The Game That Lies

Overview

Design Goal

This project was made as part of my master's thesis and intended to serve as a way to test the deception patterns identified in it. The idea was to apply three patterns per level and test them with real players in order to analyze how they reacted to them.

Core Mechanics

• The player navigates a minimalist 2D platforming level, experiments with its mechanics, fails and learns from deception, adapts to shifting rules, and reaches the end by understanding how the level truly works rather than trusting initial cues.
• Deceptive level design, shifting rules, unreliable visual and audio feedback, and dynamic environments that change in response to player actions reinforce themes of self-doubt, false hope, and adaptation. Core platforming (movement, jumping, wall-climbing) remains simple to keep focus on perception and interpretation.
• Levels intentionally lie to the player through illusory paths, contradictory audio/visual feedback, and mechanics that change mid-level. Failure is framed as part of understanding, and narrative meaning is conveyed almost entirely through gameplay and environmental behavior rather than text or exposition.

Design Challenges

The main challenges were ballancing a game based around deceptive mechanics while keeping it entertaining. Having limited time to develop the project it was also difficult to try to include as many of the patterns as possible and trying to find simple ways to implement them.

Solutions & Decisions

The game was honest with the players and showed them that deception was part of the game and they grew accustomed to it. It was important to test the game with real players to make sure to have a balance in the deception mechanics. To try and apply as many patterns as possible, I tried to keep their applications simple and although that might have compromised testing some of the nuances behind how a pattern is applied it was possible to test twelve out of the fifteen identified patterns.

Results & Learnings

• The game allowed us to test how players reacted to the patterns and how it made them feel. It was possible to determine which patterns worked best and which didn't and gave insight on why some fell short.
• It was not possible to test all the patterns, the nuances on how their applications affected player reactions and the effects of the relations between the patterns.
• The game needs time to be polished and slight upgrades to the applications of the patterns. It would also be beneficial to test it with a wider range of players.

Media