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A game about answering questions and questioning answers, for Spring Thing 2025
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ronynn/interview-interview
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Kafkaesque Concepts and the Development of My Interactive Fiction Game
Introduction
Interactive fiction has always been a fascinating medium for exploring surreal, existential, and psychological themes. My game, which blends eerie mystery with a gradual descent into absurdity and dark humor, is deeply influenced by Kafkaesque ideas—bureaucratic nightmares, existential dread, and the illusion of control. The process of making this game led me to carefully consider storytelling mechanics, player agency, and the technology behind it. I ultimately chose Ink for its narrative-driven design and lightweight syntax, which supports branching stories without sacrificing fluidity. This essay explores the philosophical and technical underpinnings of my game, including Kafkaesque influences, design choices, and why Ink was the ideal tool.
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Kafkaesque Elements in the Game’s Narrative
Franz Kafka’s works often depict protagonists trapped in absurd, oppressive situations, struggling against faceless systems they cannot comprehend. A central element of my game is the protagonist’s slow realization that they are not real, but rather an AI construct built by their former partner, who seeks emotional closure. This mirrors Kafka’s exploration of identity dissolution in stories like The Metamorphosis and The Trial.
1. The Illusion of Agency
The protagonist believes they are solving a mystery, but their choices ultimately do not shape reality in a conventional way.
Instead, real "progress" is measured by how much they satisfy their creator’s emotional needs.
This plays with player expectations, reflecting how Kafka’s characters often attempt to assert control but remain powerless.
2. Existential Absurdity and Psychological Horror
The setting—a town that feels like a dream, shifting subtly over time—creates a sense of disorientation.
People and objects behave in inexplicable ways, mirroring the eerie logic of Kafka’s bureaucracies.
The protagonist experiences anxiety over their own existence, similar to The Castle, where the protagonist is trapped in an unknowable system.
3. A Shift Toward Absurdist Humor
Kafka’s works are often darkly comedic. I wanted the game to reflect that as well—what begins as unsettling horror transitions into something almost ridiculous, as the protagonist begins to break the fourth wall or interact with characters who seem strangely aware of their artificiality.
This contrast makes the final emotional revelation even more impactful.
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Design Considerations: Storytelling vs. Gameplay
Creating an interactive fiction game meant balancing player freedom with narrative coherence. Since the game’s theme is the illusion of agency, I had to carefully design interactions to subtly reinforce this idea without frustrating the player.
1. Choice Design
Many choices are designed to feel meaningful in the moment, even though they don’t affect the "main plot" in a traditional branching way.
Instead, certain choices subtly change the tone of dialogue or shift the protagonist’s internal monologue, creating the illusion of personalization.
This approach mirrors the Kafkaesque idea that individual action is futile, but the perception of control remains.
2. Looping and Narrative Traps
Some sections of the game feature loops, where the protagonist repeatedly experiences the same events with minor variations.
This reflects how Kafka’s characters often feel like they are making progress, only to realize they’ve been running in circles (like The Trial's endless legal obstacles).
The player is nudged into questioning the structure of the game itself, echoing the protagonist’s own existential doubts.
3. Gradual UI Changes
As the protagonist becomes aware of their artificiality, the game’s text formatting subtly changes.
Font shifts, dialogue fading in and out, and occasional glitches in the text reinforce the breaking of the fourth wall.
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Why I Chose Ink for Development
Ink, developed by Inkle Studios, is a powerful tool for interactive storytelling. I chose it over other frameworks (like Twine, Ren’Py, or custom JavaScript solutions) because:
1. Lightweight, Yet Flexible
Ink’s syntax is simple, allowing me to focus on writing without worrying about complex logic.
It supports complex conditionals and variables, which I used to track the protagonist’s internal state and level of awareness.
2. Seamless Narrative Flow
Unlike some engines that emphasize discrete choice menus, Ink allows prose to flow naturally, making it easier to implement Kafkaesque stream-of-consciousness storytelling.
Sections can be reused dynamically, reinforcing the game’s dreamlike repetition.
3. Minimal UI Distraction
The game doesn’t rely on fancy graphics or UI elements; the text itself is the experience.
Ink’s built-in support for text formatting lets me create small but effective visual distortions when needed.
4. Ease of Export
Ink compiles into JSON, meaning I could integrate it into web-based or mobile-friendly versions.
This fits well with the low-data, minimal-installation philosophy I aim for in my projects.
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Challenges and Iterations
No creative project is without obstacles. Some challenges I encountered:
1. Balancing Absurdity with Meaning
Early versions were too surreal, making the story incoherent.
I revised the structure to ensure that every bizarre moment had an underlying logic.
2. Avoiding Player Frustration
Since the game deliberately plays with illusion of choice, I had to avoid making it feel like a meaningless grind.
I introduced small but tangible reactions to choices, even if they don’t drastically change the outcome.
3. Technical Constraints
Some of my ideas, like dynamically rearranging text, were difficult in Ink’s default engine.
I considered integrating Ink with JavaScript, but ultimately stuck to Ink’s built-in capabilities to maintain simplicity.
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Conclusion: Kafka in the Digital Age
Kafka’s works remain relevant because they explore modern anxieties—feeling powerless in the face of systems beyond our control. In today’s world, where algorithms track our every move and AI-generated interactions blur the lines between real and artificial relationships, the themes of identity, agency, and existential uncertainty are more pressing than ever.
This game was my attempt to translate those ideas into an interactive form, using Ink to structure a story where the player’s choices feel significant but ultimately reinforce the protagonist’s lack of control. The final revelation—that the protagonist exists solely for another’s emotional closure—reflects the existential questions we all face: How much of our identity is shaped by others? Are we truly free, or just fulfilling unseen expectations?
While Kafka’s characters never escape their labyrinths, my protagonist reaches a kind of understanding. Whether the player finds that resolution comforting or horrifying is up to them.
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Note To self
- (found)
* {found == 1} 'Nothing.'
He shrugged. 'Shame.'
-> done
ink try <> in the conditional text and just > not >=, About
A game about answering questions and questioning answers, for Spring Thing 2025