Game Design Concept
Echoes of
the Outback
Echoes of the Outback is a narrative-driven game concept developed for a university game design course exploring how storytelling, environment, and interaction shape player experience.
Lets Dig In
Project Overview
Echoes of the Outback was conceived as an empathy-driven serious game that translates the lived experience of Alzheimer’s disease into an interactive narrative. Rather than relying on exposition alone, the project uses gameplay mechanics and environment to embody memory loss, confusion, and emotional fragmentation. Set in Coober Pedy, South Australia, the Outback’s underground landscapes act as a metaphor for fading memory and buried identity. The core challenge was balancing expressive storytelling with ethical sensitivity, demonstrating how gameplay, narrative, and place can work together to foster empathy through experiential design.
Concept Development
Echoes of the Outback is a first-person narrative exploration game where players embody Tom Victor, a 62-year-old miner living with early onset Alzheimer’s in the Australian Outback. As reality blurs with memory, players drift between fragmented present-day landscapes and vivid flashbacks to a younger self in the city and mines. Through shifting environments, contradictory NPCs, and fading detail the game transforms memory loss into lived experience asking players when memory unravels what truly matters?
The Approach
Echoes of the Outback adopts an experiential, empathy-driven game design approach that prioritises feeling over explanation. Rather than teaching players about Alzheimer’s disease through exposition or instruction, the game communicates its themes through systems that gradually destabilise the player’s sense of control, memory, and spatial certainty.
Understanding Alzheimers Through Play
To create an authentic and respectful experience, Echoes of the Outback was grounded in interdisciplinary research spanning Alzheimer's disease, empathy-driven game design, Australian cultural identity, and narrative exploration. This research informed every gameplay mechanic, environment, and narrative decision.
RESEARCH AREAS
ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE & MEMORY LOSS
KEY INSIGHTS
Memory deteriorates gradually rather than suddenly.
Older memories often remain clearer than recent events.
Hallucinations, spatial confusion, and loss of independence become increasingly significant.
Many individuals are unaware of their own cognitive decline in early stages.
DESIGN TRANSLATION
Objects move or disappear.
NPCs contradict previous conversations.
Navigation becomes unreliable.
Player abilities gradually deteriorate over time.
AUSTRALIAN OUTBACK & COOBER PEDY
KEY INSIGHTS
Underground dugouts represent hidden and fragmented memories.
Mining symbolises uncovering forgotten experiences.
Isolation and vast landscapes reinforce loneliness and vulnerability.
DESIGN TRANSLATION
Underground environments become physical representations of buried memories.
Exploration mirrors the process of remembering.
Environmental storytelling replaces traditional exposition.
SERIOUS GAMES & PROCEDURAL RHETORIC
KEY INSIGHTS
Empathy develops through interaction rather than observation.
Gameplay systems can communicate emotion more effectively than dialogue.
Frustration can become meaningful when it reflects the player's lived experience.
DESIGN TRANSLATION
Doors lead to unexpected locations.
Conversations reset unexpectedly.
The game intentionally removes certainty and control.
There is no traditional "win" condition.
COMPETETOR ANALYSIS
Before I Forget
Before I Forget is a key competitor to Echoes of the Outback because it demonstrates how a short, narrative-driven walking simulator can communicate the lived experience of dementia through environmental storytelling rather than explicit explanation.
Life is Strange
Life is Strange is a relevant competitor to Echoes of the Outback because it shows how emotionally driven, choice-based gameplay can foreground memory, loss, and consequence without relying on traditional win–lose structures.
As Long as
You're Here
As Long As You’re Here is a relevant competitor to Echoes of the Outback because it explores grief and memory through fragmented narrative structure and quiet, reflective gameplay rather than challenge or mastery.
People, Progression, and the Journey
Echoes of the Outback follows Tom Victor's journey through memory, identity, and loss. Through supporting characters, shifting environments, and a gradual decline of clarity, players experience the emotional stages of Alzheimer's disease in an interactive and empathetic way.
CHARACTERS
TOM VICTOR
Protagonist
A 62-year-old miner living with early onset Alzheimer's. Proud, stubborn, and deeply loving. His memories fade, but his emotions remain.
JACK
Old Friend
A fellow miner and longtime mate. His presence is unreliable, sometimes helpful, sometimes conflicting.
DYNAMIC RELATIONSHIPS
Characters' behaviour and dialogue change as Tom's memory deteriorates. Familiar faces become strangers, conversations contradict, and trust becomes uncertain.
MARY VICTOR
Wife
Tom's late wife. Appears in memories and emotional moments throughout the game, guiding Tom's sense of love and loss.
DR. ELLIS
Neurologist
Provides diagnoses and medical context through key story moments. Represents clarity and reality in Tom's world.
