Core Concept

"Lemonade Stand" is a narrative-driven VR game that subverts the classic business simulator genre. The player runs a local lemonade stand as a child or dog, but the true gameplay lies in observing and participating in the bizarre, funny, and sometimes sad episodic narratives of the customers who visit. The game blends resource management with storytelling and quirky, cause-and-effect mechanics.

Gameplay Systems

• Episodic Narrative: The main gameplay loop is centered around short, self-contained stories involving both random and repeat customers. The player's actions, such as what they sell or how they interact, affect the narrative flow of these episodes.

• Upgrades and Supplies: Players can use their earnings to upgrade the stand itself, buy more supplies, or acquire special, wacky ingredients like "alien lemons." These upgrades are tied to the progression of the game and can influence the types of customers who visit.

• Unique Currency and Economies: Different customer species use their own currencies, which are not interchangeable with standard money. These currencies can be used to buy things that are specific to their "side of the evolutionary chain," creating an interesting meta-economy.

• Reputation/Influence: The game includes a system where the player's choices affect the town. By giving certain customers specific drinks or advice, their subsequent actions in the town and their decisions can influence the surroundings and even the player's business.

Player Actions & Consequences

• Serving Customers: The primary action is serving a wide variety of customers, including humans, aliens, ducks, and frogs. Each customer has their own story and needs.

• Making Decisions: Players must decide how to handle different situations. For example, they can pay off ducks to scare away rowdy customers, or use "alien lemons" to cause customers to hallucinate, leading to unpredictable narrative outcomes.

• Bartender Role: The player acts as a "bartender," listening to customers' personal stories, whether they are "sob stories" or "heroic tales." This provides narrative content and gives the player a more intimate role than simply being a vendor.

• Stand Management: Players must make strategic decisions on when to close shop and when to stay open all night to catch new customers and progress certain storylines.

• Marketing: Improving signage is a key action to attract more customers and potentially block traffic with a long line, which could have its own consequences.

Narrative & Ending

• Episodic Content: The story unfolds through a series of episodes focused on customer interactions. Some stories are self-contained, while others follow the arcs of repeat customers.

• World Building: The narrative is built through the conversations and actions of customers, hinting at a much larger, bizarre world outside the stand. The player's influence on the town allows them to see the results of their actions in the world around them.

• Choices & Progression: The choice to stay open or close and the decisions made with special ingredients affect which storylines the player sees and how they progress.

Potential Design Notes

• VR Immersion: The use of VR would enhance the feeling of being a small character in a larger world. This could make interactions with tall customers more intimidating or humorous.

• Character Progression: The player character—whether a child, girl, or dog—could have their own growth arc based on the skills they learn, such as better listening, or the recipes they unlock.

• Unpredictable Outcomes: The game's strength lies in the unpredictable and often humorous consequences of the player's choices, making each playthrough feel fresh and unique.