hunger
This is a game about sustaining yourself in a questionably friendly environment.
Hunger is an everpresent threat. Everyone must eat.
Waves of hunger debilitate you for longer and longer periods of time until you can get a meal.
Food isn't expensive, but costs add up -- and running out of money is absolutely crippling.
EDIT: About some of the thoughts that have gone into my implementation of 'hunger'... I've done my best to make it increasingly uncomfortable. Most games model hunger in one way: if you get too hungry for too long, you die. Some games tie it into a stamina system but this still doesn't feel like real hunger. Hunger comes in waves, it can hurt and weaken, but you can trick yourself into going without food for quite a long time.
I want you to be able to eat often and feel the convenience and comfort of that; and I also want you to be able to hold out, surviving as cheaply as possible and suffering through hunger all the while.
Comments
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I said this on twitter too, but... If you're willing to share your experience of being hungry, very hungry, or extremely hungry, I'd love to hear it.
For me: hunger comes in waves, sometimes I don't notice how weak it's making me, and sometimes I can ignore it for quite a long time before I really feel like I have to solve it. I once forgot to eat or drink anything before biking to a restaurant in the morning, and I sort of fainted when I got there. It was fine. It could have been a lot more unpleasant if I hadn't been with my family.
I've never been hungry for an extended period of time, and I don't know how that affects a person. Does the pain stop? Does the weakness stop? Or do you just learn to ignore it, live with it?
This sounds like a really interesting idea to explore. I can definitely relate to it coming in waves. I don't think I've ever been hungry for a very long time but I've heard that after a few days pangs of hunger sort of go away. Maybe because at that point in a survival situation they are inhibiting your ability to find food more than they are motivating you. It's interesting to think about how your body communicates with your mind. I think sleepiness/fatigue is similar. You can't just query your energy levels, your body has to send these sporadic alarms that are enough to distract you without being debilitating.