How NightShift was designed

NightShift was built as a browser-first fiction prototype with a serious tone, fast loops, and clear ethical framing.

Core design goals

• Short-session tension: five calls, escalating atmosphere, minimal friction.
• Legible choices: the player always decides two things only: priority and team.
• Mobile-first readability: single-column layouts, large controls, restrained copy blocks.
• Accessible pacing: no twitch input, no hidden timer, feedback after each choice.
• Ethical clarity: strong disclaimer separating play from public-safety guidance.

Scoring model

The scoring model combines accuracy, urgency discipline, and small combo bonuses. Exact matches earn the strongest reward, near misses earn partial credit, and repeated overreaction or underreaction changes the final dispatch style summary.

Deterministic QA choice

The current build uses a stable scenario order keyed to a visible seed value, NIGHTSHIFT-01. That keeps test runs reproducible without cluttering the interface with visible debug controls.

Portfolio fit

This project intentionally breaks away from the recent run of checkers, explainers, and compliance utilities. It adds a real game with a judgment-first mechanic, clearly different from the arcade feel of RetroQuest and the audio-guess loop of Blindframe.