Outer Wilds Review and Narrative Structure Analysis

Contents:

• In Search of Inspiration
• Four Curiosities
• Questions about What Moves the Sun and Planets
• Debriefing

In Search of Inspiration

Development of Outer Wilds began in 2012, when Alex Beacham, finishing his Master of Fine Arts at the University of Southern California, chose it as his thesis project. His goal was to create a unique adventure in which the world exists independently of the player and moves according to its own rules. The player becomes an explorer of this dynamic universe, where planets move in their orbits, meteor showers flood some of them, and tornadoes form in the depths of the oceans. This approach, according to Beacham, would provide an immersive experience for space explorers, allowing them to immerse themselves in a living and changing environment. Outer Wilds invites players to explore the mysteries of the cosmos, immersing themselves in a rich and detailed game universe where every action matters and influences the course of events.

After completing their studies, Alex and his sister Kelsey, along with some friends, founded the studio Mobius Digital. Initially, they focused on mobile projects to generate income, but also found time to work on their personal project, Outer Wilds. In 2015, the game won the main award at the Independent Games Festival, which prompted the developers to consider turning their student project into a full-fledged game. Outer Wilds' outstanding ideas and unique gameplay attracted the attention of gamers and critics, which became an important step in the career of the Mobius Digital team.

Outer Wilds can be described as a unique combination of elements and visual style of the games Myst, Kerbal Space Program, and The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask. Alex, a devoted fan of the Nintendo series, clearly demonstrates his passion for this franchise through the design of his presentation.

Developing a game inspired by The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword was a starting point for Alex. He envisioned a project without a clearly defined goal, but with all elements designed to foster curiosity in players. This approach could open new horizons in gameplay, allowing users to explore the world without the pressure of achieving specific results.

According to Beacham, curiosity is the desire for knowledge. Exploration encompasses all the actions through which we gain information about the world around us. This thirst for understanding and knowledge contributes to the development, deepening of knowledge and expansion of our perception of reality.

Alex and his team aimed to reflect the concept of "exploration for curiosity's sake" in the game. Archaeologists excavate new territories in hopes of discovering ruins or relics that can shed light on the past. Scientists, in turn, smash particles together in colliders to study the results of these experiments. Such activities suggest that through exploration, we can gain new knowledge, although this does not always lead to immediate resources or recognition. Exploration becomes an important tool for discovering the unknown, expanding the horizons of our understanding of the world.

Exploration in games plays a key role in player engagement, encouraging them to ask questions and seek answers. This not only develops curiosity but also sets the player on a path to discovering new possibilities. As an example, consider the game The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker. The main character, Link, meets photographer Lenzo, who, after completing a short quest, grants access to his gallery on the second floor of his house. This gallery features photographs of various locations, and Link can ask Lenzo for clues about where the photos were taken. These clues open the player to the opportunity to search for unique locations and objects captured in the photographs. This approach not only enriches the gameplay experience but also enhances the interactions between characters, making the game more immersive and engaging.

Everything around us tells stories about things that exist elsewhere. These locations become accessible to those with sufficient curiosity. By exploring the world, we discover new horizons and immerse ourselves in unique narratives that enrich our experience and understanding. Every place, every detail, can become the starting point for a new journey if we are willing to ask questions and seek answers.

Alex Beacham is the Creative Director at Mobius Digital. In his role, he is responsible for developing and implementing innovative concepts and ideas that help create unique game projects. Under Alex's leadership, the Mobius Digital team achieves excellence in video game development, bringing fresh perspectives and creative solutions to every detail. His experience and vision contribute to the successful implementation of ambitious projects, making the company a leader in the industry.

Outer Wilds is entirely based on the concept of exploration and uncovering secrets. For example, when the player travels to the planet Ember Twin, they may encounter Flint, one of the space travelers. Kremneva will reveal the location of a Nomai shipwreck, an ancient race that once inhabited this star system. This information serves as a starting point for further exploration. The player can visit this location directly or choose an alternative route, but either way, the information will be recorded in the ship's logbook, which stores the game's most important resource—knowledge.

Logbook entries are paraphrased words heard from NPCs or read with a decipherer in the Nomai ruins. They contain no additional information, but merely recount what the player has already discovered. Therefore, the logbook can be compared to a corkboard for conspiracy theories, similar to the ones in The X-Files. At the initial stage, there are gaps between the facts that the player must fill by exploring the world of Outer Wilds and uncovering its secrets.

