Author Topic: Prologue Level Idea  (Read 2543 times)

Offline Pepisolo

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Prologue Level Idea
« on: December 21, 2012, 07:32:35 pm »
Hi fellow AVWWers

I had an idea for the game which I wanted to run up the flagpole.  Any comments gratefully received.

I was thinking about the opening narrative, and I like the background story of the player character. You are a henchman of Demonaica, secretly undercover as a member of the resistance, waiting for your moment to strike and lead an uprising using the power of the Oblivion Crystal. Nice! I like it -- however, the current way in which this story is presented seems to me a little uninspired.  You get one big exposition dump on the title screen, a quick word with Demonaica, and a few bits of text from the survivors you first meet and that's it. It's all over in a flash and it doesn't really have much weight to it. 

Here's my suggestion for a way to provide the player with a more engaging introduction which would simultaneously also function as a helpful tutorial.

Basically, you design a simple prologue level (much like the Richter one in CSOTN) depicting the events of the mission that Demonaica had you undertake in order to prove your worthiness to receive the Oblivion Crystal -- ideally without the player knowing your character's true resistance nature in order to provide an interesting story twist later on. Throughout this prologue as much of the backstory would be revealed as possible: the five henchmen, the power of the Oblivion Crystals, the existence of the resistance, the corruption plaguing the land etcetera.  Mixed in would also be as many tutorial hints as you could discreetly get away with.  This seems like it would be a much more compelling way to present the background story to the player than is currently implemented.

Now, in practical terms, how feasible is this to actually create? Well, only the developers fully know the answer to that, but it seems to me that all the assets required are currently present in the game. There would need to be a series of custom slices, with henchmen and survivor characters driving the narrative, the dialogue engine is already in place, and the only real thing needed is a suitable climax, possibly culminating in the assassination of one of the resistance leaders. Technically, I don't see this being completely impractical, although it would require great level design and some compelling dialogue.

This might be a little out of the scope of what the developers currently have planned, but I think it's a solid idea and worth airing.

That's about it actually, thanks for reading!
« Last Edit: December 21, 2012, 07:34:41 pm by Pepisolo »

Offline MouldyK

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Re: Prologue Level Idea
« Reply #1 on: December 21, 2012, 08:02:21 pm »
I will only approve of this Prologue if the Resistance Leader asks "What is a Man?" at any point before the battle...or mentions that they are a "Miserable pile of secrets".

Offline madcow

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Re: Prologue Level Idea
« Reply #2 on: December 21, 2012, 08:05:01 pm »
I wouldn't mind a prologue level which was the last task demonica gives you before giving you the oblivion crystal. Not anything prolonged, but as it is the beginning is a little jarring.

That said, IF valley does well enough to get an expansion later - I would love a full on prologue campaign as an expansion.

Offline LaughingThesaurus

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Re: Prologue Level Idea
« Reply #3 on: December 21, 2012, 08:27:05 pm »
I wouldn't mind a prologue level which was the last task demonica gives you before giving you the oblivion crystal. Not anything prolonged, but as it is the beginning is a little jarring.

That said, IF valley does well enough to get an expansion later - I would love a full on prologue campaign as an expansion.
I want to play as Demonaica and crush the resistance.

Offline madcow

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Re: Prologue Level Idea
« Reply #4 on: December 21, 2012, 08:42:22 pm »
Considering how small the resistance is and how pissed people are at you (walk through a region with a recruitable survivor, you can find them and they aren't at all happy to see you), it's heavily implied you basically already did that :D

But I would totally play as Demonaica too.

Offline MouldyK

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Re: Prologue Level Idea
« Reply #5 on: December 21, 2012, 08:43:35 pm »
I wouldn't mind a prologue level which was the last task demonica gives you before giving you the oblivion crystal. Not anything prolonged, but as it is the beginning is a little jarring.

That said, IF valley does well enough to get an expansion later - I would love a full on prologue campaign as an expansion.
I want to play as Demonaica and crush the resistance.


YES! And then you could get how he rose to power in the land. Like ordering the henchmen to transform quint, cozy windmills and towers into these big, overseeing monstrosities which keep the survivors in check.

Hell, I could link every piece of land tile into a well-crafted story right now. :P

Offline madcow

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Re: Prologue Level Idea
« Reply #6 on: December 21, 2012, 08:45:03 pm »
I'll just add a tie in to the first AVWW - the oblivion crystals are really a corrupted glyph - with Demonaica originally being a glyph bearer!

Offline MouldyK

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Re: Prologue Level Idea
« Reply #7 on: December 21, 2012, 08:46:40 pm »
I'll just add a tie in to the first AVWW - the oblivion crystals are really a corrupted glyph - with Demonaica originally being a glyph bearer!

-will add that to his storyline- :D

I'll start penning it over the week maybe out of boredom!

Offline Pepisolo

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Re: Prologue Level Idea
« Reply #8 on: December 22, 2012, 09:17:21 am »

Thanks for the replies, guys.

I wouldn't mind a prologue level which was the last task demonica gives you before giving you the oblivion crystal. Not anything prolonged, but as it is the beginning is a little jarring.

That said, IF valley does well enough to get an expansion later - I would love a full on prologue campaign as an expansion.
I want to play as Demonaica and crush the resistance.

YES! And then you could get how he rose to power in the land. Like ordering the henchmen to transform quint, cozy windmills and towers into these big, overseeing monstrosities which keep the survivors in check.

Hell, I could link every piece of land tile into a well-crafted story right now. :P

Well, that's the next DLC sorted! Seriously, sounds awesome.


Quote
I'll start penning it over the week maybe out of boredom!

Actually, this gives me an idea regarding the possibility of a small prologue level. Would it be possible for the community to create a rough design for one? I notice that the slice editor compete with tutorial from Tigersfan is already in place for someone to create the level parts. The only other things you would really need are the dialogue and enemy placements. I'm sure a talented modder could knock this up -- it's just a shame I'm not one!





Offline MouldyK

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Re: Prologue Level Idea
« Reply #9 on: December 22, 2012, 09:53:26 am »
Well if someone was able to craft one and it matched Arcen's vision and design, they would probably do that. xD

Quick! Get the smart people on this!

Offline Pepisolo

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Re: Prologue Level Idea
« Reply #10 on: December 22, 2012, 09:56:54 am »
Smart people, it's time to step up to the plate!

 

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