Concept Proposal

My game is about a young man who no longer desires to work for some big company, and would rather be their own boss and open a coffee shop for himself.

People: The player would be the young man mentioned previously, and the story would be told from his point of view. I’d imagine that story wouldn’t be the main focus of the game, but it would be there if the player wanted to pay attention to it (Similar to how Unpacking passively tells a story without any words). He opens this coffee shop as a means of escape for both himself and all of his customers.

Places: The game takes place in a modern-day city in the Northeast US, like New York City, Boston, etc. In the middle of the hustle and bustle of this city lies a coffee shop where people can find a brief respite from all the stressors of the outside world. Patrons would likely be there during the day, and while there could be any kind of weather I think it would be fun to make it raining or snowing outside to give it some extra personality. The interior of this coffee shop will have a lot of flora strewn about to make it feel more cozy and authentic. In addition, the lighting would be very warm and soft to add to the relaxation. If the player explores, they can find an upstairs area with a lounge for even more relaxing vibes.

Things: The player will observe patrons at their tables, booths, etc. in addition to their coffee-making. There will be many mugs and cups strewn about in addition to the plants mentioned before. I imagined some plants hanging from the ceiling in pots in certain places in the shop. There will be coffee pots, tea kettles, and other items necessary for running a coffee shop.

Style: The space will be warmly lit and comfortable with a rustic feel to give a sharp contrast to the city just outside. The art style will be semi-realistic but stylized so that it’s not completely photorealistic. In my head, I imagine the style to be similar to Outer Wilds in the way that it’s cartoony, but not too cartoony. The space will have lots of wooden furniture, maybe some jazzy music to accompany the calming vibe. There will be nooks and crannies throughout the shop to give patrons some privacy while they enjoy their coffee. I also wanted to take inspiration from some East-Asian cafes, as I spent last D-Term in Taiwan and found the cafes I visited there to be fun and charming.

Gameplay:

Sketch

Mood Board

Top Left: Seventh Heaven from Final Fantasy 7 Remake, has that rustic feel that’s similar to what I’m going for.

Middle Left: Leblanc from Persona 5, a relaxing cafe that is very similar to the vibe I’m going for.

Bottom Left: Hagakure Ramen from Persona 3 Reload, a bit more lively than what my cafe should be, but has a lot of similar lighting and elements.

Top Middle: A Caffe Nero in Boston. Has a lot of warm lighting and is pretty cozy.

Center: The coffee shop in Coffee Talk. Has a relaxing vibe that I want for my game.

Bottom Middle: The Roost from Animal Crossing, has some chill music and the player can get a cup of coffee to relax for a bit. I don’t think it has much functionality but it’s very calm and peaceful.

Top Right: Wall Market from Final Fantasy 7 Remake. Has way too much going on and a lot of hustle and bustle, but I think I might include some neon signs or something in my final design.

Middle Right: A random coffee shop I found on the internet (Supposedly in Boston). Has the plants and rustic feel I want for my game.

Bottom Right: The sushi bar from Dave the Diver. I haven’t played this game but the visual feel has the elements I’m going for.