Welcome to Newscaster Simulation!

Hi there! We are a team of 5 passionate UW-Madison students , and we're proud to announce our newest project - Newscaster Simulation! Newly relocated to a seaside village, you're ready to begin your new job as the local channel's newscaster, reporting on all the most important topics for your new neighbors. Throughout the course of the game, you'll encounter dozens of potential stories, articles, and leads; it's up to YOU to decide which make the cut for your 30 minute segment! Be careful - not only do the stories you air affect the lives of those around you - but if your ratings are too low your career could come to an abrupt end...

In today's day and age, the power of information cannot be understated. Information and the manner in which it's provided to the public drastically shape the public's perception, and can have very real consequences for those it affects. Running an incorrect story about a murder suspect could ruin someone's career, while not running a story about a potential disease outbreak could be even worse. We hope to explore the consequences of information sharing and censorship in Newscaster Simulation, primarily through the townsfolk following up after your broadcasts. While this is a work in progress, we believe this will ensure that the consequences of a player's choice are visible, and they can see how their choice to air (or not air) particular stories impacts peoples' lives. 

With this latest project, our team aims to create a deep immersion for the player through a compelling and engaging narrative. One of our largest inspirations comes from the widely-beloved game Papers, Please, which focuses on the consequences and inescapability of fascism and censorship. In addition to the overall narrative, we plan to follow a similar top-down desk structure for determining which stories are most relevant. We will be using games such as World of Horror, Return of the Obra Dinn, and Dredge as inspiration for our world's theme, making our 2D world have a realistic feel while using darker colors to create an ominous/eerie atmosphere. 

Thanks for being a part of our journey, and stay tuned for future updates!