by Adol The Red » Fri Jun 29, 2012 11:56 pm
Continued from above post (five freak'n pages long in word...)
Of course, when you start you'd know none of that. You just wake up in a dilapated looking prison. So far my name for the game is just "Prisoner." I like it because it could refer to you or The Monster. Not sure about the first level. I read somewhere that a good idea in game creation is to save the first level for last so that you understand all of you mechanics and how to introduce them. Suffice it to say, you start out very weak, with a single jump and no way to even fight. This is where the seals come in. See, the seals on The Monster draw its powers away and lock them into other seals spread throughout the prison. This keeps it all together, keeping The Monster's powers sealed, and sort of keeping the prison weighing down on it. So, once again, The Monster's own power is keeping it sealed in. Anyway, one downside to the prison is that anyone can interact with the seals, and the first one would probably let you use an attack ability and access the store (still not sure exactly how the store will work). Anyway, there are usually guardians guarding the seals, which would be at the end of each level, hence your bosses and your progression, because as a prisoner in the prison, you can unlock and absorb the seals, essentially gaining bits and pieces of the monster's power. So there's your double jump and and stuff (and a few other things too be mentioned at the end of this).
So mostly you'd go through levels, beat the bosses, get the seals, and get stronger, following the path of the teleportaion net back to the entrance (one a seal is borken you can use the net to travel back to previous levels to grind and such or get things you missed, and you can jump back to where your were in the game whenever). Except The Monster is hunting you, and you don't want to let it catch you. Well, every now and again it will jump pretty much out of nowhere, be terrifying, and try to catch you, which leads to some run like hell sequences. It's hard for me to describe the monster. In its small form its sort of has a bulbous upper body over a scrawny midsection and long legs and arms with claw like fingers. Its head is tiny, sort of tall and narrow, ball shapped on top and pointy on the bottom, and is on the front of its body. And it has six tiny wings that can't do anything. Also, it has glowing rings floating around it that represent the seals. It kind of looks like a shadow for starters, and is maybe eight feet tall. (I imagine the first angel they fight in Evangelian when I picture this thing, at least as a starting point.) So it pops up, and you run. And it'll be like that for a while, without warning. You'll notice each time that it's getting bigger, and changing, and looking more intimidating. Well, you are unlocking the seals that keep its powers locked away, so it is getting stronger. However, you are also gaining these powers, so there will be times when you actually stand enough of a chance to fight it off. So sometimes you run, and sometimes you fight. Either way, you keep going through, trying to escape. Of course, that you're also releasing The Monster is one of the more interesting moral tidbits (though huge guess on who the end boss is). Now, there are other people in the prison, but you will only rarely run into them, and there is a secret about them that I do not want to give away. There are also the Wardens. They know what you're doing, and want to stop you. Though I like the idea of one Warden deciding to help you if you think you can kill The Monster with its own powers (of course, then you have all those powers now dont you? With The Monster dead and you crazy strong... Well, that's one thing that would make for a good question and the end now isn't it?). As far as the time nexus thing after beating it the first time, the point is that the prison would be collapsing after you fight the monster, and you have to escape metroid stlye. Of course, there's no telling if it's dead or not, but the prison will be gone. So I'd give you a save and let you chose to leave the prison now and oh well if the monster survived, or reset things a bit, have you unlock the last of the seals, and go for a true final showdown (which of course you might still lose and release the monster at full power). Your decsion.
I've imagined both final bossfights, and both are freaking crazy, but in a game like this they should be. Anyway, there's the concrete stuff. Now for other things. For one, it's a long game. It has a lot of variety. I like the idea of have a level or two where maybe you pilot a mech, or things like that. Also, there are a lot of seals. I'd have to releagate some of them to just giving you strength boosts, but I like adding all sorts of new powers and abilities, but some of them just might not be workable. For one, I was thinking of adding a grab attack for some enemies, which you normally fight off. Pretty much they would trap you and attack, and you'd defend their hits based on a collapsing inticator, and fight when you got the chance. Or something. Not worked out. Well, one seal might give you a flawless defense ability that either auto guards or greatly increases the zone for hitting the button on the collapsing indicator. After a string of successful guards, you would autobreak the grab and do huge damage to the enemy. Cue fight the Monster with this seal released, and maybe it thows you in the air and does some crazy flying back and forth thing. Again, you guard its hits, then blast out of its hold and knock it to the ground. I also have an idea for chaining jump attacks. Essentially, get the flying seal and the lock on seal unlocked, and when you jump, if you're close enough, and icon appears over an enemy. Hit the close range attack button (as indicated) and you'll fly at them. If there is another enemy, you'll auto lockon after bouncing off and killing the first, and can start chaining them. I like this alos as an alternate means of travel up the side of a cliff or something. I also had another idea for this in a boss fight with The Monster, probably the first end boss one. It flies way up and starts shooting a bunch of energy balls at you or whatever. Projectiles, while also releasing smaller enemies. Now, you can get up to it conventionally with climbing and jumping while dodgeing the shots, or you can be a badass and rapidly chain linked flying hits on the weaker enemeis that would lead you up to the Monster's face, which of course would be the last in the chain and let you kick it. For this to work, the projectiles would either have to be set in a pattern that is avoidable, or chain linking your flying attacks would have to make you temporarily immune to projectiles. I like this one because it keeps your options open, but lets you look awesome. And to be clear, even though you're gaining its powers, you don't have anywhere near the strength of the monster. So while it can fly as much as you want, your flying would give you maybe an extended jump or a glide. Though I may have some sequence you can fly through (you know, in the other dimension where I'm making this and not just thinking about it). Anyway, the point is I need unique ideas for what the seals can unlock, and I lock still getting new powers throughout the game. It would keep things fresh.
The final note is on music. For most levels I imagine some simple, sort of grity songs with a kind of dark or ...metallic quality to them. Sorry, it's tough to describe. I don't mean like metal, just... Bluh. Anyway, semi creepy stuff that gives you a trudging feeling. Take this song from Ar Tonelico III, , as a good basis for the sort of thing I mean. A starting point, anyway. Now, for chases I want something crazy and scary. For bosses I like build up. Regular bosses would have cool music. For boss fights against the monster I want really cool, hard, heavy or fast paced metal, or something like it. Just really heavy, crazy stuff that accentuates how awesome and crazy it is that you're actually standing up to this thing. If they're not all unique, then at least a special song for the first time you fight it and of course for the end boss battles. I'm not sure about the Wardens. Maybe something kind of sad sounding. I doubt they like their job, but the monster is so dangerous, and I don't want to give too much indication of the moral standing of your character. Obviously the choice to escape comes with some costs, and its all kind of gray. And I don't intend to cover whether or not you actually deserved to be thrown away as a sacrifice or not.
Anyway, that was me being concise. Good lord.
Epic , brah!
