Hello all! Obligatory blog maintenance: I want to start of this post by saying that I hope you’ve been enjoying my content lately. It’s been a little different for me, but I’ve been really delving into the design side of everything to do with games lately, and I always want to be sure that I’m creating content that I find most interesting at the moment, for that is the content that will end up the strongest finished product. Not that I’m not in to coding & development right now! I’m still very much active in my Unity & XCode files! I just don’t have much interesting content to be posting for you all at this moment! That being said:
Hello all! I recently got a new tattoo! It’s a scene from my favorite movie of all time: Princess Mononoke. Ever since a young age I have been genuinely captivated by the work of Miyazaki, and this fascination has grown to an all out obsession. If you’re unfamiliar with Hayao Miyazaki, he’s a Japanese animator and story teller, one of the co founders of Studio Ghibli. Responsible for many timeless titles, if you’re unfamiliar I highly suggest giving some of the movies a watch. Miyazaki, and his peers at Studio Ghibli, have a supreme ability to create riveting storylines, stunning scenery, inconceivably complex worlds, and most relevant to this post; perfectly imperfect characters.
We all know the terms “Round” and “Flat” characters. They are the building blocks for character criticism across all media. In theory, creating a round character really is not supposed to be very difficult. “Winnipeg the sheep herder hates wolves until she is forced to live 3 weeks in their shoes(paws?) and now POOF she understands it, and never hates wolves again”. This is the basis for every “round” character. Add some notable complexity (her mother was killed by a wolf) and personality (she’s SO quirky) to the story and there you have it: she’s perfectly round, and likely the protagonist in any way that the story is told. What these adjectives fails to acknowledge, however, is the complete and utter lack of depth shown in the development of the character. On the other side of the spectrum: “Dale is a grumpy tag-along in an epic adventure with 2 strangers, which he spends the majority of bitching and moaning about having to be on this adventure. He never changes. Nobody likes him. He is the same, through and through”. Dale is a perfectly flat character. Likely thought of as the antagonist, or at least a character consistently shown in a negative light. Such a simple character design, so boring, yet we see this exact character in SO MANY movies, books, and video games. Obviously, this is a subjective matter, but I’m going off of the basis of what is generally considered to be a round or a flat character.
To further the understanding of round & flat characters here’s some famous examples:
Forest Gump- He begins his journey as just a slow boy from Alabama, but through his travels, experiences, the people he meets, and the situations he gets himself in to, by the end of the story we see him as a completely different person. He is charming, successful, insightful, and loving. He is a well rounded character. He is almost entirely good, with very little negative and is definitely the protagonist of his story.
The Emperor- Evil and cunning, the main villain from the Star Wars original 3 is a perfectly flat character. He is evil, predictable, and the same character throughout the entirety of the series. An obvious antagonist, he will never change and dies a committed villain.
Deep Characters
Now let me introduce you to an idea, not one of my own but since I don’t know what to call it, I will refer to them as “Deep Characters”. Remember all the business about Miyazaki and Ghibli up top? Well, this is where I will tie it all in. I believe that the best characters have so much more to them than just the simple tags of “protagonist” & “antagonist”. In fact, it’s anti-creativity, in my opinion, to fill these roles as such. There is no truly bad person on this planet. There are some TERRIBLE people, don’t get me wrong. But human beings are inherently driven by incentive. Even if that incentive is not perceived by a logical thinking human, there is a reason for everything somebody does. Everyone has this depth. So why then do we often see characters in popular media only shown in one light, only good or bad? Don’t you think that Bowser has a side to his tale? Don’t you think that maybe Thanos has some logic behind his actions? I think this is because we, as consumers, like to see a definite evil, and a definite good. We like to know what side to root for. This is where Mr. Miyazaki has made himself different in the world of entertainment. There is an undeniable complexity to EVERY character in EVERY Miyazaki directed film since 1986. And that is something I would argue in to the grave. Characters in Miyazaki’s films blur the line between hero and villain, so much so that I feel that the term of “Round” character does not suit them well. Most of these characters change in many ways for the better, but most of them also remain the same in ways too, or will even change in ways the put them in a more negative light, as is true in humans. Miyazaki makes it a point that no character in his films is ever truly evil through and through. They are simply fighting for what they believe in. Fighting for what they want. I’ll try and list as many examples here as I can, for I realize that some may not be familiar with these films, but hopefully with enough examples you may all be able to understand the essence of Miyazaki’s deep characters.
