Crimson
Campsite
Crimson Campsite is a Twine Project that focuses on a choice-based experience inside a slasher in the 90's. This project was inspired by a real event that happened in my own front yard, and various other horror media (such as There's a Man in the Woods). Combining my love for horror and real-life magnetism for weird and crazy events, I pulled some unique experiences together to create a more twisted version of 'what could've gone wrong' in those moments. Plus, not to mention the whole 'evil slasher who wants to be left alone in the woods.'
5-Story Act structure
Crimson Campsite uses a 5-Act Story structure to tell it's gruesome tale. It focuses on getting the audience involved with each emotion driving the individual families at the campsite. Before introducing the problem formed from these strong emotions; family conflict. This conflict leads into resources being spread thin, which is the perfect time to reveal the true villain of the story as he beings to hunt for his next experimented-on prisoner. The story then shifts to a more individualistic approach often seen in horror, the mindset of "I need to survive for myself" or rather in this case, "I need to make sure my family survives no matter what." The ending reveals that no matter what, the other families seem to have vanish into thin air, the selfish mindset of the player from the previous act causing their inevitable doom, never to be solved.
An early planning phase of the 5-Story Act
Conflicts of the World
There are three families staying at Camp Trinity. The playable character is apart of the Jones family, an only child who is just trying to stop his parents from divorcing. Then we have Simon, here with Father who brought him and his brother out here to try and get the two boys from fighting. Finally, we have Lexi who is out here with her sister and her father to honor their late mother's passing.
Each of the families have their own unique problems going on, all fueled by emotions that have gone awry in some direction. These dangerous emotions eventually lead to the birth of some enemies later in the game, depending on who is alive / how the characters pass.
Locations in Crimson Campsite
Camp Trinity
Camp Trinity is a campsite buried deep in the Appalachian region of North Carolina. Made up of oak-hickory and northern hardwood trees, this campsite sits perfectly in front of Lake Silverwash. This campsite features large sections for RVs, complete with fire pits, picnic areas, and electrical hookups. The trails in this forest are beautifully lit by solar panel-fueled lamps, placed by the park rangers to protect the local wildlife. This camp stocks canoes and fishing supplies for families to borrow while visiting. This campsite will bring all families together for a camping trip that forms long-lasting memories!
Bonfire pit inside Camp
The communal bonfire pit is at the center of the campsite. It’s a large but welcoming gathering spot for all of the families visiting. Large logs of nearby dead trees surround the pit, smoothed for comfort. The fire pit sits in a wide clearing of the trees, allowing those sitting to look up at the sky. Families from all corners of the world can gather here to roast marshmallows, meet their neighbors, and swap family stories. This is the best place to meet a stranger, or to bring your family together under the night sky with some s’mores!
Waving Shoreline
Like out of a movie, Lake Silverwash is a man-made lake with a cycling water system to allow the water to seem like it’s “washing” ashore, like the ocean. The Waving Shoreline draws in families due to the relaxing sound of the wave machine. The Shoreline is lined with smooth pebbles and grey sand, allowing a soft texture for walking barefoot even during the hottest of summer days.
Striker Trail
The Striker Trail is not for a rookie hiker! This trail blazes through the beauty of the forest’s natural incline to feel like a nature-based rollercoaster. The steep inclines tend to dip and twist, causing novice hikers to often lose their footing and fall. However, this trail twists between large rock houses and tall, ancient trees that are older than mankind. That’s the reward of exploring such a rough trail; the beauty of the mountains reveals itself up for the challenge!
Fallen Hollow
Next to the Striker Trail is the Fallen Hollow, which is one of the many steeper sections next to the trail. This hollow is a heavy overgrowth ravine full of sharp rocks, thick roots, and bushy vines. This area is unlit like the trail, so it’s where most of the wildlife hides out at night to get away from the visiting humans. The fallen trees in this ravine have their roots exposed, easily trapping those who aren’t careful.
