ONE NIGHT GAME

«One Night Game» is an interactive film featuring live actors and illustrated insertions, where the player navigates the main character’s journey by making choices. The narrative is interwoven with mini-games and quick time events. The protagonist participates in a competitive show to pay off debts. The action takes place in one large location—the game, the host, and X participants. The ending depends on the decisions the character makes and how the mini-games unfold.

Mechanics: cursor-tracing QTE, tracking QTE, target QTE, button QTE, button-mashing QTE, hold-and-release QTE, timed decision-making/dialogue choices, participation in narrative mini-games. Unique selling point of the project: Interactive cinema featuring mini-games and hand-drawn elements set within an underground gaming competition environment, allowing the player to influence the plot and ending. Difficulty Progression: Initially, the player is trained in each mechanic separately—the aforementioned QTE systems, timed choices, and mini-games. Subsequently, the mechanics are combined, engaging all QTE systems—both button-based and mouse-based—while integrating dialogue choices and mini-game elements. The dynamic increases, and the action time windows decrease.

Estimated duration: 1.5–2 hours Visual style: Live-action film blended with elements of gaming/comic book aesthetics—such as floating progress bars, emojis above characters, and so on. The film alternates between live-action and fully animated segments, appearing in mini-games or cinematic sequences to maintain dynamism. Each section features a distinct stylistic approach, color palette, and host. Key character groups: participants, hosts, organizers, security staff

PROLOGUE Episode 1. The Setup The protagonist becomes the victim of a deception orchestrated by a supplier. Due to unfulfilled obligations and resulting financial losses, the hero incurs a small debt. Episode 2. The Invitation An unknown company buys out the hero’s debt. Its representatives offer a way to completely clear the debt by participating in a small game challenge. The hero agrees and signs a contract obligating him to follow the game’s rules and fulfill the financial obligations set forth, as he has read the rules and is confident in his victory. Episode 3. Preliminary Game—“The Pot» The hero finds himself among several debtors. The challenge is run by an organizer-executor who manages the competition. Participants must collectively fill a communal pot. If they reach the set amount, all debts are forgiven. If they do not, the player with the fewest personal points assumes the debts of the others. The hero analyzes the rules and proposes a winning strategy based on collaboration. The other participants agree and support his plan through several rounds. In the final round, the other participants simultaneously break their agreement with the hero. The overall goal is not reached, and the hero ends up in last place. It is revealed that the betrayal was pre-planned by the executor: the other players were colluding with him or had received individual incentives from him. The hero inherits others' debts. Now he owes the company a massive sum. The executor offers the hero only one available way out—to participate in an underground «One Night Game.»

MAIN GAME Episode 5. Arrival. The First Trial — «The Draw» The protagonist arrives at the game venue, where approximately 48 debtors have gathered. The host appears on stage and introduces the competition. He explains that the wealthy organizers believe in the individual luck of every participant. In the first trial, participants are asked to draw lots. No skills, negotiations, or relationships can influence the outcome. Half of the participants are eliminated. Remaining: 24 participants. Allies: It is impossible to influence the results of the draw. Initial acquaintances are possible, but there is no significant help available for other players yet. Episode 6. The Second Trial — «The Vote» Participants are presented with multiple-choice questions, including moral dilemmas. Each must select the option they believe will support the majority. A point is awarded for matching the most popular answer. The protagonist studies the participants' psychology, analyzes their reactions, and can participate in discussions and try to influence public opinion. The first significant moral choices emerge: act in your own best interest or support other participants, risking your own standing. Following the game, participants with the poorest results are eliminated. Remaining: 20 participants. Allies: The opportunity to significantly help 1–2 characters. The player begins to uncover their beliefs, goals, and reliability. The player must consider how the chosen partner perceives information, which images resonate with them, and how well the interaction between them is established. The protagonist can choose the most effective partner or someone less suited for the trial whom they wish to help. The pair with the worst results is eliminated. Remaining: 14 participants. Allies: The opportunity to significantly help 1 character — the chosen partner. Previously formed relationships are strengthened or weakened.