Lady Eboshi, Princess Mononoke-
While generally thought of as the antagonist of the film, Lady Eboshi is beloved by her townspeople, who are extremely friendly, helpful, and understanding of the protagonist, Ashitaka, throughout the film. While she is responsible for the havoc of the film, when the resolution is not in her favor, she is quick to admit defeat, and even apologize to those who were killed in her efforts.
No Face, Spirited Away-
Probably the best and most well known example of this character type. No Face is the dominant antagonist for the beginning half of the film, yet is quick to become a friend to the protagonist, Chihiro, once he has left the Bath House, which is the source of his psychosis. He is from then on a beloved, sweet, and polite character, speechless, yet adored by those who surround him.
Yubaba, Spirited Away-
Yubaba is a villain, concurrent with No Face, but she also helps save the bath house, and all of it’s occupants, from No Face. She remains the “villain” for the remainder of the film, but she is one of the first to congratulate Chihiro in her triumph by the end of the film, readily admitting defeat.
Porco Rosso, Porco Rosso-
First off, if you haven’t seen this film, but are a fan of Studio Ghibli, this is a must watch. By far one of the best movies I have ever seen. Porco is the definition of a flawed hero. Rude, bitter, and playing by only his own rules, Miyazaki does a brilliant job of focusing on his triumphs as well as his flaws, leaving the viewer to question just how heroic this hero is.
Howl, Howl’s Moving Castle-
Howl is another flawed hero. While he is beloved by Sophie and his peers, he is being hunted by the royal family for theft. He is essentially a vigilante, and this is not revealed until midway through the film. Miyazaki chooses to show him in both a villainous and a heroic light, and switches this up a few times in the film, which is an extremely interesting choice. That along with the mystery surrounding his character, it truly is up to the viewer to interpret his intentions.
I hope that you have all enjoyed my little rant here. I am just a huge believer in the importance of complexity within a character. A character that a viewer can become attached to, relate to, and ultimately see living in our own reality is a perfect character, in my eyes. I feel this way about all of the characters in Miyazaki’s films, and feel like this is perhaps something that the video game industry could use more of. Not to say we don’t have lovable characters, but a story driven game needs depth driven characters, and I feel like I haven’t seen much of that recently. But I digress. Heres a picture of the scene I’ve gotten tattooed! Once again, I can’t recommend these films enough, they are a haven for story telling, and truly an example of peak creativity.
I’m a game enthusiast. I love all things video game. I love gameplay, I love design, I love characters, and I love experimenting with ideas that pop into my head as something that could be interesting. Multi Player Battle Arenas, or MOBAs are a game type which has risen to extreme popularity in the competitive field (think League of Legends) as well as the casual gaming community over the last 10 years or so. The game has extreme roots in RTS games, which are some of my favorites. The style of MOBA games can be seen across many popular games today. Battle Royale games are really just large scale MOBAs in a way. Now before you get all pissy and rage on me for comparing Fortnite to DOTA 2, please hear me out: The idea of an even playing field upon entering a multiplayer lobby, as well as accumulating gear and perks along the way is very similar in both genres. Royale games have no respawn option generally, however, and definitely don’t have as strong of an emphasis on strategy, just simply due to the structured “free play” of the game.
If this is your first introduction to the idea of a MOBA, the I highly recommend reading this before continuing. I will also cite that the ideas that follow have been implemented in some games already, google Paragon. But I genuinely feel that they have not been created in a manner that would allow them to be successful on a large scale.
First Person MOBA
The basic schematics of this game would be 2 teams of 5, with 2 bases, and of course bot soldiers on a synchronized release from their respective bases. Unique characters will be chosen by each team. The game would rely heavily on a standard class system:
DPS: Moderately armored, heavy damage, offensively oriented specials.
Support: Low to moderate armor, low to moderate damage, support oriented specials.
The 5 player team system will allow for a vast array of team compositions to arise. Maps will be based around 3 main paths that the AI would follow, and as per most MOBAs, the middle alley will be more heavily pushed by AI than the longer outer ones. Each path will lead to both bases. Each base is protected by 2 tiers of defensive towers, which attack enemies as they invade, with crushing strength. Finally, the base where players respawn is also home to the “heart” of the team, which will fight back, but once destroyed will mark a victory for the attacking team.
