Deconstruction — Beholder
fromour deconstruction of Beholder (Warm Lamp Games, 2016)
theme«the landlord who watches»
goalnarrativechallengecomplicity under pressure: who gets reported is decided by the bill and the deadline, not by conscience
core actionA tenant goes out; I enter their flat with my own key, search it or watch through a camera, find a forbidden thing — then choose: report it on a form (directive + date the law was announced + the thing) for a little money, blackmail for more, help at my own cost, or keep silent. Meanwhile rent and food bills come due every day.
ingredients · 7
world · 7 — Fullerton’s formal elements
playersingle player vs. game — a landlord in a six-flat building of a totalitarian state, watching for the Ministry
objectivepay the bills and keep the family alive while doing the Ministry's tasks
rulesnew laws (directives) appear by date and forbid things or activities; a report = directive number + the date the law was announced + a thing in the room; the form is checked, not the truth — planted evidence is accepted like found evidence; evidence belongs to the flat, not the person
resourcesmoney; authority points (they buy cameras — seeing more costs reporting more); time — the bills
conflictdilemmas — report a neighbour or let your family go hungry; a report pays $250, blackmail $2000, helping costs money
boundariesone building in cut-away, six flats always in view; tenants move in by event and leave by arrest, departure or death
outcomethe family's fate; an overdue bill means arrest
testsDoes it feel like Beholder? Recognition test — six moments: (1) I enter a tenant's flat while they are away, and it costs me nothing; (2) I find a forbidden thing and must decide; (3) a report pays little, blackmail pays more, helping costs me; (4) the bills tick no matter what happens; (5) the system checks the form, not the truth — planted evidence works the same; (6) to see more I have to report more (cameras cost authority points).