Orfanato Nossa Senhora das Dores

Status: 80% Complete 🎯 Format: Hybrid (physical box + companion app) Players: 1-4 (cooperative) Duration: 2-3 hours Language: Portuguese

The Concept

Three nuns are found dead at 03:33 AM—each killed in a different way, in different locations, at the exact same moment. As investigators, players must piece together impossible evidence that defies logic.

The deeper they dig, the darker the truth becomes: these weren’t innocent victims. The orphanage hides decades of child abuse, and the killers… aren’t human.

Core tension: All evidence is physically impossible. No single person could have done this. The solution requires accepting the supernatural.

What Makes This Different

Hybrid Physical + Digital

• Physical: A box with locked compartments, documents, photographs, evidence to pin on a cork board with red string (detective style)
• Digital: Companion app with videos, historical records, and the darkest secrets

Self-Running

No game master needed. The game guides itself through locked phases—each unlock reveals new evidence and deeper horror.

Deduction Over Discovery

Players aren’t told “it was ghosts.” They must deduce the supernatural through logical elimination of all human possibilities.

Game Structure

THE BOX
│
├─ Setup Layer (open)
│  └─ Cork board, pins, string, floor plan, QR to start
│
├─ INTRO VIDEO → Question → Unlock Phase 1
│
├─ Phase 1: CRIME SCENE (locked)
│  └─ Autopsies, scene photos, impossibilities emerge
│
├─ Phase 2: TESTIMONIES (locked)
│  └─ Witnesses, contradictions, first hints of abuse
│
├─ Phase 3: THE PAST (app)
│  └─ Historical records, the dead children, the truth
│
├─ Phase 4: FINAL EVIDENCE (locked)
│  └─ Everything connects, solution becomes clear
│
└─ CONCLUSION VIDEO

The Story (No Spoilers)

An isolated Portuguese orphanage with an impeccable reputation. Three devoted nuns found brutally murdered. Impossible evidence. Terrified orphans who won’t talk about what happens after 21:00.

And three children who died in “accidents” over the years—children whose belongings keep appearing at the crime scenes.

Development Approach

This is my second Artefactum game, but the first with:

• Hybrid format (previous was pure roleplay)
• Escape room mechanics (locks, codes, phases)
• App integration (companion digital experience)
• Darker tone (horror vs period drama)

AI Integration

Using AI throughout development for:

• Narrative consistency checking
• Document generation (testimonies, reports)
• Puzzle design validation
• Potentially: in-game AI features (hints, atmosphere)

Current Progress

CONCEITO     ████████████████████ 100%
NARRATIVA    ████████████████████ 100%
PERSONAGENS  ████████████████████ 100% (22 fichas!)
ESTRUTURA    ████████████████████ 100%
DOCS INGAME  ████████░░░░░░░░░░░░ 40%
TESTEMUNHOS  ███████████░░░░░░░░░ 55%

Major Milestone: 5-Act Structure Complete

The game now follows a LucasArts-inspired puzzle dependency methodology—each document exists to unlock something. No filler.

Design Philosophy: “The player is a DETECTIVE, not a spectator. Emotion comes from DISCOVERING, not being TOLD.”

Done ✅

Concept & Narrative:

• Complete Narrative Bible
• VERSÃO_CANÓNICA.md - Single source of truth
• 5-Act structure with minute-by-minute player experience

Characters (22 total):

• 4 living nuns (including Madre Superiora Francisca)
• 3 murdered nuns (Conceição, Beatriz, Carmo)
• 3 ghost children (João 1973, Sofia 1987, Miguel 2008)
• 4 staff members (Manuel, Rosa, Padre Henrique, Dr. António)
• 5 adult survivors (Carla, Tomás, Inês, Rui, Vera)
• 3 current orphans (Lucas 17, Ana 15, Matilde 12)

Game Structure:

• 5-Act blueprint with emotional arc mapped
• Puzzle system: 0333 → MIGUEL → 2008 → 1960
• 6 essential testimonies identified (from original 11)
• ~19 pages of core documents designed

Act 1: The Crime - PRODUCTION READY:

• Police report (Typst format, authentic visual design)
• 3 autopsies with impossible deaths (Typst format)
• Dr. António testimony
• Production guide created

Act 2: The Suspicions - COMPLETE:

