Another DWRP Concept Draft ("Wanderlost")
Jan. 15th, 2026 10:19 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
grifstarAs you go about your day, you eventually encounter someone you have never seen before. For whatever reason, you decide to approach the stranger and listen to what he has to say. He tells you about a door that could possibly give you anything you could want, anything you are currently searching for. He will let you have this door if you accept his offer. You inevitably agree, reluctantly or otherwise. To which the Stranger kindly smiles and lets you pass through.
"Don't get Lost."
➤ "Wanderlost" (codename for the time being) is currently intended to be a sandbox-y general fantasy game, with an emphasis on memory, escapism, and desires.
◇ Tackling the positive and negative aspects of all three more specifically.
◇ Ideally want to have a mix of light and darker tones, but also do not recommend to anyone uncomfortable with even the slightest psychological/existential mind fuckery. (Not necessary horror, or any cw topics, but certainly characters occasionally questioning themselves or seeing imaginary things)
◇ Approximately PG-13 rating.
➤ Once the character accepts the Stranger's offer, they can use the door to enter a fictional world and seek out something they treasure/want the most. Whether it is a physical object or something else.
◇ Supposedly if they can find it, they can take it back with them to the real world.
◇ If they can't find it, and get too overwhelmed by the world itself, they might loose their attachment to reality and become one of the Lost.
➤ Characters are freely able to move between the fictional world and their own as much as they like.
Doors(Anchors):
➤ Doors symbolize a character still having a connection to the outside and being aware of who they are. It is the character's lifeline back to reality no matter how deep into the world they go.
◇ There probably is some actual linking involved too. Like a metaphysical rope or chain that they can't see or feel, but keeps them going too far.
➤ While Anchors are just mundane looking doors in the real world, on the inside they can be anything that best represents the character.
➤ Characters cannot use other characters' Anchors.
➤ It is possible for a character to shift their Anchor's current location, if they just concentrate hard enough. Just in case the spot they first appeared in ends up occupied later on.
The Lost:
➤ More or less the game's central threat. The Lost are faceless, shadowy remnants of people who have lost (pun intended and not) their Anchor to the real world.
➤ Once someone becomes Lost there isn't anything left to save them.
➤ Probably aren't hostile, but they are unsettling to come across.
◇ Usually cling to less populated areas.
➤ Characters are always at risk at becoming Lost themselves, but it is almost purely narratively (there isn't going to be memory loss mechanics).
◇ Pretty much so long as they can still clearly remember their world, taking regular trips back if needed, or not falling for any other temptations then they should stay relatively safe. Or reverse the affects quickly if starts to slip.
The Stranger:
➤ Just a perfectly normal, not suspicious npc. Don't worry about it.
➤ Seems to be neither good or evil. Or at least, probably not evil.
➤ His appearance is inconsistent. Everyone sees him as something differently that matches their world's setting.
◇ Usually though it is some variation of the old gentlemanly type (cane, top hat, etc.)
◇ Sometimes, though more rarely, he looks like someone the character has seen before but cannot remember.
➤ Will likely show up again. (After all, it's still unclear what he's gaining out of all of this)
The World: (Mainly notes for self)
➤ Still very underdeveloped at the moment. But the mental moodboard currently seems to be:
◇ Classic grim fairytales
◇ Wonderland, Neverland, Oz, and other classic non-anime "isekai" stories
◇ Deltarune's Dark Worlds
◇ Kingdom Hearts' Traverse Town and Castle Oblivion (also a reoccurring theme of worlds and doors)
◇ Persona (Not a specific one in particular)
◇ Madoka Magica
Meta Details:
➤ Keeping mostly the same things as the previous game concept I had been working on years ago.
◇ Restricted player applications. I guess private is the closest thing to call it, but there is no invite code and is more based on what player personalities fit best.
◇ Soft caps on character limit.
◇ AC is 10-15 'account wide' tags, for a more casual alt-friendly experience.
"Don't get Lost."
➤ "Wanderlost" (codename for the time being) is currently intended to be a sandbox-y general fantasy game, with an emphasis on memory, escapism, and desires.
◇ Tackling the positive and negative aspects of all three more specifically.
◇ Ideally want to have a mix of light and darker tones, but also do not recommend to anyone uncomfortable with even the slightest psychological/existential mind fuckery. (Not necessary horror, or any cw topics, but certainly characters occasionally questioning themselves or seeing imaginary things)
◇ Approximately PG-13 rating.
➤ Once the character accepts the Stranger's offer, they can use the door to enter a fictional world and seek out something they treasure/want the most. Whether it is a physical object or something else.
◇ Supposedly if they can find it, they can take it back with them to the real world.
◇ If they can't find it, and get too overwhelmed by the world itself, they might loose their attachment to reality and become one of the Lost.
➤ Characters are freely able to move between the fictional world and their own as much as they like.
Doors(Anchors):
➤ Doors symbolize a character still having a connection to the outside and being aware of who they are. It is the character's lifeline back to reality no matter how deep into the world they go.
◇ There probably is some actual linking involved too. Like a metaphysical rope or chain that they can't see or feel, but keeps them going too far.
➤ While Anchors are just mundane looking doors in the real world, on the inside they can be anything that best represents the character.
➤ Characters cannot use other characters' Anchors.
➤ It is possible for a character to shift their Anchor's current location, if they just concentrate hard enough. Just in case the spot they first appeared in ends up occupied later on.
The Lost:
➤ More or less the game's central threat. The Lost are faceless, shadowy remnants of people who have lost (pun intended and not) their Anchor to the real world.
➤ Once someone becomes Lost there isn't anything left to save them.
➤ Probably aren't hostile, but they are unsettling to come across.
◇ Usually cling to less populated areas.
➤ Characters are always at risk at becoming Lost themselves, but it is almost purely narratively (there isn't going to be memory loss mechanics).
◇ Pretty much so long as they can still clearly remember their world, taking regular trips back if needed, or not falling for any other temptations then they should stay relatively safe. Or reverse the affects quickly if starts to slip.
The Stranger:
➤ Just a perfectly normal, not suspicious npc. Don't worry about it.
➤ Seems to be neither good or evil. Or at least, probably not evil.
➤ His appearance is inconsistent. Everyone sees him as something differently that matches their world's setting.
◇ Usually though it is some variation of the old gentlemanly type (cane, top hat, etc.)
◇ Sometimes, though more rarely, he looks like someone the character has seen before but cannot remember.
➤ Will likely show up again. (After all, it's still unclear what he's gaining out of all of this)
The World: (Mainly notes for self)
➤ Still very underdeveloped at the moment. But the mental moodboard currently seems to be:
◇ Classic grim fairytales
◇ Wonderland, Neverland, Oz, and other classic non-anime "isekai" stories
◇ Deltarune's Dark Worlds
◇ Kingdom Hearts' Traverse Town and Castle Oblivion (also a reoccurring theme of worlds and doors)
◇ Persona (Not a specific one in particular)
◇ Madoka Magica
Meta Details:
➤ Keeping mostly the same things as the previous game concept I had been working on years ago.
◇ Restricted player applications. I guess private is the closest thing to call it, but there is no invite code and is more based on what player personalities fit best.
◇ Soft caps on character limit.
◇ AC is 10-15 'account wide' tags, for a more casual alt-friendly experience.
