The Idea

I'm not sure how many of you all have followed my devlog from the game jam, but if you have, then first and foremost, I thank you for following along! Winter Fever is a side story from a game that I have been working on since 2017 and there has been lots of up and downs. I would like to explain my thoughts on how I came about getting the idea for Winter Fever from the simple theme: Cold.

What comes to mind when you think of the word cold?

For many people, I'm sure the cold is associated with winter and snow. For me, it's seasonal depression.

Winter Fever is based on the mental health of seasonal depression. Those signs that everyone can see and the denial that you don't want to admit to or maybe you know it's there and you feel it lurking and you try so hard to make it go away, but it's leaking out. It's apparent and everyone knows it. You need help, but you don't want to ask for it because you feel ashamed, so you struggle with it in silence. That is what Winter Fever is about. At least that is the concept I am trying to go for. In the beginning, we see it as well as other instances. I don't want to spoil the game, so I'll let you read into it, but beware of italics is all I can say.

We don't see it as much in what is played so far, but names have meanings. For instance, Chanda in Khmer means Hope. Sofia means Wise, etc. Reaki means Light and Harim means Hope, so when combined, Reaki Harim means Hope's Light. 

 It's still a WIP, so it's not all done, but I have a clear end to it.