Well I did three hours of thinkin’ and I came up with three ideas that fit the theme. How do you explain where that time went? Well, there was a large glass of rye and a cigar, and also I walked the dog, and spent a lot of time talking to myself. I really don’t like to commit to an idea until I have at least three of them, and snowman johnson wilickers this theme is hard! Or very easy, if you cop out. I’m not content to simply interpret the theme as a design restriction, which makes it very hard.

I rejected all perfectly literal interpretations. The first idea is quite figurative, taking a different meaning of the word screen to mean a screen door. But it’s a bland puzzle game and my least favorite idea.

The second is literal but with a caveat, adding the words “At a Time” to the theme. This has opened up into a very doable game design, but I’m won’t be sure how fun it will until I get a working prototype. Also, it’s got a strong rock-paper-scissors element but I haven’t been able to come up with replacements for the three elements that make a lot of cohesive sense.

Finally, the third idea is the most ambitious, taking a meta approach to the theme, where the game is a story about a game. This one is in a kind of a linear, adventure style, and while I believe it would be very well received, I’m concerned that the story I need to develop before I build it and the associated asset requirements might be more than I can accomplish in the time allotted.

In short, I’m going to make myself secret sandwich and then sleep on it. The secret sandwich is a PB&J. I’ve probably said too much.