Not for Broadcast

Not For Broadcast combines elements of adventure and simulation games. The game was developed by the independent NotGames studio, and published by tinyBuild.

Plot

The action of Not For Broadcast takes place in an alternative, dystopian version of the eighties of the last century, in which social unrest is the order of the day, so the risk of revolution is very high. During the game, we play the role of a man working in a TV studio as a cleaner. As a result of an unexpected twist of events, he joins the National Nightly News team. From now on, it will be up to him to decide what message is to come out of the TV news and thus influence public opinion. It depends on the choices we make whether his TV station will submit to censorship or decide to publicise the (usually sad or at least controversial) truth.

Mechanics

In Not For Broadcast, we observe the action from the first person (FPP). During the game, we sit at the professional editing equipment that we maintain, using various switches, inserting cassettes into video recorders, and watching the effects of our actions on CRT screens. Everything related to the functioning of TV news rests on our shoulders. So, we are primarily engaged in the selection of topics, and also decide how they will be presented - we choose the content of tickers and camera shots, or decide on the censorship. We also have to spend some airtime on advertisements (which we choose ourselves), because the income from broadcasting them is an important source of financing.

Technical aspects

Two interesting features were implemented in Not For Broadcast. First of all, the interface function is performed by the objects on the protagonist's desk; in addition to the editorial equipment, there is also a telephone used to communicate with colleagues. Secondly, scenes from television were made in the form of FMV inserts.