How to improve a bit the narrative story-telling of Hello Neighbor 2

[dapper hull]

Hello! This is a very big suggestion, so i should warn that there´s a lot of text to read, so let´s get started.

I love this franchise and it´s story, but for many player that are not very into it, they find it hard to understand what the game is exactly telling apart from the basic noticeable stuff in the cutscenes and the narrative level design. You can tell that since many people that review almost all of the HN Games, point out that there are no voices or something that tells you what´s happening (images 2 is an example of what people say about this case) . So here´s a few ideas for improving the narrative of the game so all people can understand better what´s happening.

1. Interactable NPC´S
   This seems like a crazy idea, but it could fit a lot in this game.

The game should have characters outside of the main ones (Gerda, the mayor, theodore... etc) that you can talk to, and they will give context of the story, some facts about past events or even not story related things. This would work with dialogue boxes, so we can keep the tradition of not having any voices (or you guys could change that if you wanted), while still giving context that casual players that are not very into HN Story and narrative game design can understand. As an example, i´m going to use Lego Fortnite´s Dialogue system (you can see it on image 3).

Outside of how and why this could help the game´s narrative, the design of this character could be new or used from other pieces of media of the franchise, like books, other games, the AS and scrapped designs. This could be just still characters or have a routine of just walking and maybe react to objects like normal ai´s do.

With all of this, the new players will get into the story and undertsand the context of what they are doing there and what they have to do.

2. More cutscenes
   Cutscenes could help a lot too, since players understand the context of the cutscenes very well as seen on reviews. Character introductions cutscenes could help

people know what the character´s goals, passions and secrets are. With an introductory cutscene for the mayor, casual players could know that the mayor loves boats and has a weird obsession with spying the citizens.

Outside of introductory cutscenes, we could have just more nightmares and base cutscenes, with the small petition to make more third person cutscenes, as players seem to understand them more. With 3rd person cutscenes there´s a great opportunity also to show quentin´s personality and how he reacts to the enviroment and the things that happen around him, along with his backstory with his lost sister, beatrix and his passion to be a investigative journalist to prevent people from suffering the same pain he suffered from the lost of her sister beatrix.

3. More interactable objects like the tapes, newspapers and photos.

The tapes, newspapers and photos were a step in the right direction. They are a fun sidequest, and just made players know context better.

Having this kind of objects could help a LOT to understanding the context of the story.

4. Improved narrative level design.

The narrative level design in the game it´s good as it is, but having more objects, scenarios... etc would help a lot to realize what´s happening in this weird town full of secrets and weird people. The upcoming ruined town is a perfect example of this, you know that something big happened there, and you´ll probably have to uncover what happened there.

5. More sidequests (tied to point almost all points)

Sidequest were a big feature promised around the first times of the games, and they were added back in patches 2, 6 and 9, which was a very good move since it can help a lot to understanding not very noticeable important story parts that are actually important but not told directly with the main story, or just the sidequest could have information about past events that are leading to what´s happening now or what could happen next
(this examples are mostly on patch 9, but we need more as it adds to the story core of the game and gameplay, as it having more to do outside of the main plot of the game is fun, and this could give achievements to induce players that not want to do this stuff to do it and also a reward for completing the sidequests)

That´s all i have to say, just wanted to say thanks to the people who read this and to the devs. Your guys work is amazing and since i love this game, i´ll do anything to help this game out so more people love it.

Bye,

• Ivan

i am sorry but i hate the idea of hn2 having npcs that you can talk to

Ok still the other points exist

ok other points are much better

[dapper hull]

This is not a "ADD ALL OF THIS INTO THE GAME" post, it´s just some ideas

have an upvote from me

thanks mr neib

[obtuse glen]

lego fortnite

[dapper hull]

(it´s an example)

[dapper hull]

Ok, small aportation to this.

6. The pinboard

The pinboard should be used for more than just showing the house and the resident, it should be used to something similar like in the beta, with clues, more images, and maybe newspaper bits.

[short iris]

Peak suggestion

[copper tartan]

This suggestion is PEAK

[calm shore]

[copper tartan]

In terms of the more cutscenes for act 1 point all I really want is a new police arrive cutscene it was such a cool cutscene and also maybe introduction cutscenes for the ais

[dapper hull]

ok

[copper tartan]

Time to revive this peak feedback post

[glossy parrot]

I hate this suggestion

Characters don't talk in game

And probaly never will

The only thing good about this is the idea of more cutscenes

But text boxes don't fit in hn

[fathom knoll]

interactable npcs i dont like the idea of but everything else is great

[flat dragon]

Yeah

[calm shore]

I agree.

[dapper hull]

My brother in christ there´s other 5 ideas

[glossy parrot]

I read those

Not a fan

[flat dragon]

Can you please explain why you dont like them?

[glossy parrot]

Aight

Gimme a moment

If there were text boxes in hn2 it would be odd

[flat dragon]

You talked about that already

[glossy parrot]

Yep

[flat dragon]

What about the other ideas

[glossy parrot]

Side quests don't feel right

Like

They are in game

And I like it

But we don't need it as a main feature

Like

Sidequest per patch is fine

More interactble items isn't a bad idea

But it shouldn't be littered around the map

Like the camera should be a object you can use