World Building

[walterthearchitect]

Hey there! I'm excited with the ideas you and Tom have so far, and I'd be interested to help in any way I can. I'll do a little intro so you can see what I do.

I'm Walter (www.walterwoodsarch.com). I'm an Architect/Media Designer at NAGA Architects (www.naga.ae) here in Boston. We do mostly large new developments in Dubai and other areas of the Middle East. Various towers or large city master plans. I also do graphics and 3D visualizations for them, as well as print and web design. I designed their website (didn't build it, just did the graphic design). I went to SCAD in Savannah, Georgia for my Bachelors in Fine Arts and Masters in Architecture and Masters in Motion Media Design.

Anyway, enough of that. I think there's a lot of potential for the world ideas you guys are kicking around to be very vital and alive. As far as environment design for games, I draw inspiration from games that create a setting that reveals more about the characters, history, and politics than any cut scene ever could. Games, as an interactive medium, need to tell stories using those strengths. Standout examples of environmental storytelling for me would be the Bioshock, Half Life, Elder Scrolls, Portal, Fallout, Assassins Creed. Assassins Creed is actually a good example of how a game can make almost no change in 5 sequels except setting and still remain interesting (at least until you're bored of the fighting mechanics).

Some initial reactions to your ideas. I'm intrigued by the "ruined earth" idea. One of my favorite miniseries if "Life after People" (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6XDbcMND7fY) Hundreds of years in the future, only the most epic of human accomplishments will remain. Great opportunity for really unique city settings. Similar to Rivet City in Fallout 3. A ruined air craft carrier? So cool.

Another idea you mentioned is hidden resistance bases and such. There's a lot of opportunity to showcase the mental state of the resistance through their environment. Games like S.T.A.L.K.E.R. and Metro: Last Light do a great (though depressing) job of showing a people who have been suppressed. Pushed underground by their circumstances. Also, the under city level in Bioshock Infinite. We may want a bit of that misery and desperation, colored with hope. As far as environment design, these bases can showcase the ingenuity of their owners. There are lots of cool ways you can hide.

http://www.bubblews.com/assets/images/news/733972995_1379151866.jpg

This skyscraper uses reflective glass to be nearly invisible. What if one of the resistance bases, perhaps run by the intelligent aliens, was an invisible building or buildings, somehow hidden from the sensors of their oppressors? How cool would that be to discover?

What about literally hidden underground, but in the ruins of a great earth era excavation? This is a hotel proposal in an old quarry.

http://www.greenroofs.com/projects/songjiang_hotel/songjiang_hotel1.gif

And some quarry pics.

http://johnesimpson.com/images/rockofagesno15_quarryatvermont_edwardburtynsky.jpg

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-EYlrxktyaW8/UbsWSQ0M_0I/AAAAAAAAJ-o/HRAOHWOB1A8/s1600/Amazing+Earth+scars_2.jpg

There are also lots of examples of earthen structures (think: hobbit holes) that could be hidden from prying eyes.

http://www.crowcanyon.org/EducationProducts/pueblo_history_kids/images/pueblo_III_Cliff_Palace.jpg

This is starting to sound like a cool way to address different regions you could travel to. Each would have their own unique city/base designs based on the environment.

That doesn't even mention the established cities, run by the oppressors. The whole earth can't be a wreck. There has to be some nice cities that would be dangerous for a resistance member to go to, but perhaps necessary, incognito. Like Firefly's Capital City. We could showcase the poverty/slavery the oppression brings about, while the human betrayers and evil aliens live well. There are lots off good examples of wealth disparity that could be drawn on.

http://s3files.core77.com/blog/images/1407012470_38ba31db22.jpg

http://endtimeinfo.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/Gap-Between-R_jpg_600x345_crop-smart_upscale_q85.jpg

Anyway, this is wayyyyy too long, and I need to learn to hyper link on this site. Thoughts? I'm obviously excited about the possibilities. The challenge will be to focus down and do a few things well, before biting off more than we can chew. But obviously, this is very early, and certainly the time to dream big!

Thanks!

[walterthearchitect]

Found this which is super useful!

http://io9.com/7-deadly-sins-of-worldbuilding-998817537

[ruba1987]

@walterthearchitect Some really useful links here, thanks!

I really like that glass idea, @dakdaros what do you think about the initial resistance base that we have to use that technology (that they didn't have until the aliens came to help) to cloak it (until it's destroyed within the first 2hrs of gameplay)?