This is where the idea deviates most. First person perspective would bring in an entirely unique style of play, sense of mobility, and greatly affect the players awareness to flanks, cover, and strategy. Every character will have a primary attack which will require targeting. No more click & unleash. The speed at which the game is player will require players to know their characters, understand both the primary and specials, and adjust accordingly in the first person. Maps will contain FPS style cover, scalable structures, and players will be able to (and forced to at times) take advantage of vantage points built into the maps.
In addition to this, the game will incorporate a simple leveling system, starting at 1 and maxing out at 15. Each AI kill will gain the player a little XP, whereas each Player kill will yield much greater XP rewards. The player’s level will add to their max health, improve special attacks, and even give a currency boost at levels 5 and 10. While a higher level can still easily be taken out by a lower level player, the odds are not necessarily in the lower level’s favor. Leveling up is easiest at first, progressively requiring more and more XP for the next upgrade, but by the end of a full match, players will generally be around levels 9 – 15, depending on how long the match goes on for.
The in match shop will allow players to purchase items best suited to their style of play, character, and situation within the match. No drops are implemented, and the only thing to be found on the battlefield is currency to help boost the speed at which you may purchase these items. Currency will accrue at a standard rate for all players, unless a player with a passive to expedite currency generation is present. In the shop, players will find armor, items to speed up primary attack/heal speed, items to increase damage/heal strength, items which grant new abilities such as a temporary shield on a cool down, items to increase run speed, items they can use to relieve them of ailments, as well as much more. Players will have a limited inventory based purely in quantity, and, if the player would like to, the same item may be purchased until their inventory is full. Items may be upgraded into better and stronger versions for less currency, destroying the original.
With the basics for this game laid out above, I would like to share some ideas for playable characters that I have thought up, which will continue to be added to.
Characters
Tank
Blarney: A red headed war hero. Fighting on the front lines, this massive bloke flaunts a daunting number of accolades from his time of service. A tactical mastermind, Blarney never goes far without his longsword in hand, which looks a normal when wielded by such a large fella. A non believer in modern war attire, Blarney wears only his trousers and his sheathe. His skin might as well be armor, as this man is truly unbreakable.
Primary: Swings blade in perfect rhythm, greatly damaging those in front of him, but range is not his strong suit.
Special 1: Blarney rushes forward, stopping once he has flattened an opponent, or is simply too tired to keep running. This move makes up for his lack of range, but he is greatly winded by the end of it and is greatly slowed for a few seconds afterwards.
Special 2: Blarney is a massive man. With this move, he slams his foot to the ground, tripping up nearby enemies, who meet the ground at such force. Perfect time to unleash a few swings of the blade, eh?
Shīrudo: A man at peace with himself, looking to spread a similar awareness amongst his allies, and teach this to his foes. Shīrudo is a large presence. What he lacks in talkativeness, he makes up for with appearance. Wearing the armor of his ancestors, he calls upon their ancient styles of defense and combat to guide enemies to his will. A master in martial arts, the only weapon he wields is his body, and more specifically: his fists.
Primary: Jabs and chops his way through multiple enemies, if present, or simply executes perfect combos upon a singular opponent. Always on the move, Shīrudo knocks back solo opponents when unleashing these combos.
Special 1: With his mind and body as one, Shīrudo is able to stop oncoming projectiles over a large area in their place, and even direct some back towards the enemy.
Special 2: Shīrudo calls upon his ancestors, as they give him life, granting him, or anyone of his choosing, temporary armor. If the armor is destroyed before it expires, a huge shock knocks nearby opponents to the ground.
Muur: Wall building is a generational thing within the family of Sterke. Coming from a town below sea level, the strength of a wall is truly a matter of life and death. Getting his nickname from the countless homes he’s saved from these harsh conditions, Muur is no amateur when it comes to defense. While not the largest man around, he’s built as thick as a fridge and can definitely take a punch… or 7. Light hearted, but with the determination of a hundred men, Muur is a force to be reckoned with. Don’t be fooled by his flatcap and junky overalls, wielding his makeshift shield and work hammer chained to his wrist, the man is ready to fight at a moments notice.
Primary: A hammer to any part of the body doesn’t feel great. Well, unfortunately for the enemies of Muur he’s as accurate as one could be with a hammer on a chain. With powerful blows landing at a moderate speed, and range up to 5 feet, escaping this man is no easy task. His powerful swings lessen in damage the further his foe, but that won’t stop you from being knocked from side to side with each hit.
