DevTalk: Map Interaction

Hey everyone!

Today, we want to talk a bit about how the map works in the game and how you’ll interact with it during your playthrough.

Movement & Flow
At the start of the day (in the hub), you’ll sometimes get a choice of which path to follow. This choice matters; depending on what you pick, you might miss around 20% of the content for that day.

In some cases, we’ll skip the map entirely and push you straight into the story. This helps us save pacing and deliver stronger narrative moments.

Map Usage During the Day
The map isn’t always active, but when it appears, it gives you a sense of free exploration.
You can visit each location and get unique interactions.
However, one of these locations is story-critical, and the narrative won’t progress until you visit it.

Map Design
Here’s how we’re building the map system:
• The map represents the island, with different locations available
• Character icons may appear on locations if someone is there as part of the story
• Not all locations are visible at once — only those relevant to the current day
• Some places contain multiple sub-locations (for example, the bar)
• There will be day and night versions of the map
• Your money balance will always be visible on the map

Locations
The world will expand over time, but here are the core locations we’re currently building:
• Main Character’s House (Hub)
• Bar Veranda
• Bar Interior
• Beach (Sunbeds Area)
• Beach (Sea View)
• Madonna’s Yacht
• Bar Work Location
• Backroom Shower

Our goal with the map is to find a balance between player freedom and strong storytelling direction

If you have thoughts on this system, do you prefer more freedom or more direction?

Let us know in the comments!