Prototype released


Hi, May here, the prototype of 'Ana' is live now.

This project is born thanks to GameJamPlus, in its 10th anniversary edition.

The idea of 'Ana' was born thanks to one of the jam themes: The Next Version is Yours.

When the jam started I spent like 3 hours defining what story and in which way I wanted to show it. I finally decided on Rapunzel, my favorite princess.

After that, I was clear about what type of game I wanted at the end. A narrative game about mental health in a weird stage (Pre-adolescence), family problems and making friends.

Now, for a jam, that sounds like a lot (lol), so I cut scope hard on so many ideas.

For this prototype I focused on one day, one space, and one core loop: small chores that you can do “by the book” or “your way,” and let the consequences ripple quietly through notes, reactions, and access to tiny details. It’s intimate, slow, and meant to feel exploration, like a first acknowledgement.

What shipped in the prototype:

  • A first playable slice inside the tower
  • The watering/plants routine instructions
  • The setting and type of narrative

And... yeah, that's it. I decided to take it slow in this jam, because -context-, at the beggining of the year, I injured my wrist, like really badly, when I was putting an all-nighter with my degree project. Since then it was really hard to do anything, and right now I'm starting to feel a bit better. Still, I'm not pushing myself that hard anymore.

What I cut (for now)

  • Extra routines (ordering books, a piano puzzle, a window scene with more interactivity)
  • The full pen‑pal meetup chain
  • An ending (this is a vertical slice, not the full arc)
  • Complete SFX/music pass and English translation (but for this jam, this was completely optional lmao)

What was tricky

  • Balancing clarity vs. mystery: how many hints are enough before it feels obvious? because ngl, it's hard to not be repetitive
  • Writing a 13-year-old voice that’s simple without being childish
  • Making  the events in RPG Maker without getting dizzy and lost

What’s next

  • Add a second routine with deeper consequences
  • Tighten feedback (tiny animations, sounds, and timing)
  • First pass at the pen‑pal invitation sequence
  • More more art
  • Finish a well-polished demo.

It would mean the world if you play this version and tell me what do you think (if you know spanish ofc jaja). I know it's not a lot but, this next project honestly makes me so happy. I have plans for Ana and her story :)

Thanks for reading and playing. If you try the prototype, I’d love your thoughts and yout short comments are super helpful during the jam window.

Bye bye.

Files

GameJam+.zip 573 MB
2 days ago

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