Guilds & alliances
The Guild of Master Bakers and the Confectioner’s Circle carry traditions, recipe secrets, and rivalries that create side quests.
All projects01 / Narrative design
Mobile puzzle · World-building · Narrative prototype
Hamster Dash
A town built on pastries. A friendship built to last. A mobile puzzle narrative about rebuilding what matters.
My role: narrative designer
World-building, character development, narrative delivery, and opening dialogue. The opening acts form the current prototype; the climax and resolution are still in development.
01
The world
Sugerville is a town where culinary arts shape every livelihood, tradition, and relationship. When rat factions invade, they damage more than buildings: they fracture a community.
Henry and Charlie, hamster chefs and lifelong friends, return to rebuild the town one shop at a time. They start with Frosted Fantasies, the cake shop belonging to Charlie’s parents. New restoration requests arrive through letters, calls, and the local newspaper.
The wider narrative introduces betrayal, conflict, and the possibility of negotiation with the rats. Rebuilding a shop becomes a way of rebuilding trust.
A seasonal town
Chocolate Solstice and Harvest of Sweets change the town’s look and provide a setting for special events and challenges.
Recipes to discover
Rare ingredients such as Everfrost Sugar and Sunspark Cinnamon offer opportunities to unlock unusual recipes as the prototype develops.
02
Story in the loop
Players swipe a hamster across a grid to collect ingredients into a five-slot tray. Customer orders earn coins and bonus moves; matching ingredients provides rewards. Obstacles, mystery tiles, and power-ups add tactical decisions.
Gather ingredientsComplete ordersRestore a shopMeet the community
Coins fund a specific restoration rather than an abstract score. Every completed level contributes to a visible change in the world, making progress feel like an act of care.
03
A town that tells its story
Story arrives through objects and habits that belong to Sugerville. Each channel has a different emotional job.
Conversations & thought bubbles
Expressive portraits and short reactions establish voice and emotional stakes without interrupting play. Calls and texts carry relationships beyond the current scene.
Diaries
Private reflection meets a gameplay object: characters record difficult feelings alongside secret recipes.
Letters
Former classmates and tutors enter the story through correspondence, expanding the world beyond the town.
The Sugerville Gazette
Community journalism introduces shop owners and documents reconstruction, giving the player’s achievements a public life.
Bulletin boards & radio
Thank-you notes, requests for help, and ambient news make the community feel active even outside the main story.
Pop-up portraits
Characters mentioned in dialogue appear visually before they arrive, establishing a cast with a history.
04
Different minds. Same heart.
The mentor
Henry
Classically trained, precise, and fiercely competitive. His technical intelligence makes him an excellent teacher, but his unfiltered honesty tests his friendships. His arc: learning that being right and being helpful are different things.
The heart
Charlie
Intuitive, adaptable, and quietly capable. Raised in his parents’ confectionery, he reads a room as naturally as Henry reads a recipe. His emotional intelligence and good humour bridge the gaps in their partnership.
The supporting community includes Officer Grayson, Dr. Lucas, Miss Ella, builder Ethan Mason, librarian Oliver Hoot, and student Toby Finch. Returning customers become opportunities for small, recurring stories.
Character visual references from the prototype design document. Narrative and character briefs by Arezoo.
05
The first few words
The original opening scene from the narrative prototype, set in the ruins of Frosted Fantasies. It establishes the town’s crisis and the difference between Henry’s problem-solving and Charlie’s emotional connection.
Read the original dialogue
[Sound Effect of labored breaths]
Charlie“Mother! Father!”
Oliver“Charlie! You finally arrived! What a relief!”
The air is thick with tension as Charlie has rushed into the scene. His parents, Penelope and Oliver wear expressions of deep concern.
Charlie“We came as fast as we could when we got your message. I brought Henry with me too.”
Penelope“Good thinking, Charlie! We need all hands on deck now.”
Henry steps forward, his gaze sweeping over the damage (an overall look at the ruined shop).
Henry“Can someone tell me what exactly happened?”
Oliver“It’s the Rats. They attacked out of nowhere!”
Penelope“They’ve swarmed the bakeries, the confectionaries… everywhere. Every nook of our town.”
Penelope“It was a full-blown assault. They obliterated the supplies too. Sugerville is a complete mess.”
The revelation hits Charlie hard, his thoughts immediately turning to the family business and the community’s.
Charlie“Even our cake shop?”
Penelope“Afraid so. Frosted Fantasies wasn't spared.”
In the face of despair, Henry's unwavering resolve shines through, offering a glimmer of hope amidst the darkness.
Henry“Hey, cheer up everyone. This is not the end. We can fix this. C'mon Charlie, we are trained for this.”
Sparked by Henry's confidence, a newfound determination ignites within Charlie. His voice, filled with resolve, breaks the heavy silence.
Charlie“You’re right, buddy! We’ll fix this. Mom, Dad, you’ll be working in your shop again in no time.”
Henry“Let’s start! We’ll rebuild the town from scratch.”