Vending Machine

Do we have the right to interfere with others’ lives? Under what circumstances is it going to lead to a good result, and under what circumstances will it become a disaster? These are the questions I would like to raise through the game.

Projecting your self-reflection onto certain events is neutral until it turns into an expectation for others to act according to your inner narrative. When that happens, reflection shifts from being self-understanding to an act of imposition. Although my intention is neither to encourage interference nor non-interference, it is to draw attention to the particularities of each case. This means that sometimes people need to trust their own instincts within a pressured environment where all views are built up and constantly alarmed by others’ opinions. When discarding all titles and tags, what is “your” perspective?

While we cannot become another individual, what one reflects will never become the “truth” for another individual. With that in mind, how would one, again, decide what to do? Perhaps the question is not whether to act or not to act, but how to recognize the boundary between understanding and control.

This game simulates a situation where one’s every choice is seen and measured. Players are placed in a social context where every decision is observed and judged. Each action is evaluated, while your action can cross the superior authority. Actions bring no rewards, but only consequences. The two storylines represent two possible scenarios, but I hope the game will also remind players of similar moments in their own lives. Beware of our actions, and help others by respecting their own views of truth.

Abstract

You are a worker working inside a vending machine. Your job is to decide what or what not to sell to your consumers. WAIT... Seems like you have a little bit of power to cross your superior... What are the consequences of your actions? Will you do it? Or will you not?

Mechanic

Basically... Press "SPACE" to proceed with the conversation

Use your cursor, too.

Process

Started with a composition like this:

The foremost task is to come up with the game flow:

People come and choose an item - sell it/sell another item/not sell at all.

I cut out the "sell another" option because... a million possibilities. Along with other NPCs.

I had to cut out a 3d environment due to time limitations. (Along with a bunch of contents lol/ also found this unnecessary)

Things that are confirmed with me weren't removed. For instance, the "comic-like" grids are kept. They are modified to this for better visuality. The grid becomes a screen, and the dialogue bubbles just changed to better-looking ones. 

My note for myself:

Use random sprites to make sure the game flow runs. Then replace the art resources... and tons of iterations. (This is a note because I always wait until the scene is "good-looking" enough to work on the system... But this time I did try something different.)

For example this item:

Later becomes this: