Game Log 1 - Experience

For this game jam, our mission was to create a game by remixing an Óbidos legend into a contemporary or futuristic setting. The legend we chose was "Homens Musaranhos", which tells the story of a fisherman who mistook a shadow near his boat for one of his companions. When he touched it, he realized it wasn’t a man, but a species of rat.

Ideation Wheel

The chosen settings for ideation wheel are:

• EU values: equality and human rights
• Cultural Heritage: Cultural Stories Cultural
• Theme: Redefining values
• Game Idea: You're a rat exploring the village of Óbidos, trying to reunite with other rats by talking and completing quests. Your goal is to avoid being seen by fishermen, fool them by taking on a human form, and find a way to reach the lagoon.

Experience Methods

We participated in a masterclass and received support during the ideation phase, where historians explained the origin of the legend and its intended meaning. This helped us better understand the core message and what we wanted to achieve with our game.

Games Through Culture Concept

As the legend touches on the fear of the unknown, our goal was to explore the musaranhos’ perspective by showing how an aggressive, fear-driven response can be harmful, and how the rejection of what is different reveals a deeper struggle with acceptance.