Studio Sapling
In this eerie adventure game, players explore the mysterious site of a mass disappearance. As the narrative designer, I was tasked with telling the tragic tale of High Pines Summer Camp through diegetic puzzles, lore notes, and a dramatic environmental arc that makes players question their own observations as their surroundings delve from playfully spooky to deeply unsettling.
Note: Because this game is still in production, some details on this page have been altered or censored. I have been given permission by Studio Sapling to include these documents in my portfolio.
My responsibilities included:
- Collaborating with the environmental artist/designer to craft diegetic puzzles and clues, many of which facilitated the game’s unique photography mechanic.
- Creating six original characters, each of whom tells their story through a unique variety of lore note.
- Writing over twenty lore notes, including journal entries, comics, newspaper clippings, blogs, brochures, and more.
- Designing a three-act environmental arc that increasingly blurs the line between reality and nightmare.
- Maintaining a detailed story bible, including character bios, timelines, puzzle progression walkthroughs, and setting descriptions.
Story
High Pines invites players to dig beneath the surface of a seemingly peaceful campground in the heart of the Pacific Northwest, where things (and people) are never quite what they seem. After finding a strange camera with a unique ability, the protagonist learns about the tangled lives of the missing campers, uncovers unsettling clues, and unlocks hidden areas brimming with secrets.
The story unfolds over the course of a day, so I separated it into afternoon, evening, and night acts that grow increasingly more ominous as players progress through the narrative layers. These acts are triggered by “landmark” plot points, ensuring that the game’s tone and aesthetic grow darker in time with the tale.
Characters
Much like the campground itself, the counselors and campers who vanished from High Pines were layered and complex- each projecting a facade that inevitably erodes under pressure. As players examine the clues these people left behind, they will work their way through superficial details to the tangled secrets hidden beneath.
High Pines features six main characters who are introduced as the plot unfolds. Each character’s story is comprised of three arcs with details that emerge in a curated order due to their placement within the progressive puzzle that guides players around the campgrounds.
Narrative Elements
The plot of High Pines is conveyed almost entirely through environmental clues and diegetic puzzles, many of which utilized the game’s signature photography mechanic. Additionally, each of the six main characters left behind a unique series of lore notes, including everything from journal entries to photo albums, which detailed their tumultuous camp experiences.
Lore Note Samples
To learn more about the game or add it to your wishlist, visit the steam page!