Memory Intact
World feels stable and familiar.
Small Gaps
Minor forgetfulness and inconsistencies begin to appear.
Fragmentation
Reality breaks down. Memories overlap and distort.
Disorientation
Loss of control, confusion, and emotional strain.
Acceptance
Letting go brings peace and understanding.
PROGRESSION OVERVIEW
LEVELS & ACTS OF THE GAME
MEMORY SYSTEM
Objects move, fade, or disappear. The world can't be fully trusted.
RELATIONSHIP SYSTEM
NPCs forget, contradict, or misremember, changing how they interact with Tom.
NAVIGATION SYSTEM
Maps become unreliable. Familiar paths shift or become inaccessible.
PUZZLE SYSTEM
Solutions change. What worked before may not work again.
EMOTIONAL SYSTEM
Choices affect Tom's emotional state and the story's outcome.
PROGRESSION SYSTEMS
A Life in Fragments
Players experience Echoes of the Outback through Tom Victor's eyes. As his Alzheimer's progresses, Tom's world, memories, and perception shift. His appearance subtly changes to reflect his emotional and cognitive decline across the four acts of the game.
TOM THOUGHOUT THE GAME
When memory unravels, what truly matters?
People, Progression, and the Journey
Echoes of the Outback follows Tom Victor's journey through memory, identity, and loss. Through supporting characters, shifting environments, and a gradual decline of clarity, players experience the emotional stages of Alzheimer's disease in an interactive and empathetic way.
PLAYER EXPERIENCE
-
Launch game
-
Select accessibility & comfort settings (optional)
-
Begin game without tutorial exposition
-
Player enters the Outback world with minimal context
1. Entry & Orientation
-
Player explores environment freely
-
Uses landmarks, signage, and spatial memory to navigate
-
Interacts with NPCs and objects
-
Receives subtle narrative fragments through environment and dialogue
2. Exploration & Sense-Making
-
Player revisits a location
-
Notices minor inconsistencies:
-
Object placement changes
-
NPCs contradict earlier conversations
-
Map updates incorrectly or partially erases
3. First Memory Slips
-
Player transitions into the City world
-
Experiences sensory overload (noise, density, signage)
-
Encounters NPC “echoes” in altered roles
-
Performs similar tasks across both worlds
-
Player state: Curious, grounded, in control System intent: Establish trust and normalcy
-
Player task: Reconcile contradictions System intent: Introduce uncertainty without explicit explanation
-
Player task: Build a mental map of the world System intent: Encourage reliance on memory rather than UI
-
Player task: Adapt to shifting contexts System intent: Highlight how environment shapes perception
4. World Switching (Outback ↔ City)
-
Player attempts previously successful actions
-
Outcomes differ or fail unexpectedly
-
Dialogue options repeat, disappear, or change meaning
-
Tasks feel familiar but unreliable
5. Repetition & Frustration
-
Navigation becomes increasingly unreliable
-
UI elements degrade (text fades, spacing shifts)
-
Environmental shortcuts no longer work
-
Player begins to doubt their own decisions
6. Escalating Memory Breakdown
-
Player is presented with a single, permanent decision
-
No rewind, no confirmation, no clear “correct” option
-
Choice alters both worlds immediately
-
Player task: Commit without certainty System intent: Mirror real-world permanence of memory loss
7. Irreversible Choice
-
Player navigates altered environments
-
Some mechanics are permanently removed
-
Moments of clarity or connection appear briefly
-
The game slows, offering space for reflection
-
Player task: Persist despite loss of predictability System intent: Model cognitive fatigue and frustration
-
Player task: Decide what still matters System intent: Shift focus from success to emotional reflection
-
Player task: Let go of control System intent: Replace agency with acceptance
-
Player state: Reflective, empathetic System intent: Encourage meaning-making beyond gameplay
8. Aftermath & Adaptation
-
Narrative concludes without traditional success/failure
-
Player is left with emotional and experiential understanding
-
Optional reflection screen or quiet ending scene
9. Resolution
CHARACTERS
Concept Development
Echoes of the Outback is a first-person narrative exploration game where players embody Tom Victor, a 62-year-old miner living with early onset Alzheimer’s in the Australian Outback. As reality blurs with memory, players drift between fragmented present-day landscapes and vivid flashbacks to a younger self in the city and mines. Through shifting environments, contradictory NPCs, and fading detail the game transforms memory loss into lived experience asking players when memory unravels what truly matters?
Target Audience
Adults aged 25–45 who enjoy emotionally rich, narrative-driven games. This audience seeks meaningful, reflective experiences rather than challenge-based gameplay and values stories that provoke empathy and introspection.