Secondary: Muur’s shield is one of his proudest builds to date. That being said, it doesn’t look great but it sure as hell gets the job done. Murr can raise his shield at any time during combat and block incoming directional damage completely. While he can still be hit from other directions, a head on strike is not likely to land due to his convenient stature. Raising his shield stops him from being able to swing his hammer, but it doesn’t stop him from dropping it at a moments notice to land a blow.
Special 1: Muur utilizes his background in wall building to quickly put up a barrier which will stand until destroyed. This wall can block both players and AI on the enemy team but, thanks to excellent engineering, has a stair way along its weak side for allied AI and players to quickly hop over. The wall takes no time to build, and can take as much damage as Muur’s current health. If Muur is armored to the teeth, so are his walls!
Special 2: A hammer on a chain is not your typical weapon, but Muur knows this. Utilizing the versatility of his hammer contraption, he swings around his weapon in circles, damaging all near by enemies within his 5 foot range. The move also puts momentum at his whim, and Muur can quickly launch out from this attack to any direction he is looking to land a strong blow, knocking his target to the ground, and throwing him to their location. Any player or AI that gets in his way will take the blow, and he will end up where the strike was interrupted.
DPS
Gen: If stealth is an art, then Gen might as well be Picasso. Or Monet. Or Van Gogh. All in one. From her humble beginnings of simple thievery and practical jokes, Gen has transformed herself into a breathing weapon. And on top of that, she also wields a pair of “breathing” weapons. Her two daggers have a mind of their own, and they often lead her to outwitting her foe. Beneath her hood, not much can be seen, and her get up doesn’t make her any easier to spot.
Primary: With unmatched speed, Gen is able to quickly unleash multiple blows. And if the initial stab doesn’t get you, the bleeding after just may. Slashing and stabbing her opponent, every end to a chain of hits adds to a bleeding effect which reduces the amount you can be healed, as well as some minor damage for some seconds to come.
Special 1: While not in combat, Gen slips to the shadows, only visible to enemies if they directly locate her with their cursor. From here she can attack, flee, or even receive healing. While in combat, Gen can vanish to thin air for a few moments, before returning back to our realm. While in this state, she cannot receive healing, not be located by her enemy.
Special 2: With a flurry of steel, Gen rampages her opponent with flurry of blows, all in an instant. This also enacts a bleed effect, which takes twice as long to heal up.
Passive: Gen is never alone, as her blades tell her, when in the shadows, when a nearby enemy is close to locating her, or when an enemy is behind her.
Rent: RENT IS DUE! Straight out of the swamps, Rent is a “soldier” with no regard for his own safety, let alone that of an enemy. Don’t let the beer belly fool you, Rent is a real cut throat warrior, with scars to prove it! Most he got from fishing, but some definitely seem like real battle scars. With an admirable sense of humor, Rent guns his way through enemies, and his pony tail is sure to keep his vision clear. Trap master, as well as gun enthusiast, there’s not much to protect you from his obsession with self destruction.
Primary: Locked and loaded, Rent uses his automatic rifle to shoot his way through foes near and far. And just when you think he might have to reload-BOOM, he pulls out his double barrel shot gun to finish the job.
Special 1: Rent rigs up his explosive lobster trap, that he found at Dollar Strut (it catches and cooks all in one!!), and places it down, waiting for an enemies foot to trap. Though visible, a quick glance won’t do an enemy justice as there’s not much to see before you’re locked in place and set a blaze. Burning damage occurs for the next couple seconds to ensure a perfect char. Mmmm!
Special 2: Rent is far from the most agile this battle ground has seen, but he’s always been host to the wolf pack mentality. For 10 seconds after activation, all Rent’s teammates are motivated by his rambling on about team work, fast food, and his thoughts on “Organic” zucchini, to get the hell away from the useless banter, increasing their speed by 50%. Meanwhile, Rent moves at his normal pace.
Passive: Rent doesn’t leave the house without both his guns, so in a time of need, he can always switch between the 2!
Ayana: There weren’t many books where Ayana came from, but you don’t need books with a mind like this. A story teller, Ayana gained the ability early on to conjure her imagination to reality. Some might call it magic, but to her it’s just all about the moral. Lanky, dark skinned, and quick moving, she soon learned she could use her imagination as a way to fight for what she believes in. It is this power that makes her a fierce warrior.
Primary: Ayana calls upon her mind to summon forth crystals of pure ice, slinging them one by one at the enemy. While the damage is not the heaviest, it’s the after effect which is to be feared. As each crystal hits the same foe slowing occurs and, and stacks. One hit may temporarily knock down an attackers speed by 10%, but by the 5th blow, 50% of movement speed is gone. And with the 6th blow, the enemy is quickly frozen, unable to move for a few seconds. Once the ice snaps, the player is back at normal speed.
