Channel: Death

Overview

Channel: Death is an installation-based digital escape room where players use a vintage television remote and old-fashioned pen and paper to cooperatively solve puzzles, complete minigames, and thwart the nefarious Broadcast Killer. Designed for in-person festivals, players work together over the course of an event leaving physical notes to track clues and collaborate with successive players. The CRT TV presentation and TV remote interface synergize with the game’s mechanics, narrative, and aesthetics to evoke a unique gameplay experience inspired by channel surfing in the ‘80s and ‘90s.

The game was created for the Chicaghoul two-week game jam. We spent a few more weeks polishing and expanding the experience for alt.ctrl.gdc and Day of the Devs.

Exhibitions and Awards

Images

Select images to view full size.

Download / Play

Channel: Death by Night City (itch.io)

Design / Process Documentation and Notes

Why? – High-level reflections on the research objectives of the project
Design / vision document – Used during production to define the original vision and track design notes
Process journal – A diary of design discussion throughout the project
Commit history – Commit messages during the history of the project detailing design at the technical level (note that some files are omitted for licensing reasons)

Retro TV Channel Surfing Aesthetic

CRT TVs, local news inspired UI, historic public domain video footage, and more combine to evoke a retro TV aesthetic.

Remote for *Channel: Death* (it was my grandma’s! ❤️)

Players control the game exclusively with a vintage 90s TV remote. Using the channel up / down buttons, players access minigames, clues, and narrative content dispersed across several channels.

Input is picked up by an IR sensor connected to an Arduino board housed in a gutted cable box.

Old cable box housing for Arduino and IR sensor

A printed TV guide offers clues about how to solve minigames within the narrative context of the game. Compare the clue for channel 40 with the volume minigame below.

The Killing Floor

I created this channel as a macabre “time limit” for solving puzzles, taking inspiration from James Bond style slow moving death traps and a shocking kill from the game A.I. The Somnium Files.

Minigames

Players obtain passcode digits associated with each suit by completing minigames hidden in different TV channels. Nine minigames were developed for the game. I made the “volume” and “pan and scan” minigames.

Minigames were designed to use specific buttons of the TV remote. In the “volume minigame,” the player is meant to turn the volume down during commercials, and up during the phonograph sequences. (see clue for channel 40 on the print TV guide)
If they listen to commercials too long, there is a jump scare. If they make it to the end, a passcode digit is revealed in an audio message.

The “pan and scan” minigame uses live webcam video to create an immersive background for a photo hunt.
Players use the remote to zoom in and pan around to hunt for the correct suit symbol amid randomly positioned decoys.

Pan and scan minigame at Chicaghoul

Interrogation clue reveal sequence

Interrogation sequence for revealing clues

After rescuing a victim, they reveal a clue to unmasking the killer during a police interrogation sequence.

The lines are pulled from scriptable objects 👇

Scriptable object for shuffling detective and victim filler lines

One scriptable object was for intro and follow up lines used for narrative purposes only.
The line revealing the clue itself came from another scriptable object that defined a specific question used in the overarching puzzle metagame.

Scriptable object for puzzle question and clue data

Overarching Puzzle

Each victim rescued offers a clue to one of the overarching puzzle quiz questions.
Players are meant to use physical notes to record clues over the course of an event.
If the quiz is completed, players will have the opportunity to decide the Broadcast Killer’s fate.
Incorrect guesses lock the quiz for a time.

We have used a white board, notebook, and post-it notes to assist in player note taking.

Multiple Endings

If the overarching puzzle quiz is completed, the Broadcast Killer subjects themself to the same killing machine used on the victims.
Players can decide whether to spare or kill the Broadcast Killer the same way other victims can be rescued or killed.
Thus, the game has three potential endings:
- Out of time (the entire game has a time limit)
- Kill the Broadcast Killer
- Spare the Broadcast Killer

There’s no room for casual channel surfing here; only channel sleuthing will unlock the secrets to thwart the Broadcast Killer’s nightmarish program.
Channel: Death Trailer / poster