The Approach
Echoes of the Outback adopts an experiential, empathy-driven game design approach that prioritises feeling over explanation. Rather than teaching players about Alzheimer’s disease through exposition or instruction, the game communicates its themes through systems that gradually destabilise the player’s sense of control, memory, and spatial certainty.
Design Thinking Process
Narrative & Experience Design Overview
Echoes of the Outback applies a human-centred design thinking approach to transform research into an empathy-driven serious game. Through discovery, definition, development, and delivery, the project translates the lived experience of Alzheimer’s disease into an interactive narrative, using environment, mechanics, and storytelling to foster understanding and emotional connection through experiential design.
Concept Summary
Inspired by Alzheimer’s research and Australian cultural identity, Echoes of the Outback reimagines the Outback as both setting and metaphor for memory loss. The narrative follows Tom Victor as he drifts between past and present, love and grief, clarity and confusion inviting players to experience disorientation and emotional release.
2. Gameplay Mechanics & Player Loop
Players explore two timelines: a fragmented Outback present and vivid flashbacks to a city past. Core mechanics include unreliable interactions, fading objects, contradictory NPCs, and environmental puzzles that subtly shift as the disease progresses. The player loop revolves around exploration, recollection, confusion, and acceptance.
3. Emotional Arc & Pacing
The story unfolds across four acts: denial, diagnosis, reflection, and release. Each act alters the environment’s stability, mirroring Tom’s cognitive decline and emotional state. The pacing slows as clarity fades, guiding players from confusion toward acceptance.
Marketing Positioning
Unique Selling Points
Empathy-driven design centered on lived experience.Dual timelines that mirror Alzheimer’s progression.Procedural memory systems that simulate disorientation.Strong Australian cultural and environmental grounding.
Marketing Positioning
Sits within the “serious games” and “walking simulator” genres alongside Before I Forget and What Remains of Edith Finch. It differentiates itself through its Australian setting, cultural storytelling, and procedural depiction of cognitive decline.
People, Progression, and the Journey
Echoes of the Outback follows Tom Victor's journey through memory, identity, and loss. Through supporting characters, shifting environments, and a gradual decline of clarity, players experience the emotional stages of Alzheimer's disease in an interactive and empathetic way.
UX Design
Market Positioning
UI Design
Unique Selling Points
2. Marketing Positioning
Empathy-driven design centered on lived experience.
Dual timelines that mirror Alzheimer’s progression.
Procedural memory systems that simulate disorientation.
Strong Australian cultural and environmental grounding.
Sits within the “serious games” and “walking simulator” genres alongside Before I Forget and What Remains of Edith Finch. It differentiates itself through its Australian setting, cultural storytelling, and procedural depiction of cognitive decline.
When memory unravels, what truly matters?
Comparable Games & Market Landscape
Developed in Unity for PC and console. The design leverages real-time lighting and haptics (DualSense triggers) to simulate fading memory and emotional feedback. RTX visual effects enhance atmosphere and realism.
Chosen Engine & Platform
Research Overview
Purpose of Research
To ground Echoes of the Outback in real Alzheimer’s research, cultural context, and game theory, ensuring the experience was empathetic, ethical, and experientially grounded rather than purely narrative.
Academic literature (Alzheimer’s, dementia staging, empathy & serious games)
Cultural & environmental research (Coober Pedy, Outback living, underground housing)
Game precedent analysis (serious games & narrative-driven titles)
Design theory (procedural rhetoric, affective play, serious games)
Methods Used
33%
40%
60%
20%
Research Insight
Empathy is strongest when players experience breakdown, not observe it
Procedural rhetoric persuades through rules, not dialogue
Games about illness risk trivialisation if agency is mishandled
Design Translation
Mechanics deliberately betray the player (doors to nowhere, reset conversations)
No “win” state frustration is intentional and meaningful
One irreversible choice mirrors real-world permanence
Serious Games & Player Empathy
80%
62%
Research Insight Alzheimer’s & Memory Loss
Alzheimer’s progresses gradually: subtle slips → functional loss → environmental collapse
Hallucinations, delusions, and loss of function are more impactful than sadness alone
People often lack awareness of early decline; others notice first
Design Translation
World begins with small inconsistencies (mislabelled objects, unreliable NPCs)
Progression is inevitable the game never stabilises
Later stages remove abilities, distort space, and contradict player intent
Research Themes → Design Insights
Research Themes → Design Insights
Research Insight
Coober Pedy’s underground dugouts symbolise hidden, buried, and fragmented memory
Extreme heat, isolation, and vastness mirror loneliness and vulnerability
Mining culture = uncovering fragments through effort and chance
Design Translation
Subterranean environments represent inaccessible or buried memories
Excavation and navigation mechanics echo memory retrieval
Heat, scarcity, and distance heighten cognitive and emotional strain
Outback & Coober Pedy as Metaphor
Outback & Coober Pedy as Metaphor
Research Insight
Cities increase cognitive load, stress, and disorientation through noise and density
Environmental overstimulation worsens spatial confusion
Natural environments reduce stress but increase isolation
Design Translation
Dual-world structure: silent isolation (Outback) vs sensory overload (City)
NPC “echoes” appear across worlds in altered roles
Wayfinding becomes unreliable in both environments, for different reasons
City vs Outback Contrast
Research Insight
Cities increase cognitive load, stress, and disorientation through noise and density
Environmental overstimulation worsens spatial confusion
Natural environments reduce stress but increase isolation
Design Translation
Dual-world structure: silent isolation (Outback) vs sensory overload (City)
NPC “echoes” appear across worlds in altered roles
Wayfinding becomes unreliable in both environments, for different reasons
City vs Outback Contrast
Before I Forget
Before I Forget is a key competitor to Echoes of the Outback because it demonstrates how a short, narrative-driven walking simulator can communicate the lived experience of dementia through environmental storytelling rather than explicit explanation.