• Rosa testimony (reveals abuse)
• Ana testimony (sees ghosts)
• Matilde testimony (witnessed death)
• Helena testimony (MIGUEL cipher)

Technical:

• GitHub repo: artefactum_games
• Real Sintra facts integrated (1982 flying stones phenomenon)
• Typst templates for authentic document production

In Progress 🚧

Act 2 support materials:

• 3 newspaper clippings (1973, 1987, 2008)
• Matilde’s 4 drawings
• Orphanage floor plan

Act 3: The Dead:

• Sofia’s letter (child voice)
• Miguel’s diary (3 entries)
• João’s death certificate
• Carla’s testimony ✅ (already written)

Next Steps

Technical Exploration: App-Controlled Locks

One of my goals with Artefactum games is to implement new tech in each project. For Orfanato, I’m exploring electronic locks controlled by the companion app.

The Challenge

How do you make a physical box that opens when the app says so?

Options Explored

*Web Bluetooth API not supported on iOS/Safari

Current Direction: ESP8266 + WebSocket

The most promising budget solution:

📱 Phone connects to "Orfanato-Box" WiFi
         │
         ▼ WebSocket
┌─────────────────────┐
│      ESP8266        │
│         │           │
│    ┌────┴────┐      │
│    │  RELAY  │      │
│    └────┬────┘      │
│         │           │
│    ┌────┴────┐      │
│    │SOLENOID │      │
│    │  LOCK   │      │
│    └─────────┘      │
└─────────────────────┘

Total cost: ~€15 for 3 electronic locks

Open Source Resources

Projects I’m studying:

• ArduinoProps - Escape room prop library
• Node-REDscape - Complete control system
• arduinoWebSockets - WebSocket library

Questions I’m Working Through

1. ESP8266 vs ESP32-C3? - €2 vs €3, Bluetooth worth the extra?
2. WiFi AP mode vs existing network? - Portability vs convenience
3. Battery life? - How many unlocks per charge?
4. Fallback for failures? - Manual override needed?

Shopping List (AliExpress)

- Wemos D1 Mini (ESP8266): €2
- 3x Solenoid Lock 12V: €9
- 4-channel Relay Module: €1.50
- Battery holder + wires: €2
Total: ~€15

Links

• Repository: github.com/marialu1/artefactum_games
• Key Documents:
  • ESTRUTURA_5_ACTOS.md - Game blueprint (START HERE)
  • VERSÃO_CANÓNICA.md - Single source of truth
  • GDD - Game Design Document
• Technical Docs:
  • Physical-Digital Connection Options
  • Electronic Locks Guide
  • Budget & Open Source Options

Development Log

Key Learnings

1. Less Documents = More Impact

Started with 11 testimonies, ended with 6 essential. The “LucasArts methodology” - every document must unlock something or advance understanding. No atmospheric filler.

Before: 11 testimonies + 16 characters = player gets lost After: 6 essential testimonies = player is invested

2. Canonical Source of Truth

After finding inconsistencies between autopsies and character sheets, created VERSÃO_CANÓNICA.md. Now every change goes through one document first.

Ghost-Victim relationships (corrected):

• Miguel → killed Conceição (impacts)
• João → killed Beatriz (internal burns)
• Sofia → killed Carmo (drowned in bucket)

3. Emotional Arc Design

Mapped minute-by-minute player experience:

Act 1: Curiosity → Confusion → Intrigue
Act 2: Discomfort → Horror → Determination
Act 3: Empathy → Sadness → Rage
Act 4: Understanding → Ambivalence → Acceptance
Act 5: Reverence → Peace → Satisfaction

4. Typst > LaTeX for Game Docs

Switched from LaTeX to Typst for document production. Faster compilation, easier syntax, beautiful authentic-looking police reports and autopsies.

5. AI as Quality Control

Claude checks consistency across all documents. When autopsies said one thing and character sheets another, the system caught it.

Writing Process

This project is being developed through collaborative ping-pong with Claude. The AI handles:

• Narrative consistency checking across 22 characters
• Document generation (testimonies, reports)
• Puzzle logic validation
• Production planning

Read more about the process: Collaborative Storytelling with Claude: A Ping-Pong Method

This project is part of the Artefactum Mystery Crimes series.