Worldbuilding & Narrative Reflections for Old & Gray

It's 2025 and we're back with another Old & Gray update — this time, some behind-the-scenes lore and reflections from our lead narrative designer, Miri! ✍️

Overview of Development

• Game Structure Development + Pitch
• Game Pillars + Team Alignment
• Worldbuilding, Tone, Level Descriptions
• Narrative Game Play Loop Development + Alignment with Game Design
• Team Collaboration (throughout entire process)
• Defining Narrative Moments: Story Arc, Interactables, Memories
• Scripting

Some of the highlights I’ve experienced throughout this process are described below.

1. Exploring Grief

Grief was a theme we felt aligned on as we moved from the game jam version into a full game. It was my goal and pleasure to be able to share something I learned from my own experience with grief after losing a grandparent earlier this year: that joy can coexist within grief, and it is not something to feel guilty about. This notion of grief as an experience rather than a feeling is something that feels true to many in the queer community as well. In recent news with the loss of so many of our trans and queer siblings, grief is something that our community faces constantly. What I love about being queer and having this community of support is the joy and love that continue to exist and be our source of resistance.

Internal description of player experience:

“Old and Gray explores grief as an experience, rather than a feeling. Together we lean into the complex contrast of life’s enchanting dance: the realization of grief and joy existing as one.”

2. Worldbuilding

My favourite job within Narrative Design is worldbuilding, but most worldbuilding work is used as an internal tool and is rarely presented to the player. Because of the nature of our studio and the effort to work collaboratively as much as possible it has been my pleasure to document and add to the ideas from across the team, helping to create a cohesive world that feels lived in. I personally love doing this work and having the documentation to support it because it helps me to make decisions for the characters: what choices they might make, what they might experience based on the type of life they’ve lived up until we meet them in our story. For Old + Gray I thought about the town that Lloyd lives in, who his neighbours are, what the weather is like and how that can affect someone of his age, what influences the types of things he has in his home, and how his environment might dictate the kind of life he lives now. One of the game pillars we landed on as a team is “a simple familiar pleasure”. I worked toward imagining a world with less. I thought about the things that I believe are important in smaller, remote communities and how to prioritize simplicity and wholeness rather than material.

Town Description

Snailville is a small, rugged town in the mountains of the Pacific Northwest. After the installation of a nearby freeway, the road to Snailville is much less travelled. Still, this small town continues to attract a diverse group of people looking for a slow, simple lifestyle. The lush environment and rich life giving energy foster a strong sense of community and harmony. Neighbours share their harvested crops, their skills, their time, and their energy with one other. This community and its land remain abundant because of generosity and ability to share.

Bonus Content

Streets in Snailville: Sunflower Hill, Lilac Landing, Peony Lane, Sweet Pea Court

3. Lloyd’s Memories

An exciting part of this project I have developed is the integration of Lloyd’s past through showcasing memories he has with his late husband Monty. I truly believe it is a privilege to grow old and to have gained so many experiences along the way. One of the ways I thought to balance joy and grief was through the pillar of “Heartache, but in a good way”. I wanted to be able to show meaningful and happy moments in Lloyd’s life, a reflection that would allow the character a way forward in the difficult times. Throughout this work I felt inspired by the game “What Remains of Edith Finch” and their unique ability to tell mini stories in creative ways. Although it will look a lot different, I do hope to maintain an element of intrigue and surprise to the players, allowing them a satisfying reward after completing a mini-game.

From Lloyd’s Autumn Memory (a letter he received from Monty while they were apart in the first year of their relationship)

“We’ve waited a long and difficult year to finally be together again. But just like when we parted ways that day, all moments end. ... Let’s allow the falling of the leaves to remind us of our fleeting moments in this life, to allow us a moment of togetherness for however long is possible, and to allow us to look forward to when the leaves grow once again."  — Monty xx