Hackero's Storytelling Engine

Hey all,

Hackero Next is moving forward! The first batch of keys is out, and the feedback on the hacking mechanics has been super helpful. Some players have found it tricky to figure out what the analyzers (described in the last post) are actually useful for, so I’m working on making things clearer and focusing them on a clearer usecase. The goal is to create an experience that’s fun and intuitive while still retaining complexity. And since its part of the core gamplay loop I'd like to continue working on this.

Deepening the Gameplay

While refining the core mechanics, I’ve also been working on a new system for missions. In hackero classic missions where easy and some missions where so easy that players would wait for them to appear to easily get money. For Hackero Next I would like missions to have more depth and also be more unique with their own NPCs and goals and twists. Since the majority of gamplay is textbased, Generative AI especially Large Languages Models might be able to provide valuable input there. This is where the the new system I experimented with comes into play. a AI Based Storytelling Engine. This system is designed to add more depth and variety to Hackero’s gameplay by creating unique missions. Along the way, this effort sparked a side project that grew into its own experiment: InfiniTales

How Did This Evolve?

I needed a quick and simple way to test different AI engines without dealing with too much setup or complexity. Hackero’s UI and mechanics, while powerful, wasn’t ideal for rapid experimentation. So, I created a lightweight environment where I could send in-game emails from the player to the AI and try out different ways to make stories engaging. I realized that others could interact with it in ways I hadn’t thought of, and that’s how InfiniTales was born. It’s based on the same engine as Hackero Next, but modified to focus more on storytelling. Despite these tweaks, both share the same core architecture.

Why Is the Engine So Similar?

The engine behind InfiniTales and Hackero Next is intentionally similar because it fits perfectly with Hackero’s gameplay style. In Hackero, NPCs communicate with players primarily through emails and messages, making text-based storytelling a natural and immersive choice. This shared system allows me to focus on building rich, interactive narratives where NPCs feel responsive and alive—whether they’re assigning missions or following up on past actions. The experiments in infinital.es directly inform and improve the development of Hackero Next, but it allows me to iterate faster, since its smaller and more compact.

What Is InfiniTales?

InfiniTales runs on the first version of the engine planned for Hackero Next. It’s an experiment in AI-driven storytelling that creates characters and storylines, then guides them toward a goal. Think of it as a sandbox where you can explore what AI-generated stories can do. You can check it out now at infinital.es. Everything learned here feeds right back into improving Hackero Next.

Current State and What’s Next

Right now, the stories in InfiniTales are pretty linear—they follow a set path from start to finish. But the plan is to make them much more flexible over time. The experiments goal are branching storylines and more ways for players to influence how things unfold. This will bring the vision of Hackero Next closer.

A Learning Experience

InfiniTales is designed as an experiment. It’s a way to learn more about what works (and what doesn’t) with this kind of storytelling. While it’s a separate project, every insight from it helps make Hackero better. Plus, it’s just fun to see what’s possible with AI-generated narratives!

Thats all for now!

Be sure to check out infinital.es, checkout the separate discord.

The next update will bring a deeper look at hackero-nexts mechanics and will talk about the changes in the hacking mechanics I'm currently working on.