Life is Strange
Life is Strange is a relevant competitor to Echoes of the Outback because it shows how emotionally driven, choice-based gameplay can foreground memory, loss, and consequence without relying on traditional win–lose structures.
As Long as
You're Here
As Long As You’re Here is a relevant competitor to Echoes of the Outback because it explores grief and memory through fragmented narrative structure and quiet, reflective gameplay rather than challenge or mastery.
Before I Forget is a key competitor to Echoes of the Outback because it demonstrates how a short, narrative-driven walking simulator can communicate the lived experience of dementia through environmental storytelling rather than explicit explanation.
Life is Strange is a relevant competitor to Echoes of the Outback because it shows how emotionally driven, choice-based gameplay can foreground memory, loss, and consequence without relying on traditional win–lose structures.
As Long As You’re Here is a relevant competitor to Echoes of the Outback because it explores grief and memory through fragmented narrative structure and quiet, reflective gameplay rather than challenge or mastery.
Define Phase
User Persona
Together, these personas represent an audience that values games as a medium for emotional insight, reflection, and empathy rather than competition or mastery. They highlight the need for Echoes of the Outback to balance thoughtful, system-driven storytelling with ethical sensitivity toward lived experiences of Alzheimer’s. Designing for both ensures the game is intellectually engaging, emotionally responsible, and accessible to players seeking meaningful, narrative-driven play.
Daniel Harris
Goals
Experience games that provoke reflection and emotional depth
Engage with narratives that challenge control, memory, and identity
Gaming Habits
Breif Story
Age
Frustations
Education
Status
Games that claim to be “deep” but rely on exposition instead of mechanics
Moral choices that ultimately don’t matter
Emotional themes treated superficially or gamified for shock value
Occupation
Location
32
Uni Degree
Single
UX Researcher
Melbourne, Australia
Motivations
Believes games can be cultural artifacts, not just entertainment
Enjoys ambiguity, discomfort, and unresolved endings
Values systems that show ideas rather than explain them
Daniel plays games as a form of reflection rather than escapism. He gravitates toward titles that challenge agency, ethics, and perception, and values games that stay with him long after finishing. He is less interested in winning than in meaning.
Why Echoes of the Outback Appeals
Memory loss is expressed through collapsing mechanics, not dialogue
Player agency degrades over time, aligning with the theme
The irreversible choice reinforces permanence and consequence
“I don’t want a game to explain dementia to me — I want it to help others understand what my patients feel.”
Sophie Nguyen
Gaming Habits
Breif Story
Age
Education
Status
Occupation
Location
27
Uni Degree
Married
Occupational Therapy
Sydney, Australia
Sophie works closely with people living with Alzheimer’s and dementia. She uses games as a way to unwind but is especially drawn to indie titles that explore vulnerability, memory, and human relationships. She is sensitive to how illness is portrayed in media.
Goals
Experience emotionally resonant stories told with care and respect
See illness represented beyond stereotypes or tragedy
Frustations
Media that sensationalises or simplifies dementia
Games that remove dignity from vulnerable characters
Overly punishing mechanics that feel exploitative rather than meaningful
Motivations
Strong belief in person-centred care and empathy
Interested in how interactive media can help others understand dementia
Appreciates quiet, reflective gameplay over fast-paced action
Why Echoes of the Outback Appeals
Focuses on lived experience rather than clinical explanation
Uses environment and disorientation to convey cognitive uncertainty
Balances emotional difficulty with moments of connection and care
Empathy Map
Thinks
Is this respectful to people living with dementia?
Why does this feel unsettling… and why can’t I fix it?
Says
“I like games that make me think, not just react.”
“I want to understand experiences I’ll never live myself.”
“Some games about illness feel exploitative or shallow.”