Secondary: Ayana believes in balance, and therefore refuses to allow her ice powers to go un-challenged. To compliment her primary, Ayana’s secondary attack harnesses the power of flames. By imagining the energy of all she knows, she brings forth balls of fire. At starting rate slower than her Primary, but also the ability to charge the attack for up to 50% more damage, the flames land a much more devastating blow to enemies. And it only continues to give as enemies burn for a few seconds after. Naturally, this will counteract any chill that the enemy currently has, and the burn effect is lessened the more ice it must burn through.
Special 1: Ayana summons forth a beast which only she could imagine to aide in her attack. The beast charges a nearby enemy (if no player is present, then a bot), and thrashes for 5 seconds, viciously knocking enemies wherever it pleases. If a frozen enemy is charged, the freeze does not break as the beast unleashed upon them.
Special 2: Clouds form all around Ayana as she summons a great and powerful thunderstorm. After a brief cast time, Ayana roams freely as the storm continues to strike randomly, injuring those in the vicinity of each strike. While not incredibly powerful with a single strike, be weary of where you get stuck, for it could be the end of you. Lightning strikes will break through the ice of frozen enemies, freeing them but not before taking amplified damage from the strike.
Kuvien: No one truly knows where he has come from, but his allies are sure glad he arrived. Some say he was raised by wolves, others say by monks in the old east. Regardless, Kuvien has grown to be a fierce warrior, unparalleled in his connection with his surroundings. With cartoonishly purple hair, and mythically red eyes, he might as well be a beast himself. Adorned in war paints and tribal beads, he wields a bow and an endless quiver, ready to attack from wherever his enemies aren’t looking.
Primary: Kuvien is a threat from all distances, but he is especially dangerous from range. A fully drawn bow can send his arrow as far as the eye can see. That being said, with his speed he’s not much easier to take from close range. A quick succession of close range shots from this bow and you might find yourself in a troubling position. Kuvien’s arrows hit for more damage when fully drawn, however his speed to draw the next arrow is un matched, which allows him to send lower damage shots at his foes with incredible speed. That being said, basic laws of physics still apply to his arrows, and shots with less power will not fly nearly as far, or without a drop.
Special 1: A master from range, Kuvien sends himself flying backwards to avoid oncoming attackers. From the ground, he can reach about 12 feet from launching point, but by using this move on an enemy he can both deal a moderate amount of damage and send himself around 15 feet backwards.
Special 2: Summoning a force we can’t begin to understand, Kuvien seems to defy all laws of this world as he locks on to a target. If an enemy is pinged by this ability, all of Kuvien’s shots in the foe’s general direction will lock on and curve straight for them. While this ability only lasts 5 seconds, the effect can be deadly.
Passive: Kuvien is incredibly in tune with nature, and it’s this that allows him to easily track foes. Fresh footprints left by enemy players (within the last 7 seconds) will glow red to him, as he hunts his prey.
Support
Miracle: At a young age Miracle discovered she was different. Small scrapes and bruises would disappear from her skin in a matter of seconds, but she never realized just how powerful this ability was until she broke her leg and was fine within a minute. She soon began a career in the medical field, looking for answers as to why. While she still is not sure, she has found a way to harness this blessing into a device which allows her to help others. This device comes in the form of a full body suit, and leaves her levitating just above the ground. Intelligent, and with an unwavering will to help her allies, Miracle is an excellent person, and an even better team mate.
Primary: With the help of her apparatus, Miracle sends a cascade of healing upon all her team mates in the area in front of her. These beautiful crystals of light continue to fill the air for the next couple moments thereafter, which her team mates may pick up to heal themselves even more. The initial fire of her primary will heal all allies hit slightly, regardless of picking up the residual heals.
Secondary: While her suit has a very strong emphasis on aiding others, it still hurts to get kicked by. Miracle floats quickly forward for up to 5 feet, and any enemy she hits she will deal a quick blows to, and use this force to fly up to 20 feet in the direction of her choosing. It is in the time she is air born that she quickly heals herself 35% of max health.
Special 1: Focusing her energy on a single ally, Miracle sends a flurry of healing to a targeted team mate, healing them to maximum health. This heal does not have the same leftover health left by her primary, but it does also heal her 10% of max health.
