clintbellanger
commented
11 years ago Here goes. I figure it'll be good to open up discussion with the dev team, as we can refine each others' ideas until we end up with something truly worth releasing.
This is a discussion about the campaign we'll be creating for Flare 1.0. Essentially, once we release this full game the engine will also be considered version 1.0 and stable to use in other games.
Act I of the game consists of the events between the hero being exiled from the capitol city Empyrean and the hero unlocking the gateway to the Underworld (where later acts will take place).
Setting
Act I takes place in a mostly overworld area, on the surface some distance away from the floating sky city Empyrean. This Wilderness is a dangerous place, overrun with enemies and various types of evil. There are few human survivors in the Wilderness. Life expectancy is low. Superstition abounds, and something about the entire world outside of Empyrean feels weird, off, mysterious.
Themes
- Abandonment: the humans surviving in the Wilderness have left the city intentionally or been exiled from it for some sins. This makes it hard for any human to trust another human. Even still there are unspoken rules -- you don't attack other humans, you don't side with the demons.
- Regret: most NPCs, and even the hero, are carrying hidden regrets. Often due to past transgressions that have led them to be stuck here in the Wilderness. Because of the day-to-day survival required, and the ever-present chance of death, many people are plagued by the regret of never getting to see their life-long dreams fulfilled.
- Superstition: it's a magical world, but not every wild belief here is true. It's hard to tell if any one trinket actually has magical power or whether the owner merely hopes it does. Some believe that just believing in such things will grant them power. The game should feature seemingly-mundane items with great power.
- Hope: although the people of the Wilderness (and even of Empyrean) have many sayings related to Hope, it's actually a scarce feeling. People want to believe there is a future for humankind, and that there is some way to fight back against the Wilderness. People want to believe there is some way to redeem themselves, or to restore the city to its former glory.
NPCs
There are three primary NPCs for the overworld area. All of them are surviving together in the Wilderness.
We need to develop a thorough backstory for these characters. These backstories won't be revealed during the game, but they will help define how that character speaks and why they are helping the player. In later Acts it's planned that the hero can follow side quests to help these characters fight their own regrets and regain hope.
- Blacksmith - a small "asian" woman (temp portrait female07)
- Apothecary - a large "black" man (temp portrait male02)
- Soothsayer - a youngish pale woman (temp portrait female10)
We may use different portraits if the characters develop in a specific way, but we'll start here.
Act I Quest Chain
The main quest chain will help us define what maps are needed. We should think of how these quests can evolve into larger areas, how they should flow from and back to the main town, and what thematic enemies or treasures could be placed as part of these quests.
Book of the Names of the Dead
Near the main village there is a small chapel. Inside is a large book: the book of the Names of the Dead. It is a mysterious, unnerving place. If you stare long enough, a new human name will appear inside the book.
This isn't a quest, but the player should explore this area early on to get a feel for how strange this place is.
Blacksmith's Ore
The blacksmith requests a rare iron ore from a known abandoned mine. With this ore the smith can create Tier 4 items (Longsword, Plate Armor, Crest Shield and maybe more). Also the Blacksmith promises to use the ore to create a weapon that will let you overcome a great evil.
At the end of the mineshaft and cave area will be some kind of thematic boss. Maybe a zombie or antlion, at least as a placeholder.
Returning the ore will enable the above items in the Trade window. Also the smith will create a weapon. When it's done it will be a Sacrificial Blade -- not really what we expected, but it's promised that the use will come at the right time.
Apothecary's Gravebloom
The apothecary will have some weak health and mana restoration items for sale, but to craft full potions (would greatly help survival here) he needs Gravebloom. It only grows in certain conditions, and usually near the graves of significant people.
There is a known burial site of a great warrior. When the player reaches the tomb site they'll have to face the undead creature (likely a skeletal knight, but we can subvert that trope). Beyond this fight, the sarcophagus of this person is broken open by the growth of a gnarled tree. If underground, this special area has a small shaft of light shining onto this tree. It has no leaves, but a single dark Gravebloom flower on one of its branches. Plucking out a single petal is enough for the Apothecary to create what you all need.
Returning to the apothecary unlocks potions in his inventory. Also he gives you a Mysterious Vial. The use of this should be unclear or misleading.
Soothsayer's Beast
I'd like to theme this quest after the poem Jabberwocky, by naming the beast Jabberwock or Bandersnatch and naming the maps after terms from that poem.
Each night here it is hard to sleep because they all hear the screeching of a flying beast, a great black wyvern. To the Soothsayer this is an omen of death, and is robbing the crew of hope. She wants you to go and slay this beast. Return to her with a single black quill to prove you have killed it.
When you return the Soothsayer asks you to keep the Quill, and promises to reveal more to you soon.
The Great Evil
Once you have the Sacrificial Blade, the Mysterious Vial, and the Quill, the Soothsayer admits that she has ulterior motives. She knows these items are meant to defeat a great evil. Others have tried but did not have the courage to complete these quests.
She reveals the location of the "great evil" and cannot reveal specifics, except to say that you have the tools needed to defeat it.
Deep in this ancient temple there is some dramatic sealed door. Implied that it keeps a great evil locked in; actually it's keeping evil out. When you manage to open the door, there isn't a beast inside.
Instead it seems like a holy place. There is a large sacrificial altar. Behind it is a large statue with a long inscription around the base. The player can read a story about some long-forgotten hero who sacrified their life to defeat some great evil. This story should hint at what comes next, and explain what's expected of the character.
The player must now use the altar. Using the Sacrificial Blade on him/herself, the blade and vial disappear and are replaced with a Vial of Blood.
Side note: this part of the story may foretell some things that come later. The "hero" is a great evil, partially for the crimes that led to his/her exile from Empyrean. At this point the NPCs barely trust you, are surprised that you made it this far, and are somewhat relieved that you will probably never survive the Underworld (as opposed to continuing to be around and threatening their lives). Over the Acts you'll either (A) earn their trust and help them find hope, even passage home, or (B) embrace becoming that great evil.
The Gate to the Underworld
Returning to the Chapel, the player now uses the Vial of Blood and the Black Quill to write his/her own name in the Book of the Names of the Dead. This ritual allows the hero, still alive, to enter the Underworld. A mystic gateway on the back wall of the chapel. It is a gate to the Underworld -- the Afterlife (hell/hades) area of this setting.
This ends Act I. Act II begins when the hero crosses into the Underworld.
igorko
dorkster
Spoiler Alert - This entire thread will contain Spoilers