Feels
Does
Explores environments slowly and cautiously
Relies on landmarks, notes, and patterns then rechecks them
Repeats actions to regain a sense of control
Disoriented and uncertain
Frustrated when systems contradict expectations
Emotionally heavy, reflective
Brief moments of connection, clarity, or relief
Player Experience
1. Entry & Orientation
Launch game
Select accessibility & comfort settings (optional)
Begin game without tutorial exposition
Player enters the Outback world with minimal context
Task Flow
3. First Memory Slips
Player revisits a location
Notices minor inconsistencies:
Object placement changes
NPCs contradict earlier conversations
Map updates incorrectly or partially erases
2. Exploration & Sense-Making
Player explores environment freely
Uses landmarks, signage, and spatial memory to navigate
Interacts with NPCs and objects
Receives subtle narrative fragments through environment and dialogue
4. World Switching (Outback ↔ City)
Player transitions into the City world
Experiences sensory overload (noise, density, signage)
Encounters NPC “echoes” in altered roles
Performs similar tasks across both worlds
Player state: Curious, grounded, in control System intent: Establish trust and normalcy
Player task: Reconcile contradictions System intent: Introduce uncertainty without explicit explanation
Player task: Build a mental map of the world System intent: Encourage reliance on memory rather than UI
Player task: Adapt to shifting contexts System intent: Highlight how environment shapes perception
5. Repetition & Frustration
Player attempts previously successful actions
Outcomes differ or fail unexpectedly
Dialogue options repeat, disappear, or change meaning
Tasks feel familiar but unreliable
6. Escalating Memory Breakdown
Navigation becomes increasingly unreliable
UI elements degrade (text fades, spacing shifts)
Environmental shortcuts no longer work
Player begins to doubt their own decisions
7. Irreversible Choice
Player is presented with a single, permanent decision
No rewind, no confirmation, no clear “correct” option
Choice alters both worlds immediately
Player task: Commit without certainty System intent: Mirror real-world permanence of memory loss
9. Resolution
Narrative concludes without traditional success/failure
Player is left with emotional and experiential understanding
Optional reflection screen or quiet ending scene
8. Aftermath & Adaptation
Player navigates altered environments
Some mechanics are permanently removed
Moments of clarity or connection appear briefly
The game slows, offering space for reflection
Player task: Persist despite loss of predictability System intent: Model cognitive fatigue and frustration
Player task: Decide what still matters System intent: Shift focus from success to emotional reflection
Player task: Let go of control System intent: Replace agency with acceptance
Typography & Colors
Font Used
Roboto
Roboto is used in Echoes of the Outback for its balance between human warmth and system clarity, aligning with the game’s themes of memory, cognition, and reliability.
ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ
abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz
Roboto Bold
Roboto Regular
1234567890
Roboto Medium
Roboto Light
Core Outback Palette
Red Earth Ochre
#A3472A
Burnt Sienna
#C65A2E
Dust Sand
#E4C8A1
City Contrast Palette
Faded Olive
#7E8B6F
Desaturated Teal
#5E7A7A
Washed Grey Blue
#8F9DA3
Ash White
#DADADA
Charcoal Rock
#2B2B2B
Deep Umber
#4A2F24
WORLD DESIGN STYLE
Visual Language
Semi-realistic environments inspired by real Australian landscapes
Emphasis on scale, emptiness, and distance
Natural materials: sandstone, dust, rusted metal, faded paint
Lighting carries emotional weight more than texture detail
Outback World
Wide horizons, minimal landmarks
Warm, desaturated earth tones
Subtle heat haze, dust drift, and light bloom
Underground dugouts carved directly from rock uneven, organic forms
City World
Dense, compressed spaces
Cooler, artificial lighting
Layered signage, reflections, sound overlap
Repeating architectural elements to create confusion
CHARACTER DESIGN STYLE
Proportions and anatomy remain realistic
Facial detail is slightly softened or blurred
Expressions are restrained, often neutral or unreadable
Human Realism with Abstraction
Slight delay or softness in animation transitions
Repeated actions vary subtly
Later stages introduce micro-stutters or pauses
Movement
Facial & Body Language
Small gestures over exaggerated emotion
Eye contact breaks unpredictably
NPCs may repeat or contradict gestures across encounters
STORYBOARD
THE END OF THE JOURNEY
After the final choice, the world grows quiet. What remains are fragments of memory, moments of clarity, and the people who never truly left.
Tom's journey isn't about a cure... it's about connection, forgiveness, and letting go.
Final Game Phases
Phase 1 / Act I: Grounded Present
Theme: Stability with Unease State of Memory: Mostly intact, subtly slipping
Narrative
The game opens at a funeral in the Outback.
The world feels coherent, but the player is unsure who has died.