Special 2: Miracle’s suit is truly a war machine, but rarely does she use it for anything other than helping others. In this rare occurrence, Miracle overloads her levitation module on her tech, sending a powerful shock to the ground, greatly damaging and briefly stunning enemies. The cooldown on this ability is lengthy, and until fully charged, Miracle must travel by foot. While stunned, these enemies are vulnerable to all forms of damage.
Maldición: Sometimes we refer to something as both a blessing and a curse. Well that idiom is embodied by Maldición, who goes by Mal. With an extensive career in humanitarian efforts, Mal made the decision long ago to go rogue. Since then, there have been sightings of him across the globe. One week he may be helping refugees, the next punishing those responsible. Mal plays by his own rule, but he never lets a friend go without help. With his face covered by what appear to be bandages, and dressed in a black robe, There’s something very peculiar about this hidden warrior.
Primary: An orb is conjured from Mal’s own palm, and he casts it off with speed. Upon hitting an ally, the orb will moderately heal them. However, upon hitting a foe the orb will moderately damage them. This orb will not stop with a single target, however. The orb will pass through up to 3 players or AI before vanishing. The orb dissipates upon contact with any non-living substance.
Special 1: An ally has fallen, and their body lays as a respawn times ticks down. Mal isn’t known to be the patient type. He summons the corpse to pick up where the player left off, and the corpse charges into battle. Stronger and more intelligent than the standard bots of the game, summoned corpses will fight any foe which presents itself along the way, until dead. The corpse can be healed but only by Mal.
Special 2: Mal is a practitioner of the dark arts. While dangerous in nature, they can also yield great reward to the friends of the caster. Mal sends a curse towards an enemy, which will bite away at their health for the next 30 seconds to come. Slowly, but surely the foe will decay. After a full 30 seconds, 25% of the player’s max health will have succumb to the curse, if no preventative measures are taken (see shop description above). Mal can also link this curse up to an ally, who will receive all of the health drained from the enemy.
This is all a work in progress! I’m going to continue to add to this character list, and game description for a while to come!! Thank you SO much for reading! I really do appreciate any feedback! You can always contact me at the email listed here! Please stay tuned! For now, here’s a picture of a great and very proven MOBA! (For those wondering about the images I have been choosing to attach to the end of recent posts, if you scroll through my topic pages on my site, you’ll see that the images make the page much cleaner looking, which is important to me as someone who enjoys design & aesthetic)!
As some of my regular readers surely know, I am a huge believer in the impact that music has within video games, and really all forms of entertainment. Why is this? As explained in a great scholarly article HERE, humans naturally process, and enjoy, music through a few specific “dimensions”: cognitive, emotional, social/cultural, and physiological/arousal-related functions. The dimension I identify the most with, and think applies best to video games is that of emotional response. A great, and very relevant video HERE (Please watch at least some! Very relevant, and very well put together).
So all this brings us to the topic and reason for me sitting my butt down to write this post: why impactful music is essential to a truly great game. Some games you play, a user can almost tell that the musical component is an after-thought, and not implying that this is the norm, but I do feel it is the most commonly, and tragically, overlooked component to many games. Do me a favor and look deep into your heart, and recall a tune from a game that impacted you as a kid/teen so much so that every time you come across the soundtrack, it sends chills down your spine and goosebumps up your arms. The music has the power to instantly take you back into the universe of that game. We as humans are able to absorb so much emotion into even the simplest of songs, and this obviously doesn’t only apply to video games. So then why would any game design lead allow such a powerful way of encapsulating the emotion of a moment, or a period of time for a player to not be made a priority of any sorts? Rhetorical question. Obviously not every studio has time or resources for adequate care to be put into something that head honchos at a studio would deem possibly one of the least important things things in regards to releasing an operational game on time. This isn’t something we see at all big studios, but I would say its fairly common amongst some of the largest (EA, Activision, Ubisoft). On the reverse end of that, we see some of the largest studios in the world taking the musical component at a higher priority, and I would definitely argue that the games from studios such as Rockstar, Nintendo, or Bethesda have seen much more positive reactions from the fanbases of their games lately, as I feel that these games and their stories have found a home in the hearts of many fans. I’m not saying that music is the only contributing factor to this, but in an era where some studios don’t even care enough to include any semblance of a story beyond a brief “bio” of their characters, the games that are strongly story driven seems to resonate better with fans, and I don’t think it’s any coincidence that these same studios sticking to the tradition of strong story telling and all enveloping universes also seems to be putting much MUCH more effort into having a strong soundtrack to aide in this.
