"Oh no, I thought taking that one KOR 101 class would be all I need to move here, but I can barely understand anything! I’m... I’m a complete STRANGER!”

- Main Character from ​Stranger

Summary

Stranger is a first-person adventure game following the journey of the player, who recently moves to Korea and finds out that they're a "stranger" in an unfamiliar world. As an educational game, Stranger challenges the player's knowledge in the language and culture of Korea through the activities, blogposts, and conversations across a fictional district in Korea. Players can also tailor their own adventure depending on how well they do, allowing for repeatable gameplay to achieve a better ending.

Roles

Lead Game Programmer​​​​

• Designed and programmed 5 out of the 11 language minigames (Food Challenge, A Different Go-Stop, Not Your Typical Delivery, Overworked First Timer, and Karaoke)
• Integrated minigames and storybeats for each chapter into main level
• Developed and implemented tutorial system to aid players in learning and understanding game's features
• Programmed responsive lighting so that daylight changes depending on Stranger Score
• Improved on action points and chapter system regarding replaying minigames and playing in a particular order for certain chapters

Narrative Designer​​

• ​Programmed the dialogue tool for character interactions and storybeats
• Built off executive producer's story summary and created storybeats for each chapter
• Wrote multiple chapter endings and victory results to increase replay value and highlight the player's unique adventure in Korea​
• Wrote the dialogue script for storybeats and character interactions
• Developed the main characters for the main story: Lee Byeo-ri (Best Friend), Park Dong-hyun (Troublesome Customer), and Lee Mi-sook (Boss)
• Designed the storyboard for the introduction cinematic
• Added the addition of NPC dialogue throughout the world to emphasize the minigames in the world and enhance the immersion of being in Korea
• Planned minigame distribution for each chapter to parallel story events
• Created the most shippable character in Purdue game dev history - as stated by playtesters

Key Features and Gameplay

• ​5 Chapters with 3 activities (language minigames) to complete each day
• Chapter endings for each chapter depending on Stranger Score (low score, medium score, high score, and fail ending) through blog posts
• 11 possible game endings after players complete all 5 chapters
• 11 different activities (language minigames) to play through using action points
• ​Explore the district of Daeyeong, meet new friends, find cultural artifacts, and learn more about the country's culture
• Use the Uber System to quickly travel across the district
• Experience firsthand your journey in a new country as a stranger: Finding the necessities, meeting friends, getting a job, encountering challenges, and saving your new friend.

Recent Articles

• ​​"Game design: Becoming a stranger in a strange world with CGT student, professor team"
• "Stranger: Student Internship Experience"