The Ghosts

of Yamarāj

a

An Interactive Sci-Fi Mystery

The Ghosts of Yamarāja is a sci-fi, mystery set in the future. It revolves around a small cruise shuttle called the Yamarāja, where everyone onboard has suddenly disappeared. The main protagonist of the story is you, a government investigator sent to investigate the events that led to the disappearance of four individuals.

What’s It About?

It begins with a black screen; an audio file plays in the background. It is a distress signal from the cruise shuttle, asking for immediate assistance. After the user has selected ‘Begin’ from the menu, an animation plays showing a small ship docking at the Yamarāja. The screen will then go black (similar to the opening) and the thoughts of the investigator will appear onscreen, such as: ‘The ship was cold and silent. The stench of death lingers in the air as I take my first steps into this tomb of mystery.’

The Complete Story

As the player moves around the ship, they will eventually learn that a private medical company were using the Yamarāja to conduct secret research into a deadly illness that has been plaguing multiple planets, called ‘Space Pox’. The scientist in charge of this research is Dr. Yull Smith, who intends to test his formulas on his dying daughter, a victim of the Pox. The captain of the ship has been hired to keep this a secret, as the methods used by the doctor are unorthodox and unethical. When investigating the captain’s quarters, the player will learn that the captain is struggling to cope with his immoral assignment, through a series of audio logs. The passengers on the other hand, have no knowledge of the experiments being conducted onboard the cruise shuttle. Yet, before their disappearance, they were beginning to notice strange noises emanating from the doctor’s cabin, evident in the diaries found within their rooms.

The Complete Story 2

Eventually, the user will discover that one of the doctor’s experiments went disastrously wrong, creating a mutation in his daughter. The monster devoured both the doctor and the passengers before the captain was able to lock it within the cargo hold. Yet, the guilt and horror of what had occurred was too much for the captain to bear. So in his moment of madness, he activated the distress beacon and exited through the airlock, leaving the monster locked away within the bowls of the ship.

The Complete Story 3

The user will then enter the cargo hold and come to face-to-face with the beast. A decision will be asked of whether to shoot the monster (knowing that it was once, and maybe still is, a small child) or walk away. There will be a separate ending, depending on which path the user takes.

Complete Story 4

Characters1) Vera Gloodburg – Retired Author

Vera was a once famous author, who penned the epic romance saga: ‘The Fourth Kingdom’. She is now trying to re-enter the literary world by writing a new romantic novel, set aboard a cruise shuttle similar to the Yamarāja. The trip was meant to give Vera both inspiration, and relaxation.

2) Hans Eric Williams – Archaeologist

Hans is on his way to the biggest find of the century, the tomb of Rendrick the Third, on the planet Rendall. He hopes to aid his brother and gain some of the riches in return. His trip was strictly business, but with a little leisure on the side.

Characters 23) Captain. Ado Fitzgerald – The Pilot

An old wartime pilot, who fought during the Interplanetary Wars. Ado became the captain of the Yamarāja when it was first commissioned. He hoped the job would take his mind off his bloody past, and give him some solace.

4) Dr. Yull Smith – The Scientist

Shunned by his peers for using unethical approaches in his research. Yull is looking for a chance to redeem himself, by finding a cure for the incurable, the infamous ‘Space Pox’ disease, which has claimed his daughter. Fortunately, the private medical firm, ‘Pirex’, has taken a liking to the doctor’s results, even though it is performed in an unorthodox manner. They have therefore funded his research and have organised a discreet place to test his theories, the Yamarāja.

Most of the interactivity will come in the form of ‘Data Tablets’ that are spread out within each scene. As an agent of the government, you have access to private files which are stored on the tablets.

When pressed, the tablet will appear larger and will show a QR code, which the user can scan with their iPad/ iPhone. The iPad/ iPhone will then show a page from a diary, a newspaper article or a video clip etc. The story will be revealed through this mechanic.

Original Mechanics

Data Tablet Data Tablet iPad/ iPhone

Example Scene – Author’s RoomInstructions for navigating

Arrows used to move around room

Data Tablets – Used in conjunction with an iPad/ iPhone. Shows diaries, newspaper articles etc

Mouse cursor, highlighting a selectable object

Example Scene 2 – Author’s Room

To create the scenes from the previous slides, I have utilized copyright free images (which are being referenced in a Word document). Some of the elements in their original form can be found below.

Use of Copyright Free Images

Navigation Map

Here is the first page of the Navigation Map.

It shows a linear narrative, whereupon the user is required to explore each room before moving onto the next.

Navigation Map P.2 This is the second

page of the Navigation Map.

As the user nears the end of the story, they will be given a choice. The decision they make will lead to a different ending.

After the narrative finishes, the user will be taken back to starting the menu.

Time – As there are multiple units occurring within the third year, I am hoping that I will enough time to create a high quality narrative that will immerse the user.

Software Problems – Most of the techniques I purpose to utilize, I have used before in different projects. My only concern is whether I reach a technical roadblock, which may take additional time to overcome.

Possible Production Issues