Memory gaps are implied rather than stated.
Gameplay Mechanics
Reliable navigation and interaction
Environmental storytelling over explicit exposition
NPCs behave consistently, though dialogue hints at forgetting
Emotional Intent
Calm, curiosity, quiet unease
Design Purpose
Establish a stable baseline so later breakdown feels personal
Encourage trust in the world and the player’s own memory
Y
X
A
B
Phase 1 / Act I: Grounded Present
Theme: Stability with Unease State of Memory: Mostly intact, subtly slipping
Narrative
The game opens at a funeral in the Outback.
The world feels coherent, but the player is unsure who has died.
Memory gaps are implied rather than stated.
Gameplay Mechanics
Reliable navigation and interaction
Environmental storytelling over explicit exposition
NPCs behave consistently, though dialogue hints at forgetting
Emotional Intent
Calm, curiosity, quiet unease
Design Purpose
Establish a stable baseline so later breakdown feels personal
Encourage trust in the world and the player’s own memory
Y
B
X
A
Theme: Stability with Unease State of Memory: Mostly intact, subtly slipping
Narrative
The game opens at a funeral in the Outback.
The world feels coherent, but the player is unsure who has died.
Memory gaps are implied rather than stated.
Gameplay Mechanics
Reliable navigation and interaction
Environmental storytelling over explicit exposition
NPCs behave consistently, though dialogue hints at forgetting
Emotional Intent
Calm, curiosity, quiet unease
Design Purpose
Establish a stable baseline so later breakdown feels personal
Encourage trust in the world and the player’s own memory
Theme: Stability with Unease State of Memory: Mostly intact, subtly slipping
Narrative
The game opens at a funeral in the Outback.
The world feels coherent, but the player is unsure who has died.
Memory gaps are implied rather than stated.
Gameplay Mechanics
Reliable navigation and interaction
Environmental storytelling over explicit exposition
NPCs behave consistently, though dialogue hints at forgetting
Emotional Intent
Calm, curiosity, quiet unease
Design Purpose
Establish a stable baseline so later breakdown feels personal
Encourage trust in the world and the player’s own memory
Narrative
The game opens at a funeral in the Outback.
The world feels coherent, but the player is unsure who has died.
Memory gaps are implied rather than stated.
Gameplay Mechanics
Reliable navigation and interaction
Environmental storytelling over explicit exposition
NPCs behave consistently, though dialogue hints at forgetting
Emotional Intent
Calm, curiosity, quiet unease
Design Purpose
Establish a stable baseline so later breakdown feels personal
Encourage trust in the world and the player’s own memory
Phase 1 / Act I: Grounded Present
Narrative
The game opens at a funeral in the Outback.
The world feels coherent, but the player is unsure who has died.
Memory gaps are implied rather than stated.
Gameplay Mechanics
Reliable navigation and interaction
Environmental storytelling over explicit exposition
NPCs behave consistently, though dialogue hints at forgetting
Emotional Intent
Calm, curiosity, quiet unease
Design Purpose
Establish a stable baseline so later breakdown feels personal
Encourage trust in the world and the player’s own memory
Theme: Stability with Unease
State of Memory: Mostly intact, subtly slipping
Theme: Shock & Fragmentation
State of Memory: Past memories sharper than
present
Narrative
Sudden transitions to vivid city and mining flashbacks
The death of the protagonist’s child and Alzheimer’s diagnosis are revealed
Trauma accelerates cognitive collapse
Gameplay Mechanics
Dual-timeline switching between Outback present and city past
Flashbacks are visually and mechanically clearer than the present
Early contradictions emerge: NPCs and spaces overlap across timelines
Emotional Intent
Grief, disorientation, emotional overload
Design Purpose
Model research showing older memories often remain vivid
Contrast clarity of the past with instability of the present
Theme: Shock & Fragmentation
State of Memory: Past memories sharper than
present
Narrative
Sudden transitions to vivid city and mining flashbacks
The death of the protagonist’s child and Alzheimer’s diagnosis are revealed
Trauma accelerates cognitive collapse
Gameplay Mechanics
Dual-timeline switching between Outback present and city past
Flashbacks are visually and mechanically clearer than the present
Early contradictions emerge: NPCs and spaces overlap across timelines
Emotional Intent
Grief, disorientation, emotional overload
Design Purpose
Model research showing older memories often remain vivid
Contrast clarity of the past with instability of the present
Phase 2 / Act II: Intrusion of the Past
Theme: Shock & Fragmentation
State of Memory: Past memories sharper than
present
Narrative
Sudden transitions to vivid city and mining flashbacks
The death of the protagonist’s child and Alzheimer’s diagnosis are revealed
Trauma accelerates cognitive collapse
Gameplay Mechanics
