A Week in the West

A western murder mystery prototype focused on narrative design, atmosphere, player suspicion, and environmental storytelling.

Narrative Design Western Mystery Twine / SugarCube Phaser 3 World Building CI520 Module
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Gameplay Video

Project Snapshot

  • Role: Narrative designer and implementation contributor
  • Tools: Twine / SugarCube, JavaScript
  • Platform: Web
  • Focus: western mystery, branching dialogue, evidence, journal-led deduction, world building
  • Status: University prototype / playable browser build

What I Built

A Week in the West is a browser-based narrative mystery game set in the isolated western town of Deadwood. The player investigates the death of the Sheriff by speaking to townspeople, collecting evidence, tracking leads, and deciding who they believe is responsible.

The game was designed as a slower-paced detective experience rather than an action game. The focus was on suspicion, unreliable information, atmosphere, and letting the player build their own interpretation of the case.

What I Focused On

Mystery Structure

The story was built around a 7-day investigation format. Each day introduces new leads, character behaviour, evidence, or contradictions, allowing suspicion to build gradually.

Character Suspicion

Each character was designed to feel useful but incomplete. NPCs rarely give the full truth, so the player has to read between the lines and compare statements against evidence.

World Building

Deadwood was designed as a small, isolated town where reputation, gossip, and mistrust matter. Locations such as the saloon, church, sheriff’s office, barber shop, and library helped ground the western setting.

Story and Player Choice

The game follows a structured investigation, but player choice still affects how information is discovered and understood. Dialogue branches, optional evidence, suspect notes, and the final accusation system all support the feeling of deduction.

The final accusation was designed as the main consequence of the investigation. Instead of simply telling the player the answer, the game asks them to use their journal, gathered evidence, and suspect notes to decide who they believe is guilty.

Narrative Systems

  • Branching dialogue: NPC conversations reveal clues, motives, contradictions, and red herrings.
  • Journal system: keeps track of suspect notes, evidence, and leads across different days.
  • Day structure: each day gives the investigation a clear focus while still allowing exploration.
  • Environmental evidence: clues are found in locations such as the church, sheriff’s office, and town buildings.
  • Final accusation: the player makes a judgement based on what they discovered.

Visual and Audio Direction

Visual Style

The project moved away from an early comedic western style and toward a more grounded pixel-art direction. This better supported the darker mystery tone and made the world feel more believable.

Interior Design

Building interiors were used to reinforce the western setting and give characters a stronger sense of place. Spaces such as the saloon, bank, church, and sheriff’s office helped tell the story visually.

Sound and Atmosphere

Audio was kept minimal so the town felt quiet and tense. Footsteps, building transitions, journal sounds, and occasional music helped make actions feel more deliberate without overcrowding the atmosphere.

What I Learned

Narrative Needs Structure

A mystery can become confusing quickly if information is not organised. The day system, journal, and summaries helped keep the investigation readable.

World Design Supports Story

Character placement, building layout, and environmental details can communicate relationships and suspicion without relying only on dialogue.

Tone Has To Match Theme

The early comedic style did not fully fit the murder mystery premise. Moving toward a grittier western tone made the story feel more consistent.

Gallery

A Week in the West main menu screen A Week in the West journal and evidence screen A Week in the West day flow investigation diagram

What I’d Improve Now

  • Make the journal easier to scan when the player has gathered lots of information.
  • Add clearer feedback when new evidence changes a suspect’s relevance.
  • Improve pacing between investigation days so major clues land more strongly.
  • Give NPCs more visible behavioural changes as suspicion increases.
  • Refine the final accusation so the player better understands why each suspect is possible.