I hand't actually considered having many actual resistance bases but it would feel more real if we have them throughout the game. several might be a good idea and I like your thoughts on it. We could really work that into the story to give it a more in depth feel. As you travel along your journey to knock down the big guys you hear rumors in the some of the local towns (those that are complaisant with the aliens that are taking over) you hear these rumors and you go investigate because you need to gather a larger resistance to take the earth back... I would imagine that would take quite a few people.

I'm going to toss some thoughts into the story section of the wiki regarding this stuff.

@walterthearchitect thanks for the feedback and welcome aboard! If you have any skills in any areas that you think would be helpful to this project feel free to toss ideas out there either on the wiki or in here as feedback. If are trying to grab the code and contribute that way and need a hand just let me know and I will help you out.

[dakdaros]

I like the idea of many bases hidden thoughout the world, and definitely the invisible tower and I really like the idea of a massive city in huge quarry. I would like to see something like that as a massive hub, maybe some scary dark alleys where cutthroats seem to reside and a kick ass battle of some sort.

[walterthearchitect]

@dakdaros @ruba1987

Cool! The way I envisioned the word was similar to the way Knights of the Old Republic or Mass Effect did it. Large open areas on earth to travel to, with a new climate, characters, cities, and political situation.

I like the notion that the Venrok didn't kill everyone because they just didn't care. It's an arrogant colonialist vs the natives attitude that could be cool to explore as long as we don't go full on Avatar with it. I envision a world where people by and large have decided not to fight. They have accepted this life. In many cases, people were born under this oppression, and know nothing else. I think the main characters should have some special reason why they are more connected to the idea of freedom than the passive population.

As far as cities and bases go, I like the idea that you start in this badass base and go through the tutorial, only to lose it later on. Then, part of the game is using teamwork to build the resistance back up. Perhaps the ultimate goal for each area is to build a successful rebel base, which could take many forms. It would change based on the region. A new, clever, sneaky solution each time.

An invisible base aided by forging a new alliance with an alien race.

Perhaps the Venrok brought strange alien creatures with them to disrupt and terrorize the populace of earth. One got out of hand and dwells in a desert. A giant worm creature with a vast network of tunnels. Only after defeating a great colony of underground creatures and their burrowing queen can you inhabit their tunnels and use them as a base. It is a great hiding place because even the Venrok steer clear of this place.

Maybe one of the bases is in the trees of a mysterious forest that is discovered to disrupt Venrok sensors. Perhaps a strange tree people live in this forest. Humans far removed from civilization. Generations ago, they ran from the invasion and found solace in the Redwoods. Maybe you fight them for a time, or help them be free from some terrible problem. In exchange, they allow you their forest.

Anyway, all this should only be accomplished by completing a pretty large amount of tasks, not a just simple story arc. I think for a co-op game, you need that big carrot. Like in Minecraft, it's all about working together to build something amazing. This would not be as directly creative, but raiding supplies, recruiting vital people, freeing slaves to join you, setting up underground trade and smuggling routes could be the small tasks you need to accomplish to make the base work.

These areas (like the forest or the desert with the big creature) would just be one spot in a large traversable area. There would be other cites and towns as well, and players could travel backwards to old bases they have completed building for persistent quests any time they like, but upon completing the establishment of a new base, travel to a new area opens up.

Anyway, those are my ideas.

Thanks!

[walterthearchitect]

Another thought about the world:

Perhaps the release of the magic had some unforeseen consequences as far as animal and plant life go. This would allow us some more varied landscapes as well as strange magically affected beasts to battle. I wouldn't want these to be too cliche though. Maybe a bit more subtle. Maybe instead of the regular supersizing thing that games always do, we could do a thing where the small animals organize to create larger threats. This could be hard to model/texture/animate for sure, but as an initial idea maybe its a jumping off point, or at least something to think about:

Organized bird flocks that attack you in formations Giant termite colony Ant colonies of millions that can organize and morph into other shapes which fight you. Partially invisible wolf packs

[ruba1987]

@walterthearchitect lol, it's funny you mention this... I was just talking with @msalem09 about this today :-) I like the idea

[dakdaros]

I agree that we should do something completely different in terms of enemies. And I really like the idea of taking creatures that exist in our world already, and instead of just making them bigger and meaner, we make them slightly change and/or band together. I think some point in the near future we're going to have to come up with a file of enemy types and their descriptions. Along with a listing of NPCs that are important to and against our cause.

[ruba1987]

I wasn't thinking so much on truly changing them. I mean we are setting it back in 705 and basically adding magic. People aren't physically changing (or at least I don't think we were planning on changing them) so I don't think our animals should change physically. I was thinking that the magic caused them have magical powers or something.

Although, we do, eventually, need to come up with some creatures for the other races and the Venrok.