the Bonsai Diary
A downloadable solo journaling game
It's 2023, and you plant a small tree seedling, imagining its future.
Bonsai trees can live hundreds of years. Who will inherit this living being? What will that person think of you in 2178? Will they think of you at all?
The game prompts introspection, and if my experience is anything to go by, it will leave you pondering long after you’ve put down your pen. In an age of fast-paced digital distractions, this tactile, thoughtful experience is a sanctuary of sorts.
Use simple brush or pen strokes to shape your bonsai. On each page, you'll trace your previous bonsai and add one more stroke. Watch your bonsai grow bigger, page after page. Draw as impulsively or as meditatively as you want.
And ask: Who are you? What do you hope for the future?
Download
Install instructions
- You'll need to print this game on paper; drawing is the core activity.
- Print double-sided; choose "flip on the short side."
- Use 20lb or lighter paper (basically, paper thin enough that you can trace what's underneath - typical printing paper is usually fine)
- Staple where indicated.
- Start playing from the "back," with the stapled side on the right (Japanese / manga style).
Development log
- the Bonsai Diary: minor update (Sep)Sep 10, 2023
- the Bonsai Diary: minor updateJun 22, 2023
- The Bonsai Diary: meditative brushstrokesFeb 04, 2023
Comments
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Great game! I'm glad I got a chance to play it!
https://emilsgameroom.com/the-bonsai-diary-a-solo-journaling-game/
I truly love this drawing-journaling-meditation concept
Thanks for sharing, I love journaling games focused on drawing or doodling!
Thank you so, so much, Angela! Your comment means so much to me. If you get a chance to play it, I'd love any feedback. I know the instructions still need work.