Episode 7. The Third Trial — «Two Truths and a Lie» Participants take turns telling three facts about themselves, one of which is false. The others try to identify the lie. The protagonist learns about the stories of other debtors, uncovering their reasons for participating in the game, personal motivations, and hidden circumstances. The player can use information gathered in previous episodes to spot deceptions and contradictions. Situations arise where exposing another participant gives the protagonist an advantage but might lead to the elimination of a potential ally. Following the trial, some participants leave the game. Remaining: 16 participants. Allies: the option to help 1–2 characters, including preserving their secret or deliberately forfeiting a gameplay advantage.

Episode 8. The Fourth Trial — «Charades» Participants pair up. The protagonist can select a partner from several available characters, provided there is mutual consent. The pairs must explain and guess words using only gestures, without speaking. QTEs and interactive actions are integrated into the trial. Different characters' traits affect the completion of the challenge. The player must consider how the chosen partner perceives information, which images resonate with them, and the quality of their interaction. The protagonist can choose the most effective partner or someone less suited for the trial whom they wish to help. The pair with the worst results is eliminated. Remaining: 14 participants. Allies: the ability to significantly help one character—the selected partner. Previously formed relationships are strengthened or weakened.

Challenge: «Find the Traitor» Participants must identify the person who lacks the common secret information but is trying to pass as someone who knows it. The protagonist analyzes responses, compares phrasing, and observes participants’ behavior. He can intentionally give ambiguous hints, ask trick questions, or provoke the suspect into contradiction. Moral Choice: The protagonist may discover that the majority is incorrectly suspecting a potential ally. He must decide whether to intervene in the discussion, risking his own reputation. Allies: The opportunity to significantly help one or two characters by defending them against a false accusation or by assisting in identifying the true traitor. Eleven people remain in the game. This challenge allows the protagonist to better study the behavior of those around him, determine who is prone to manipulation, who succumbs to the pressure of the majority, and who is capable of defending someone else’s position.

FINAL SOCIAL GAME Episode 9. Preparation for the Finale The remaining 11 participants gather for the final challenge. By this point, the protagonist has developed an understanding of the players' characters, motivations, and relationships. Some participants are interested in dismantling the system, others just want to get rid of their debt, and a third group dreams of gaining power or joining the organizers. The protagonist must determine whom he can trust and whose ultimate goals genuinely align with his own. Allies: by this stage, the player may have significantly helped approximately five to six characters. However, not all of them are necessarily ready to support him in a confrontation with the organizer. Episode 10. The Fifth Trial—“Mafia Variation with One Winner» Participants: 11, including the protagonist. A modified version of the social game «Mafia» is conducted, featuring hidden roles, discussions, accusations, voting, and the ability to deceive others. The protagonist uses the accumulated information about the participants to discern their intentions, expose lies, and form advantageous alliances. Previous decisions influence the behavior of those around him. The outcome of the trial depends on the players' decisions and the relationships they have forged. Ultimately, a single winner is determined, who gains the right to have a wish fulfilled. Allies: the consequences of past assistance are realized here. There are no mandatory opportunities to save new characters. BRANCH POINT AFTER THE MAIN GAME Episode 11. The Winner’s Wish If the protagonist loses the final challenge, the story concludes with one of the losing scenarios. In the event of a victory, the host announces the protagonist’s right to have a wish granted. The player faces a choice: Option A. Claim the prize. The protagonist receives money, pays off his own debt, and leaves the game. Option B. Decline the prize and demand a supergame. The protagonist uses the winner’s right to challenge the organizer-executor—who tricked him into the competition—to a game duel.

SUPERGAME Episode 12. Duel with the Organizer-Executor The protagonist engages in a final intellectual and social confrontation with the executor. Relationships formed with participants during previous challenges play a crucial role in this duel. If the protagonist loses, the confrontation is lost, leading to a bad ending. If the protagonist wins, the executor loses their position and is held accountable for the participants' debts according to the supergame’s rules. The protagonist gains the opportunity to determine their own future. ENDINGS Episode 13. The Final Choice After defeating the executor, the player chooses one of two paths. Ending A. Become the organizer.

The player must occasionally choose between two undesirable options, sometimes between themselves and another person, or between two uncertainties—weighing their odds, analyzing the situation, and so on. Example of a choice: During a challenge, two participants find themselves in a difficult situation. One is someone close to the hero; the other is someone who previously helped the hero. Both need assistance. The player can physically manage to help only one.