Strings
A thriller Game prototype - Prologue
Prologue Setting
We are at the dawn of the 2000s, the terror of Al-Qaida continued, Friends was the most viewed series, Angelina Jolie was Lara Croft and mobile phones were clamshell, while the home computer allowed finally access Web2.0.
Game Start
It's pitch dark and the city lights lit up from the white snow lodged on cars and sidewalks, when Detective Nick Cooper opens the door and slams his door with his foot, a bag of quick food in one hand and a working suitcase on the other.
He puts everything on the kitchen counter and takes a bottle of beer from the fridge. The room is composed of an American kitchen, a living room and we see in front of the large window which overlooks the city, a desk with drawers with a pile of yellow files placed on it. Nick throws himself on the black leather sofa, his beer in hand, and turns on the television, the sound of the TV remaining very low. He dozed off momentarily listening to the sounds of the city. At this hour, the traffic is less dancing but present, giving way to the noise of the city's industrial fans and it’s interrupted from time to time by police and ambulance sirens, sometimes until very late at night. Snow falls silently through the window, accumulating on the glass ledge, which becomes cloudy in mist.
The television broadcasts more commercials than television programs and for the moment that suits him perfectly, the various voices of each spot rock him and he finally feels fatigue seize him, his eyes are heavy, his head swings gently on his shoulders.
Suddenly a vibration is felt on his left leg and a dial tone follows afterward, waking Nick with a start and plunges his left hand into his pants pocket to pull out his phone. He quickly looks at the name of the caller's number and as he gets up he puts down the bottle he was holding in the other hand.
“Hello, Dana? he answers the phone; What is happening? Has any news reached you?” He grabs the TV's remote control and turns it off.
Dana’s female voice with the sounds of keyboards around her is heard from across the phone:
“Yes Nick, I'm sorry to call you now after you've just returned but I wanted to keep you posted. We did find Dr Huffman, his body arrived 2 hours ago, I'm here in the morgue; she says.
- Very well, I'll be there in a moment; Nick answers while taking your wallet, key and jacket from the entrance to his apartment.
- No need we can see all that tomorrow, quietly.
- I couldn't sleep anyway now that I know that, I'm on my way.” Hangs up Nick while opening the door and closing it behind him.
In the street Nick whistle a cab and get into it.
Two choices are offered, go to the police station or to the hospital.
Path 1
Nick asks the driver to go to the police station.
He gets out of the car and goes up the stairs to enter the building, he goes up the stairs and takes the third door on the second floor. The office is empty and almost all the lights are out. He goes to the back of the room and opens the door to his office. He sees on his office table the thick file that occupies his days. He opens it and flips through it quickly.
He thinks out loud, “Nothing here can give me more information to resolve this case.”
He goes down and goes out into the street, whistles for a taxi.
Path 2
Nick asks the driver to go to the hospital.
He gets out of the car and enters the building from the main driveway. Signs indicate directions for the various medical services. Nick follows the instructions to get to the morgue, he takes the wide hallway on the right and goes to the back and takes the elevator to go to the morgue at -1.
A guard watches the entrance to the basement and Nick presents his badge. He walks through the doors and takes the left hallway and finds Investigator Dana Vera in the autopsy room where she is waiting with the coroner on duty.
“- Ah! Here you are, Dr Jones has finished the autopsy and brought us some important information; she said to Nick; Dr Jones, please do the honor.
- Yes, good evening, I was telling Detective Vera here, that this body has a mouth print which corresponds well to that of Dr. Huffman.
The doctor walks over to the autopsy table and sees the body in half. As the two detectives approach the table to observe him, Nick Cooper feels a severe pain in his head. He rubs his forehead with his hand and gives a low growl.
- Everything is fine? asks Dana
- Yes, thank you”; he answers and approaches the table again.
This time the pain is overwhelming, visual distortion appears momentarily on screen and Nick screams in pain as he grabs his head with both hands, before passing out.
End Prologue
Visual material references
Artwork: characters concept
Idea style, Black & white realistic
Idea style, pixel