None of this means I haven’t been playing Apex: Legends and enjoying every second of it, but the point I’m mostly trying to make here is the longevity of the games which are taking the time and effort to put in a masterful soundtrack alongside their gameplay are the ones that I will never forget. Twenty years from now, I can promise you that every time I hear an ocarina playing those simple notes, or any of the songs from Zelda Ocarina of Time for that matter, I will be instantly taken back to Hyrule my pure love and adoration for that game, and likely feel more compelled to find remasters, share it with my friends, or maybe even dust off the old N64.As an aspiring game designer, all I can hope for is that my works and universes that I create live on in the hearts of those who I have touched with meaningful stories, compelling plights, and enjoyable gameplay. There is no reason that I could see that music, which is a vehicle to fully immerse every past present and future gamer into your world, should be overlooked by a studio. So please, as a favor to me, go and find that song or that soundtrack that gives you those same feelings. If you are personally unaware of any games that have that impact, I’ll list below some of my personal favorites, and most notable examples:
Hello all! I had an idea and wanted to post it here because I think it’s a neat concept. This past week I’ve been spending a lot of time (23 hours to be exact) playing through Squares new game, Kingdom Hearts III. Im sure most of you are familiar with the franchise, and if not, the studio, but it left me with many thoughts that I wanted to post here. First off, I want to start by saying I’m a longtime fan of the series. I played the original KH as a kid, and I would go as far to say that the connection I felt to the main characters, as well as the story is one that has definitely defined a lot of my motivation to pursue a path in video games. KH II was a great addition, but I feel like KH III really pushed the series into what I would consider an unforgettable journey.
That being said, I know that many people point towards flaws in both gameplay and story progression in this newest addition, but I would instead like to focus on some of the amazing elements that the series incorporates from the studios background in Japanese Role Play Games (JRPGs). For those who don’t know, Square Enix is the studio which produces the Final Fantasy series, perhaps one of the most famed examples of a JRPG. To (overly) simplify it in my own words: JRPGs generally incorporate simplified battle scenarios, meaning that you usually have a set combo which can be enacted using only a single button, sometimes pressed multiple times. They have a pretty simple leveling system where you may gain more health or mana from a level up, or maybe an additional item slot, but that’s basically it. They incorporate pretty simple armor tiers (if any) and generally not many stats to boost, and the game is centered around combat scenarios. Often times they are turn based, but more recently we have seen a turn towards free combat sequences often contained in a set space. “Quests” are generally linear without much room for deviation, but worlds are usually explorable and filled with side tasks which may yield experience or armor rewards. To top it all off, most JRPGs incorporate very unique boss battle sequences and heavy and complex story lines.
I’m a huge advocate for simplicity in video games. I think that a game that everyone can play and enjoy is one that will be successful. In addition to this, I think that allowing more skilled players opportunity to advance their “style” of play is also key. A great example I always use is Minecraft. In Minecraft, anyone can build a simple house and explore caves. But there’s also exponential room for players to scale their complexity of the game to levels which are unimaginable. Players can use the simple structure of the game to build complex computers, operational machines, and even weapons, all using the same materials that the newest of players are using to build 5×5 huts to survive the night. JRPGs take a simple scheme of combat, and do just the same, allowing more skilled players to play to their own level, utilizing selectable abilities, purchasable items, and built in mechanics which are not necessary to putting up a good fight.
So this leads me to my idea: taking the simple, story driven ideals of a JRPG, and applying these to our ideas of an MMORPG. Think World of Warcraft meets Pokémon. I love JRPG combat. And I love MMOs. Why not combine the two? Have a simplified combat scheme, built around classes and simple armor, and place players in a world where they compete against one another to, or alongside one another, to complete linear story lines, which perhaps would end in being brought to a server consisting of only players who have also completed the main story.
Place in dungeons and side quests to allow players to increase their own skill, but also stay true to the idea of simplicity in the facets of gear and abilities. Allow players to choose from multiple paths, perhaps pitting them against other paths at times, but all while competing for similar goals and rewards.
/*And before you say it, yes I have heard of Final Fantasy XIV, but this game very strongly resembled WoW in complexity, gameplay, style, and pretty much every other way possible, and had a much weaker semblance to any other Final Fantasy game we’ve seen.*/
This idea is obviously very primitive, but I will continue to update this post with my ideas and thoughts on the topic. But for now, as I must head to work, enjoy this photo from the endgame of KHIII, and enjoy your day!
