Conflict, Mystery, and Connection in Casual, Free to Play Puzzle Games

Conflict, Mystery, and Connection in Casual, Free to Play Puzzle Games
Presented by Lisa Brunette, Owner and Head Writer/Designer at Brunette Games LLC

Most casual developers in our experience shy away from conflict under the wrongful assumption that anything that isn't light and happy will turn players off. But what we've seen is that player audiences can handle much more pathos than we give them credit for, and without the lows, you simply cannot appreciate the highs. You need both to tell a good story. Many players are drawn to games because they like to solve problems, and mystery provides a narrative problem to solve. This goes beyond the detective genre to include an element of mystery in any literary genre. Finally, connection is why players crave a populated world in their games. And they want the connections between characters, as well as between themselves and the characters, to be meaningful.

Lisa Brunette's 25 years of experience includes more than a decade in games and fifteen years prior as a journalist and author. She has designed and written narratives for multiple chart-topping games played by worldwide audiences, including Matchington Mansion, Lily's Garden, and Choices: Veil of Secrets. Her games have been featured in the App Store and on Google Play and consistently rank in the top 20 in multiple categories.

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WHERE TO FIND US
The Creative Experience makerspace is on the first floor of the downtown Central Library.

Creative Experience Makerspace (1st floor)
St. Louis Public Library - Central Library
1301 Olive Street
St. Louis, MO 63103

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CODE OF CONDUCT
The St. Louis Game Developer Co-op is dedicated to a harassment-free event experience for everyone (http://stlgamedev.com/events/code-of-conduct/). All events are free and open to the public, unless otherwise specified.