Dual-timeline switching between Outback present and city past
Flashbacks are visually and mechanically clearer than the present
Early contradictions emerge: NPCs and spaces overlap across timelines
Emotional Intent
Grief, disorientation, emotional overload
Design Purpose
Model research showing older memories often remain vivid
Contrast clarity of the past with instability of the present
Theme: Shock & Fragmentation
State of Memory: Past memories sharper than
present
Narrative
Sudden transitions to vivid city and mining flashbacks
The death of the protagonist’s child and Alzheimer’s diagnosis are revealed
Trauma accelerates cognitive collapse
Gameplay Mechanics
Dual-timeline switching between Outback present and city past
Flashbacks are visually and mechanically clearer than the present
Early contradictions emerge: NPCs and spaces overlap across timelines
Emotional Intent
Grief, disorientation, emotional overload
Design Purpose
Model research showing older memories often remain vivid
Contrast clarity of the past with instability of the present
Narrative
Sudden transitions to vivid city and mining flashbacks
The death of the protagonist’s child and Alzheimer’s diagnosis are revealed
Trauma accelerates cognitive collapse
Gameplay Mechanics
Dual-timeline switching between Outback present and city past
Flashbacks are visually and mechanically clearer than the present
Early contradictions emerge: NPCs and spaces overlap across timelines
Emotional Intent
Grief, disorientation, emotional overload
Design Purpose
Model research showing older memories often remain vivid
Contrast clarity of the past with instability of the present
Theme: Shock & Fragmentation
State of Memory: Past memories sharper than
present
Phase 2 / Act II: Intrusion of the Past
Theme: Decline & Reflection State of Memory: Functionally unreliable
Narrative
The player drifts into memories of youth: mining life, love, moments of joy
These memories feel safe, making the present crumble further
Gameplay Mechanics
Memory ambiguity becomes central:
Doors open to empty rooms
Objects flicker, duplicate, or vanish
NPCs contradict earlier interactions
Maps degrade or mislabel spaces
Emotional Intent
Frustration, sadness, nostalgia
Design Purpose
Use procedural rhetoric to show memory loss through broken systems
Shift player focus from problem-solving to emotional endurance
Theme: Decline & Reflection State of Memory: Functionally unreliable
Narrative
The player drifts into memories of youth: mining life, love, moments of joy
These memories feel safe, making the present crumble further
Gameplay Mechanics
Memory ambiguity becomes central:
Doors open to empty rooms
Objects flicker, duplicate, or vanish
NPCs contradict earlier interactions
Maps degrade or mislabel spaces
Emotional Intent
Frustration, sadness, nostalgia
Design Purpose
Use procedural rhetoric to show memory loss through broken systems
Shift player focus from problem-solving to emotional endurance
Phase 3 / Act III: Erosion
Theme: Decline & Reflection State of Memory: Functionally unreliable
Narrative
The player drifts into memories of youth: mining life, love, moments of joy
These memories feel safe, making the present crumble further
Gameplay Mechanics
Memory ambiguity becomes central:
Doors open to empty rooms
Objects flicker, duplicate, or vanish
NPCs contradict earlier interactions
Maps degrade or mislabel spaces
Emotional Intent
Frustration, sadness, nostalgia
Design Purpose
Use procedural rhetoric to show memory loss through broken systems
Shift player focus from problem-solving to emotional endurance
Theme: Decline & Reflection State of Memory: Functionally unreliable
Narrative
The player drifts into memories of youth: mining life, love, moments of joy
These memories feel safe, making the present crumble further
Gameplay Mechanics
Memory ambiguity becomes central:
Doors open to empty rooms
Objects flicker, duplicate, or vanish
NPCs contradict earlier interactions
Maps degrade or mislabel spaces
Emotional Intent
Frustration, sadness, nostalgia
Design Purpose
Use procedural rhetoric to show memory loss through broken systems
Shift player focus from problem-solving to emotional endurance
Narrative
The player drifts into memories of youth: mining life, love, moments of joy
These memories feel safe, making the present crumble further
Gameplay Mechanics
Memory ambiguity becomes central:
Doors open to empty rooms
Objects flicker, duplicate, or vanish
NPCs contradict earlier interactions
Maps degrade or mislabel spaces
Emotional Intent
Frustration, sadness, nostalgia
Design Purpose
Use procedural rhetoric to show memory loss through broken systems
Shift player focus from problem-solving to emotional endurance
Theme: Decline & Reflection
State of Memory: Functionally unreliable
Phase 3 / Act III: Erosion
Theme: Acceptance vs Clinging State of Memory: Permanent loss
Narrative
The player faces a single irreversible decision:
Cling to love and memory → the world collapses entirely
Let go → distortions remain, but peace settles in
Gameplay Mechanics
