STRAND

Solo journaling under an alien sea

Strand is a solo journaling game prototype about a scientist trapped in a submarine under an alien sea. The game has a flexible structure, allowing players to make it as long as they choose, as well as a fully illustrated 20-page manual.

The prototype is available for free on Itch.io.

With Strand, I wanted to create a game that would provide the player with enough structure to craft a narrative while avoiding getting in the way of the story they’re telling. In the end, I settled on a simple structure that balanced randomness with player choice.

The game is split into three acts, with each act having its own table of prompts and ending with a player-chosen prompt called a development. Developments are used to keep the narrative moving and allow players to choose the prompt that works best for their unique story.