Next, please

Think about what you do and where you go; it will affect those who come after you.

A digital game where dying is an integral part of the experience. An asynchronous multiplayer where players build upon the steps of their predecessors. Escape the labyrinth, but don’t forget: the (collective) journey is the goal!

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This project was developed during my internship at the Department of Digital Arts in Bratislava in the winter semester of 2024/25 as an initial prototype for my Master's thesis, aiming to test and validate the concept of asynchronous multiplayer.

I revisited the theme of darkness and a flashlight that brings light into it—except here, darkness is white-gray, and light is black. The player navigates a labyrinth where all walls, floors, and ceilings have a noise texture, creating a space without clear definition. Only when the flashlight is on does the environment become articulated, allowing the player to recognize edges and orient themselves.

Core Mechanics

Light = Life
There is no HUD in the game—your only indicator of health is the intensity of your flashlight.

Life = Movement
The flashlight is not controlled manually but instead is tied to movement. The moment the player moves, the light turns on; when they stop, the flashlight shuts off. Additionally, there's an inactivity tracker that kills the player after a certain period of stillness, forcing continuous movement and preventing camping.

Resources
Green AAA batteries recharge the player's light.

Yellow Orbs 
These function as light switches. When they land on carefully placed elements of the labyrinth, they create shadow projections that form arrows, guiding players toward the goal. The lights also change color—blue when far from the goal, red when close.

Game Loop

The fundamental loop is simple: Player A progresses through a section of the game, and upon their death, Player B spawns at the midpoint of Player A’s path. However, Player A’s lights remain active, meaning that at some point, Player X will enter the game and only need to follow the arrows. AAA batteries respawn for each new player.

Audio

There's not much in the game—most of the audio is noise. The walls also generate a noise texture, but at such a low frequency that it requires headphones with an extended bass range. 

Map

When exhibited, I provided players with a physical map, encouraging them to annotate their findings—potentially aiding those who would come after them.