Four Curiosities

To structure the game's plot, the developers implemented the concept of four main Curiosities. Each of them answers important questions about the game's world, for example, "Why did the character end up in a time loop?" The player must explore hidden and dangerous locations to find the answers. Access to these places is possible only with special knowledge. Without this knowledge, for example, it is impossible to reach the center of the Giant's Deep—a planet whose surface is largely covered by ocean. The closer the player gets to the core, the stronger the resistance of matter pushing them to the surface. Ultimately, to "solve" each Curiosity, the player must find three Clues. This creates a fascinating process of exploration and promotes deep immersion in the game's story.

Alex, discussing the creation "Curiosity - Clues" scheme, mentioned the game La-Mulana. In this game, the player assumes the role of an archaeologist exploring ancient ruins and deciphering the writings of a vanished civilization. During the exploration, they discover clues that help them progress through other locations. La-Mulana emphasizes attentiveness and logical thinking, making it an ideal example of the interplay between curiosity and solution-seeking. Unlike Outer Wilds, La-Mulana rarely provides players with explicit directions to where their acquired knowledge can be used. For example, one character mentions that the pendant of Isis can be found "in these ruins." This is an extreme example, as the phrase "these ruins" encompasses virtually every location in the game. This approach creates a unique gameplay space in which exploration and interpretation of information become key elements. Players must be attentive and creative to solve puzzles and find hidden objects, significantly increasing the depth of the gameplay.

The character informs the player that the developers remembered to include this pendant in the game. This underscores the attention to detail and care for fans, creating a connection between the gameplay and the developers.

Alex Beacham serves as Creative Director at Mobius Digital. His creativity and leadership are instrumental in developing unique and engaging gaming projects. Through his vision and innovative approaches, Mobius Digital continues to create high-quality games that captivate players worldwide. Alex's contribution to the video game industry is immeasurable, and his work inspires both colleagues and fans.

The creators of Outer Wilds simplified the gameplay by adding clues that not only lead to Curiosity, but also point to each other. These clues help players answer additional questions that contribute to the solution of the Curiosity. In turn, they lead to the main question of the game: "What is the Eye of the Universe?" - the answer to which the Nomai sought. To solve this mystery, the player must first understand three Curiosity.

The Quantum Moon is of particular interest to players. Initially, the developers encountered difficulties integrating this object into the game, but decided that it was absolutely necessary to include it. Ultimately, a story arc was created, but the main mysterious meaning of the Quantum Moon in the context of the Universe was never revealed. This elusive Moon has become a real treasure for adventurers - players can complete the game without ever knowing about its mysterious existence. The intriguing nature of the Quantum Moon draws players back again and again, eager to unravel its mysteries.

Comet Alien, having an optional character, entered the solar system and is moving along highly elliptical orbit. Unlike the Quantum Moon and other objects, its structure is significantly simpler to explore. The player simply lands on the comet and explores it gradually, without having to find three Clues. This makes exploring the Outsider more accessible and engaging for players.

Questions about what moves the sun and planets

Alex reported that the developers began by creating a paper prototype of the game, which featured all the locations. They then moved on to developing a text adventure focused solely on the narrative, without many of the small details that came later. The version of Outer Wilds, available since last year on the Mobius website, already featured a signaloscope, allowing players to pick up signals from other space travelers.

In Outer Wilds, the core gameplay is built around a 22-minute time loop in which the protagonist finds themselves. This unique mechanic interacts with the diverse structure of the planets, creating engaging exploration opportunities. As Alex noted, the game's narrative is added as a second layer, enriching the gameplay and allowing players to delve deeper into the world and its mysteries.

The planets in Nomai were created with a conceptual approach that ensures their dynamic change over time. The main part of the narrative is built on existing locations, which gives the story depth and coherence. The device that creates the time loop was placed on the Hourglass, as these planets visually resemble an hourglass, where matter smoothly flows from one part to another. We chose Giant's Deep as the center of the story because it seems like an ideal place to hide secrets. Blackthorn was chosen as the site of the shipwreck due to its mysterious atmosphere. The Quantum Moon stands out as one of the most intriguing objects, possessing unique and strange characteristics.

Alex Beacham is Creative Director at Mobius Digital. He is responsible for developing and implementing creative concepts that help create unique and memorable game projects. Under his leadership, the Mobius Digital team has achieved significant success in the video game industry, bringing innovative ideas and an original style to each game. With a deep understanding of the market and current trends, Alex Beacham continues to inspire his team to create high-quality content that resonates with players around the world.

For a long time, the Outsider lacked a clear plot justification for its existence. The developers believed that comets were impressive elements that simply had to be present in a game about space. At that time, the creators had not yet discovered the reason for the disappearance of the Nomai. However, Loan Verno, with whom Alex started the project back in his student years, suggested the idea of ​​connecting the Outsider's existence to the mystery of their disappearance. This concept gave the character depth and meaning, strengthening the storyline and engaging players in exploring the mysteries of space.

