.
Each item has a blueprint card detailing the required components, assembly steps, and emotional reflection task.
Crafting Steps:
Blueprint Discovery:
The player acquires a crafting blueprint, such as "The Breath-Powered Fan," either as part of the narrative or by exploring the world.
The blueprint outlines:
Required Components: Small fan blade, brass tubing, lightweight motor (optional), glue.
Assembly Challenges: Tasks that test the player’s skill through dice rolls or choices.
Emotional Reflection: A thematic task tied to the character’s personal growth.
Gathering Materials:
The player explores the environment (Jordan’s home, Ellie’s workshop, or other locations) to collect components.
Each material is earned through a mini-challenge based on skill checks or problem-solving:
Fan Blade: Found in Ellie’s workshop after succeeding on a Creativity Check to repurpose scrap metal.
Brass Tubing: Requires a Patience Check to carefully retrieve it from a pile of delicate parts.
Glue: Obtained after completing a Bartering Task with Ellie, requiring clever dialogue choices or trading an extra item.
Assembling the Fan:
The player follows the steps on the blueprint to assemble the fan. Each step requires skill rolls or decision-making:
Aligning the fan blade: Succeed on a Precision Check to secure the blade without damaging it.
Connecting the tubing: Solve a Puzzle Task to fit the tubing securely into the fan’s frame.
Testing the fan: The player roleplays “blowing” into the fan, then rolls dice or flips a card to see if the fan spins successfully.
Emotional Reflection:
Before testing the fan, the player is prompted to engage in an Emotional Reflection Task, such as answering a narrative question or making a choice:
“Jordan feels guilty about his parents’ arguments. How does he begin to let go of the feeling that it’s his responsibility to fix everything?”
The player selects or writes a response, deepening their connection to Jordan’s journey.
Completion:
When the fan is successfully crafted, it becomes a usable item in the game. For example:
Coping Tool: The fan allows Jordan to manage anxiety in tense situations (e.g., rerolling failed emotional checks).
Symbol of Growth: The fan represents Jordan’s ability to focus on what he can control, granting a small bonus to confidence-based challenges.
Example Playthrough:
Blueprint Discovery:
Jordan receives the "Breath-Powered Fan" blueprint from Ellie, who explains its purpose: “This fan runs on your breath. Think of it as a reminder—you can always take a deep breath and keep moving forward.”Material Gathering:
Jordan finds the fan blade in Ellie’s workshop by succeeding on a Creativity Check to identify reusable scrap.
The brass tubing requires a successful Patience Check to extract it from a delicate machine.
The glue is earned by trading an extra gear he found earlier.
Assembly:
The player rolls a Precision Check to align the fan blade (success).
They solve a Puzzle Task to secure the tubing, completing it after a few attempts.
Emotional Reflection:
The player is prompted with: “Jordan feels like he’s responsible for his parents’ fights. How does he begin to let go of that guilt?”
They choose: “Jordan decides to focus on what he can control—his own feelings and actions.”
Completion:
The fan spins when Jordan blows into it, symbolizing his ability to create calm amidst chaos. The player unlocks the fan as a Coping Tool, granting rerolls on anxiety-related challenges, and moves forward with a sense of accomplishment and narrative progression.
Impact in the Game:
This single-player mechanic ties crafting to character growth, making each item meaningful both functionally and symbolically. The process of creating the fan reinforces Jordan’s emotional journey, giving players a sense of connection and progress in the story.
