Two main things we had to do this past week,
(1) Figure out the character backstories for the narrative aspect of the experience.
(2) Delegate tasks for the first user test we will conduct before or on February 10th.

(1) For our character backstories, we settled on a very elemental paradigm. The origin story involves a forest spirit discovering the power of fire. First, he is lost and can’t see, and the fire gives him light. Then, he needs to cook, so he uses the fire to make food. Finally, he wants to tell someone a tale, so he uses the fire to create shape-shifting shadows.

The forest spirit ends up being so grateful, they decide to give the fire spirit three gifts, which will be scattered among all their kin. First, because of the ability to see in the darkness, the fire spirit can see visions. Then, because of the gift of cooking, the fire spirit can now heal others. Finally, because of the shadow stories, the fire spirit can now shapeshift.

Today, one of the fire spirit’s descendants is misusing their power. They are making others shapeshift irresponsibly, so the forest spirit summons a healer, a seer, the shapeshifting trickster, and the fire spirit in order to get to the truth. The users must now figure out who is who in this mysterious campfire in the forest.

(2) For our first user test, which we have about a week for, we need to have three things in place:
(A) A research question that will help us improve our next iteration of the tale
(B) A multi-player network
and (C) customizable avatars.

We have a lot of work ahead of us, but the tale is shaping up quite nicely. It will be a light-hearted experience for friends to gather to.