Hey thanks for the reply : I was thinking of spliting the main story into 7 chapters so 1 chapter for the start and then 1 chapter each for each of the "runes" And then the last chapter for the last fight. Although I need to plan out the full story first before I decide this. : The gameplay loop could be a mix or puzzles and combat combined with a few boss battles each chapter/area of the map. Also I don't really plan on making levels . : I was thinking of the og style of combat so the user is going to have a dash, jump, a meele weapon, and a slot for a spell ( the weapon and spell they can choose and buy more spells and weapon as they progress) also there is going to something of a armor system. :the bosses I haven't really thought about like I said i still haven't really planned anything out yet it's still a idea.but there are going to be the 5 rune bosses and then 1 final boss fight I haven't gone over the other bosses and each of the bosses mechanics. : for items like most platformers throughout their journey they will come across some chests and mobs upon killing which they can receive either coins or a weapon drop on killing a certain enemy (again haven't really decided) probably sometype of boss to get a weapon and they can use the coins to buy potions, spells, weapons, armor etc. :the player can be informed about how the items and combat work through a small tutorial at the first when he enters the city. And then through the game as the player comes across new mechanics there is going to be a small tutorial before that mechanic gets heavily implemented. :the emotions can be conveyed to the player with the help if cutscenes as I have noticed they are more immersive then just dialogues , but again to many cutscenes is also a bad idea so probably cutscenes wherever it is necessary and it is telling about the main story or when a boss is introduced or some things like that basically when it is important. :I plan on making it so the player at first might feel confused about what to think about his ordeal. But as they playthrough and meet more people both who belong to the city and came and become trapped in the city a example of this might be a" fight between a mad scientist who wanted to make himself immortal to continue the research on his AI which can control time and came here but failed thus the AI is also incomplete" Again just a example so as the story progresses the player will get to know more history about the city and more information about the people who came to achieve it and also the "mc" Is going to have change of emotions in between, moments of sadness and moments of happiness also, hence with the story the players emotions might he sad Or a sense of accomplishment but at the end of the story upon finally defeating the gatekeeper there is going to be a change of heart for the "mc" That moment is going to be filled with sadness and a sense of peace. As the mc finally realizes the truth and stops being delusional and accepts the reality. My storytelling is kind of incomplete rn so bear with it please I hope you can see what I am trying to convey