Firewatch
A first-person narrative adventure set in a Wyoming fire lookout.
Where Firewatch comes up2 episodes and tests
Gcreator of Game Maker's Toolkit testThe Challenge of Cameras
Gcreator of Game Maker's Toolkit testHow to Keep Players Engaged (Without Being Evil)Firewatch, a first-person adventure set in a Wyoming fire lookout, worked on two fronts according to Game Maker's Toolkit. Expressive animation gave personality to a first-person view usually built around blank protagonists, and narrative mystery kept players going until the thriller's end. The sources give no numbers. The lesson: bend a camera convention only if the view stays readable, and use unanswered questions to hold attention.
- 1Mystery opensThriller set in a fire lookout tower
- 2Questions stay unansweredLike a cliffhanger in traditional media
- 3Players keep playingThey want to learn how it ends
- 4Ending pays offThe mystery resolves satisfyingly
From Mark Brown on Firewatch
What was said about Firewatch
Firewatch gives a first-person view character through expressive animation. First-person games usually star personality-free protagonists. Firewatch conveys character through expressive animation in that view.
Mark Brown lists it with Mirror's Edge, ARMS and a skating game whose camera follows the board, all of which break expected camera conventions. His point is that an unusual perspective can work if the design makes it readable.
Firewatch uses narrative mystery to keep players going until the ending. Firewatch is a thriller about a man working in a fire lookout tower. Its mystery keeps players playing to learn how it ends.
Brown says traditional media uses cliffhangers and unanswered questions to hold attention, but "it's surprising how few games really nail this." He cites Firewatch as one that does, because the mystery pays off with a satisfying ending.
The Challenge of Cameras
It uses expressive animation to give character to a first-person camera, a view usually built around personality-free protagonists.
Firewatch gives a first-person view character through expressive animation. First-person games usually star personality-free protagonists. Firewatch conveys character through expressive animation in that view.
Mark Brown lists it with Mirror's Edge, ARMS and a skating game whose camera follows the board, all of which break expected camera conventions. His point is that an unusual perspective can work if the design makes it readable.
How to Keep Players Engaged (Without Being Evil)
Keeps players going until they learn how its thriller ends, using narrative mystery, which few games do well.
Firewatch uses narrative mystery to keep players going until the ending. Firewatch is a thriller about a man working in a fire lookout tower. Its mystery keeps players playing to learn how it ends.
Brown says traditional media uses cliffhangers and unanswered questions to hold attention, but "it's surprising how few games really nail this." He cites Firewatch as one that does, because the mystery pays off with a satisfying ending.
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