Between The Lines
“Between the Lines” invites you into a quietly powerful journey as a volunteer for a college support hotline. Unravel a queer coming-out story by guiding a college student navigating the pressures of identity, relationships, and the uncertainty of big life changes. Play for free on itch.io ![]() Post-Mortem: Between the LinesOverviewBetween the Lines is a small narrative game prototype developed over three weeks in January 2025. The game explores themes of identity, family, and support through the lens of a college helpline volunteer assisting a student caller. It experiments with a non-linear storytelling approach, offering players the freedom to guide conversations by selecting keywords, taking notes, and adjusting their tone when engaging with the caller. I collaborated with Tanaka, a 3D artist, and Nick, a sound designer, to bring this project to life. This post-mortem reflects on the development process, lessons learned, and insights gained from creating this unique game experience. What Went Right1. Focused Development Process and Scope ManagementI approached the development with a clear plan and well-defined goals. By prioritizing building the structure and core features first, I could quickly test and refine the game’s logic. Writing the call content and conducting playtests followed naturally, guiding the final polish. 2. Collaboration with Skilled ProfessionalsWorking with Tanaka and Nick was seamless. Tanaka efficiently handled scene design, lighting, and model fixes, completing the art assets well ahead of schedule. Nick delivered voiceover recordings and sound effects with minimal iteration. Their professionalism allowed me to focus on development without the need for extensive oversight. 3. Meaningful and Cathartic StorytellingCreating a queer-positive story was personally fulfilling and felt timely in the current political climate. Writing the narrative and recording the voiceovers became an emotional and cathartic experience, making the project feel meaningful on a broader level. 4. Strong Player EngagementI conducted 4 in-person playtests (three of them with the same person), both testers were immersed in the experience. They appreciated the freedom to explore the conversation at their own pace and found the VO crucial for creating an engaging atmosphere. 5. Successful Content PromotionI created and edited three social media videos documenting the development process, enhancing the game’s visibility and promoting my work. Styling the itch.io page and producing a teaser video further strengthened the presentation. What Could Have Gone Better1. Theming and Accessibility ChallengesThe mental health premise was a barrier for potential playtesters, who worried about encountering triggering topics like suicide or self-harm. Despite renaming the game and rebranding it as a college support hotline, the framing likely limited engagement. In future projects, I aim to be more mindful of themes and framing to ensure broader accessibility. 2. Silence Detection MisstepA feature that prompted the player when they took too long to respond was intended to make the conversation feel more realistic. However, it disrupted decision-making and immersion, as narrative games typically allow players time to deliberate. Removing the feature improved the experience. 3. Limited PlaytestingTesting primarily happened in person, but two online playtesters failed to get past the tutorial due to an oversight I could have caught in person. Their sessions yielded no valuable feedback. This highlighted the importance of direct observation during testing. 4. Technical HurdlesThe game manager script grew to over 1,000 lines, making it difficult to maintain. Separating logic into smaller components would have improved readability. Additionally, I relied heavily on Coroutines, which may create race conditions. I plan to conduct a proper code review in the future to build more robust systems. 5. Feature Scope CreepWhile I initially planned to implement a typewriter effect for the call log, I started too late and had to abandon it. I was also tempted to create multiple phone calls but wisely focused on a single call to prove the concept. Key Takeaways1. Experimenting with New Narrative Mechanics Was SuccessfulAllowing players greater freedom in narrative choices proved engaging. A critical insight was not to introduce too many new mechanics at once and to properly tutorialize them. 2. The Power of VoiceoverVoiceovers significantly enhanced player immersion and brought the narrative to life. The importance of concise writing also became clear; too much text risks losing player attention and complicates testing. 3. Working with Professionals Is Ideal for Small-Scoped TasksCollaborating with skilled professionals was a highlight. Keeping their work scope small ensured efficiency. For larger projects, I may rely on asset packs to minimize management time. 4. In-Person Testing Is CrucialObserving testers in person and recording sessions (both screen and audio) allowed me to focus on their experience rather than taking notes. This was far more effective than online testing. Reflection and Next StepsI’m proud of completing Between the Lines without crunch, achieving all my goals, and creating a polished, shareable prototype. The meaningful, queer-positive story feels particularly important given the current political climate. This was also my first time creating social media content to document my process, which will help promote my work. Moving forward, I recognize the need for better code structure, reducing reliance on Coroutines, and conducting a code review to build more maintainable systems. This project is part of a larger research goal: prototyping 12 games in 12 months, each exploring different ways of interactive storytelling. I’m excited for my next project, where I plan to apply these lessons, further refine my prototyping skills, and create an experience that appeals to a broader audience. |