The Outer Wilds developers spread the Leads across all planets to avoid repetition and to avoid tying all Leads to a single Curiosity in a single location. This decision was made to counteract players who tend to fully explore each location before moving on to the next. This approach encourages deeper and more varied exploration of the game world, encouraging players to discover new aspects and mechanics on each planet.

The game's structure encourages players to constantly move forward and avoid stagnation in familiar environments. Even if you fully explore the Void Sphere, you'll only find one Lead for each Curiosity. This prevents the storyline from being completed, and you'll be forced to visit other planets to continue your adventure.

To structure the Nomai story, the development team created a unique timeline that divides the race's existence into three key eras: the Age of Separation, the Age of Exploration, and the Age of Enlightenment. The development of the Nomai story occurred in parallel with the creation of the Curiosity and Lead system. As Alex noted, the developers deliberately kept story and design separate, allowing ideas to flow seamlessly. Each Curiosity is associated with a specific era, allowing the Nomai story to be presented not only through lore but also through unraveling new mysteries. This combination of gameplay and narrative allows players to delve deeper into the world of Nomai, exploring its rich history and unique aspects.

Once the overall structure was established, the developers began implementing interesting details into the game, but not all of them made it into the final version. For example, Mobius Digital planned to add beacons for the Ember Hour and the Void Sphere, but later abandoned the idea. The beacons served only as elementary lore and did not contribute to the storyline, which is why they were excluded from the game.

Many people may think that we had all the answers to the questions quite early on, but this is not true. In fact, we only had isolated fragments of information, and we were trying to piece them together. We worked on these elements for a long time, and sometimes we were successful. This process of searching and analyzing data was difficult, but necessary to gain understanding and solve emerging problems.

Alex Beacham serves as Creative Director at Mobius Digital. In this role, he is responsible for developing and executing innovative ideas that shape unique user experiences in video games. His vision and creative approach contribute to the creation of high-quality content that engages and excites players. Under Alex's leadership, the Mobius Digital team focuses on creating immersive and original game projects, allowing the company to stand out from the competition in the industry.

The connections between Curiosities and Leads often vary. For example, while exploring a Curiosity related to a Nomai ship, the player discovers escape pods scattered across various planets. Finding and exploring them does not provide a clear understanding of the ship's fate. Crash sites do not contain Leads, but they point to locations where Leads can still be found. This highlights the importance of carefully examining and analyzing each element in the gameplay, which can lead to new discoveries and insights into the overall storyline.

When exploring The Leads of the sunken module in Giant's Deep have a unique design. They serve as keys to understanding the route to the center of the planet, overcoming various obstacles not directly related to the module itself. In this context, Leads not only direct players to the final location of a Curiosity but also act as signposts leading to its discovery. Thus, the interaction between Leads and Curiosities creates a holistic approach to exploration, allowing for a deeper understanding of the structure and dynamics of the sunken module.

The developers of Outer Wilds placed special emphasis on creating independent storylines for the various Curiosities. While all are connected to the Nomai and their activity in the system, each Curiosity reveals a unique time period and is connected to events that unfold over many years. Furthermore, the game's creators strove to ensure that texts related to one Curiosity do not contain spoilers for other story arcs, allowing players to enjoy each story without the risk of learning details about other events. This makes the game more engaging and allows for a deeper immersion into the world of Outer Wilds.

Debriefing

After completing work on Outer Wilds and handing the project over to players, Alex summarized the development process with several key findings. The development team discovered that players often seek to explore the world driven by a thirst for knowledge, but don't always understand the mystery they're trying to unravel. For many, the game's plot felt like a tangled web of clues rather than a collection of discrete puzzles. Although Curiosity is highlighted in different colors in the logbook, this was not enough for many players, highlighting the importance of clarity in the presentation of information and story navigation.

The developers noticed that not only the logbook, but the entire structure of Curiosities and Leads may be unclear to players. For example, some starting locations are too far from the Leads they lead to. A prime example is the path from the escape pod on the Ember Hour to the fossilized remains of an anglerfish. According to Alex, the Curiosities related to the sunken module and the time loop could more clearly indicate their Leads. Furthermore, the use of the Signal Scope is not clearly explained in the context of finding Leads, which can make the process difficult for players. Improving these elements could significantly improve the usability of the gameplay and make it more engaging.

The developers sought to address some of the bugs in the Echoes of the Eye expansion, but its structure still had its shortcomings. Alex, according to him, could go into more detail about them in a separate presentation. This information may be useful for players looking to understand the expansion's intricacies and avoid potential issues.

Outer Wilds and its expansion, Echoes of the Eye, are available on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series S/X, and Nintendo Switch. This unique game offers players a thrilling exploration of the mysterious cosmos and engaging puzzles, making it accessible to a wide audience of gamers.