The Camp Entrance
The Entrance to Camp Trinity is inviting, despite its old rustic charm. A large wooden sign with carved oak trees on the sides to hold the sight up. Underneath the sign is a gravel driveway leading to the parking site for the RVs and the campsite for those setting up tents. At the front of the entrance is a booth with a park ranger sitting inside, one of the few people working as staff.
Park Ranger Lookout
Looming over the campsite nearby is the Park Ranger Lookout. The old wooden frame was weathered to a faded auburn color from years of sunshine. The narrow stairs leading to the top of the tower are worn and busted, making the journey to the top a slow and croaky one. Once at the top of the tower, it’s clear that it's been empty for a while. Like the lookout was frozen in time, the clock inside stopped running, and dust covered everything. Notes from the previous ranger lay on the desk, untouched in years and curled at the edges. They discuss the missing camper reports from almost a decade ago, the ink smudged on the pages. A newspaper cut-out of an obituary for a John Doe who used to live in the forest a decade ago was also there.
The Dock
The Dock on Lake Silverwash is well-loved by all the families that visit. Thanks to the rustic fishing house at the end, which is free for all visiting families. The fence covering the dock is weathered but well-loved by decades of families visiting. The other side of the dock is unfenced for the families who wish to use it as a diving board into the lake. There is a metal ladder bolted to this side of the dock for easy access back to the Dock.
The Sog’s Cabin
500 feet from Camp Trinity, tucked behind large oak trees and moss, is a relic of a decaying family home. The weather-beaten walls are caving in on themselves, the structure barely able to hold itself up. Covered in creeping vines, the cabin is barely noticeable in the lush forest. However, the air around the cabin feels heavier than the rest of the forest. The rotten plants and the dead animal smell linger around this cabin. Even the wildlife stays away from this area, as the lively forest sounds are completely silent near this cabin. It’s almost suffocating, with the mixture of heavy, dense air and the silence. It’s a sinister warning from nature herself to stay away.
The Overhang
In the middle of the Striker Trail is a large striking rock overhang that looms over a small ravine. This overhang rises from the floor of the forest, as if coming straight from the crust of the earth. The viewpoint from the top is great to get an overall look at the nearby forest area. However, the rough and uneven surface is dangerous to stand on due to the slippery moss that clings to the stone. On the ground underneath the overhang, it’s like nature has decided to create a roof that defies gravity by holding itself up. Not quite a cave, due to not being fully surrounded by stone. However, animals and risky campers have curled up under the Overhang at night due to the unique sound bouncing off quantities.
Choices within Crimson Campsite
Based on each player's own experience, the Twine project opens up based on various factors. Such as, if you completely skip locations or ignore specific items, certain routes aren't open for you to continue/attempt. This allows each experience to be primarily choice focused, with the exception of specific NPC deaths. Not all NPCs are guaranteed to survive, or die, but it's up to the player to decide that.
A snippit in Twinery showing the choices possible for the player and how they interlink with each other.
Feedback and Future Plans
Based on recent playtests with an updated version of Crimson Campsite (2.0), players were able to explore more routes when it comes to the key NPC deaths. It was added to find Trinton's pick when exploring a route back to the Campsite to reveal what happened to him. It was also included to be able to avoid seeing specific death scenes in general, to avoid the details of the character deaths.
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However, this still feels a bit too streamlined so for 3.0, I plan to allow players to convince either Simon, Lexi, or Both to join Quincy's family in escaping instead of sacrificing themselves.
But with this route, introduces the originally planned Sanity Meter Mechanic. The player may be saving them physically but mentally they would be broken from realizing their family has been killed by the Sog. This will affect them accordingly, as Simon will become hostile and even betray the trio if his sanity convinces himself that it would save his family. Lexi's Sanity Meter mechanic could allow her to become paranoid as the trio explores their way back to the campsite, causing her to accidentally injure Quincy/Simon from being trigger happy out of fear for her life.
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When playtesters were asked about how they felt about the above plans for 3.0, they seemed really excited for the concept of having a new layer of complexity to the story. By ensuring they stay calm, despite their situation, can easily make the rather-dull walking scenes back to camp much more engaging.