One permanent choice with no rewind or confirmation
Choice affects emotional tone, not outcome of decline
Inspired by illusion of agency mechanics (e.g. The Stanley Parable)
Emotional Intent
Anxiety, grief, resignation
Design Purpose
Embody the futility of control in Alzheimer’s
Replace “winning” with emotional truth
Theme: Acceptance vs Clinging State of Memory: Permanent loss
Narrative
The player faces a single irreversible decision:
Cling to love and memory → the world collapses entirely
Let go → distortions remain, but peace settles in
Gameplay Mechanics
One permanent choice with no rewind or confirmation
Choice affects emotional tone, not outcome of decline
Inspired by illusion of agency mechanics (e.g. The Stanley Parable)
Emotional Intent
Anxiety, grief, resignation
Design Purpose
Embody the futility of control in Alzheimer’s
Replace “winning” with emotional truth
Phase 4 / Act IV: Irreversible Choice
Theme: Acceptance vs Clinging State of Memory: Permanent loss
Narrative
The player faces a single irreversible decision:
Cling to love and memory → the world collapses entirely
Let go → distortions remain, but peace settles in
Gameplay Mechanics
One permanent choice with no rewind or confirmation
Choice affects emotional tone, not outcome of decline
Inspired by illusion of agency mechanics (e.g. The Stanley Parable)
Emotional Intent
Anxiety, grief, resignation
Design Purpose
Embody the futility of control in Alzheimer’s
Replace “winning” with emotional truth
Theme: Acceptance vs Clinging State of Memory: Permanent loss
Narrative
The player faces a single irreversible decision:
Cling to love and memory → the world collapses entirely
Let go → distortions remain, but peace settles in
Gameplay Mechanics
One permanent choice with no rewind or confirmation
Choice affects emotional tone, not outcome of decline
Inspired by illusion of agency mechanics (e.g. The Stanley Parable)
Emotional Intent
Anxiety, grief, resignation
Design Purpose
Embody the futility of control in Alzheimer’s
Replace “winning” with emotional truth
Narrative
The player faces a single irreversible decision:
Cling to love and memory → the world collapses entirely
Let go → distortions remain, but peace settles in
Gameplay Mechanics
One permanent choice with no rewind or confirmation
Choice affects emotional tone, not outcome of decline
Inspired by illusion of agency mechanics (e.g. The Stanley Parable)
Emotional Intent
Anxiety, grief, resignation
Design Purpose
Embody the futility of control in Alzheimer’s
Replace “winning” with emotional truth
Theme: Acceptance vs Clinging
State of Memory: Permanent loss
Phase 4 / Act IV: Irreversible Choice
Theme: Reflection Outcome: No victory, no recovery
Experience
The game ends quietly
No success/failure screen
The player is left with emotional residue rather than closure
Design Purpose
Reinforce empathy through lived experience
Allow meaning to emerge after play, not during resolution
Theme: Reflection Outcome: No victory, no recovery
Experience
The game ends quietly
No success/failure screen
The player is left with emotional residue rather than closure
Design Purpose
Reinforce empathy through lived experience
Allow meaning to emerge after play, not during resolution
Final State: Echo
Theme: Reflection Outcome: No victory, no recovery
Experience
The game ends quietly
No success/failure screen
The player is left with emotional residue rather than closure
Design Purpose
Reinforce empathy through lived experience
Allow meaning to emerge after play, not during resolution
Theme: Reflection Outcome: No victory, no recovery
Experience
The game ends quietly
No success/failure screen
The player is left with emotional residue rather than closure
Design Purpose
Reinforce empathy through lived experience
Allow meaning to emerge after play, not during resolution
Final State: Echo
Theme: Reflection Outcome: No victory, no recovery
Experience
The game ends quietly
No success/failure screen
The player is left with emotional residue rather than closure
Design Purpose
Reinforce empathy through lived experience
Allow meaning to emerge after play, not during resolution
FINAL ACT... RELEASE
Tom accepts what he cannot hold. The Outback sun sets on another day, and the echoes of memory fade gently into silence.
PLAYER EXPERIENCE
-
No traditional "win" or "lose".
-
A quiet, emotional conclusion.
-
Encourages reflection and empathy.
-
Leaves meaning to the player.
WHAT THE PLAYER TAKES AWAY
Echoes of the Outback is designed to leave players with understanding, not answers. By stepping into Tom's world, players are invited to feel what words cannot express.
EMPATHY THROUGH EXPERIENCE
The game transforms research into lived experience, allowing players to walk in someone else's shoes — to feel confusion, loss, love, and ultimately, acceptance.
THE LASTING IMPACT
The goal isn't to teach about Alzheimer's — it's to create a moment that stays with the player long after the game ends.
Memories fade, but love leaves an echo that never truly disappears.