So my new thought is to see interaction/non-interaction in Berlin not as a requirement, but rather as a continuum the player can voluntarily place himself on. The game always lasts about three minutes, but events play out differently based on what the player focusses on: and, now I realize, also based on whether he chooses not to focus at all. But the choice not to focus is not value-judged, it is rather a different way of engaging the game.

I love the idea that the game goes on, with or without the player.

I imagine this could provide a much deeper feeling of involvement and interaction. Because the game doesn't wait for you to trigger the next scripted event. You have to pay attention to things happening around you and to timing.

I also like that you don't want to impose on the player whats right and wrong / how to play the game.

And oh, regarding rewards depending on what you do, the thinking I am leaning towards is to not see it as rewards but "confirmation of play style". What this means is that the consequences of actions / choices try to make what the player ought to like as much as possible. We tried this in Amnesia's multiple endings a bit. For example, players that just rushed through the ending and did not listen to the dialog carefully would get an ending where they simply come out as the hero. More careful players would find themselves in a more thought-requiring ending. Hopefully people should not see endings as good or bad, but "just right". It was far from good really, and response was not like, but at least it serves as an example to work from and illustrates my idea

That sounds really great.

Out of curiosity (since I haven't played Amnesia yet): do you just measure how long people stick around when somebody talks (and then just present a different final level based on that measurement)? or do you hide breadcrumbs in the dialog that allows people to find the hidden path to an alternative, more intellectual, ending?

If the players enjoyed your game for fifteen minutes, and these fifteen minutes made a lasting impression, isn't that enough?

For me its similar to books: even my favorite books, I don't want to read all the time. Even if I really enjoyed reading a book for the first time, it's going to take a while before I want to read it again. (And even then, it's not going to be the same experience that I had reading it for the first time) Nevertheless, my favorite books influence me a lot, even when I'm not currently reading them.

Maybe this is another question that can be answered with its inversion: to make the player want the game, you need to make the game want the player.

I would express that differently: to make the player need the game, you need to make the player feel like the game needs them.

Tamagochi is a good example: you play with it often because it would starve if it didn't. It's a chore, an obligation. One that you follow willingly, because it's a cute and helpless being which loves you back that you have to care for. It makes people play by exploiting the human urge to care for their loved ones.

Hi,

My name is Chris Platzer. I am a professional software developer who likes to dabble with art.

I've always been fascinated by computer games. Even though I never really liked the game-like things about them - the part where you have to master a skill in order to proceed. I enjoyed toying with an interactive system far mor, exploring and breathing in the atmosphere.

I'm tired of games that are about confrontation, about defeating your opponents, about struggle to power, about mastering skills and leveling up. I'm tired of games that use addiction to keep people playing.

I want to create something positive. Something beautiful. Something that gives people time and space to reflect, to explore their own mind. Something that makes people experience genuine emotions, something that changes them, that affects them.

That is what I want to do. I don't care whether you call that "art" or "game" or "notgame" or whatever.
I believe the digital medium can be used to do that sort of thing.

From what I understand, notgames revolves around similar ideas. If nothing else, there are a lot of people on this forum who made things that deeply touched me. Things that strike me as a proof that that sort of thing I want to do is indeed possible. I hope that being part of this community will help me grow artistically. And maybe at some point I will have something useful to contribute myself.

Having said all that, I have to admit: I'm only just starting out. I don't have a website. I don't have any (not)games I created that I could show you. All I have is my honest interest for this topic - and my willingness to explore it further.