Try it live Description
Lurk is a lightweight visual novel reader disguised as office collaboration software. It maps the storytelling devices of visual novels, such as narration, dialogue, inner monologue, investigation and timelines, onto familiar workplace tools: chats, documents, calendars and a knowledge base. Players enter the story as the protagonist, reading, talking and investigating inside what looks like an ordinary work interface, and slowly uncover the anomalies hidden behind everyday information.
The demo is based on the prologue of the classic visual novel Steins;Gate and offers a complete storyline to play through. It looks as if you are just working hard at your desk; in fact, line by line, you have quietly slipped into another world.
Even the achievements are in disguise. A group chat called "Error Reports" poses as system notifications: when you finish part of the story, complete an interaction or trigger a hidden event, there is no traditional achievement pop-up. Instead, the group pushes a system message announcing the unlock, and each achievement then becomes a 3D object you can view, collect and share.
It is a gift for anyone who wants to read a story or take a breather between tasks. Rest needs no explanation, the team says, and if you are going to sneak a break, you might as well do it gracefully. The project started from scratch during the hackathon; beforehand, the team had only discussed the concept and researched visual novel mechanics and feasibility. Steins;Gate material serves only as the story prototype and reference for the demo; the interface, interactions, visual design and 3D content were all designed and made by the team during the event.
How Tripo was used
In Lurk, Tripo makes achievements tangible. It is not just there to generate assets; it is part of the storytelling system.
- 3D achievements: each achievement is turned into a standalone 3D object with Tripo. "First Connection" becomes a communication device, "Private Records" a diary, "Worldline Shift" a time device.
- Triggered by the story: what players do in the story directly triggers the 3D content, so an achievement goes from a text label to an object you can view, collect and share.
- The full loop: the story, an achievement unlock, a push from the "Error Reports" group, a 3D achievement generated by Tripo, then collecting and sharing. Tripo is the link between visual novel storytelling and 3D creation.