Edit 2/9/19: Another huge feature of such a game would indefinitely be the “boss” battle sequences. JRPGs do a fantastic job of keeping every next boss battle unique, and increasingly challenging, which for me is a huge appeal. Now take these unique battles and apply them to an online oriented gaming environment, and we could expect the arising of many unique and interesting strategies for each individual boss battle. I think this would be a feature which would set the game itself apart from the meticulous and, quite honestly, boring boss battle sequences that we experience pretty universally in the MMORPG genre, and quite honestly most RPGs. Don’t get me wrong, I love every time I get the opportunity to strike down Alduin, but it does get a little boring and tedious at times. More thoughts to come as I expand on this idea.!
Hello All! I hope everyone has had a great and prosperous start to their new year! I actually recently got a new job out in Los Angeles, working at a Trader Joe’s. A great company to work for and honestly a great place to shop as well! If you haven’t yet, do yourself a favor and try our Mac N’ Cheese. I promise you that this shameless plug will lead those who listen to momentary bliss. Emphasis on momentary. This new job is relevant because it’s allowed me to upgrade from my old iPhone 6 to a nice and new iPhone Xs 64GB. I know you’ve seen it, but for those who haven’t, this phone flaunts some mightily impressive specs.
The new phone has opened up a world which I knew existed, but quite honestly wasn’t aware of how shockingly developed it has become. Specifically I have been impressed by Bellus3D. This facial scanning tech utilizes the infrared facial scanning components built into the iPhone Xs, and creates a photo realistic “3D Selfie”, to use the description from their site, within a few seconds. Yes, literally a few seconds. The days of slowly turning your head for 15 minutes to get a sub par scan are behind us! I have been really enjoying playing around with this tool, and the built in lighting tools on the app. It’s something I highly recommend to any users who are even slightly intrigued by the idea. Below is a screen cap of the appearance on my mobile app.
First off, how crazy is that. But secondly, look at this next screen cap. Look at how detailed this facial scan really is. Look at my ear. You can clearly see where my ear was pierced back in 3rd grade. If that isn’t detail, then I am not sure what is. AND YES, MY EAR WAS PIERCED FOR A FEW MONTHS IN 3RD GRADE. IT WASN’T A PHASE, MOM.
All in all, extremely impressed with what I saw from this really cool app. Have enjoyed playing with, and will continue to enjoy. It’s for sure something I’ll be pulling out at the next social gathering I attend. Time to blow some minds. Here is the online link to my scan. The online quality is far inferior to that of the app itself, but you can get a hang of the tools offered, and how the app works. I hope you enjoy!
Hello all! I just wanted to post an updated version of my game Simpossible on my site. This is the progress I have made as of 6PM January 23rd 2019! I put a fair amount of effort into commenting on pretty much most operations within to code to make it easily browsed by all, so I hope you all are able to enjoy!
Hello all! So as you can read in some previous posts I have been working on a roman numeral ID method for my Simpossible game. The code is now finished! Previous posts were only inclusive up to the roman numeral for 20 but now it is complete, including numerals all the way up to 100! It took a while to perfect the method, but ALAS it is complete! I had lots of fun with this specific method as it posed some very interesting challenges utilizing the modulus operation. Ill paste the code and some output below! Enjoy!
// Difficulty above 6
else if(difficulty > 6){
// Seeds and initializes random number
srand(time(0));
int randomNum = rand() % 100 + 10;
// Checks for base 50
if((randomNum % 50) == 0){
// Creates string for as many times as 50 goes into the number
for(int rep = 0; rep < (randomNum/50); rep++){
// Adds L to the string
number += "L";
// If the repetition is 1, the string will be cleared and "C" will be put instead
if(rep == 1){
number.clear();
number += "C";
}
}
// Outputs the number and takes in user's answer
cout << number << endl;
int temp;
cin >> temp;
// Correct Answer
if(temp == randomNum){
cout << endl;
}
// Wrong answer
else{
lives --;
cout << incorrectAnswer() << " You have " << lives << " lives left! " << endl << endl;
//returns false
return false;
}
}
// Checks to see if random number is less than 40
else if(randomNum < 40){
// Creates loop to iterate as many times as 10 goes into the random number
for(int rep = 0; rep < randomNum/10; rep++){
// adds an X to the string for each iteration
number += "X";
}
// If the number is 1 unit away from a base (aka 19, 29, 39)
if(((randomNum + 1) % 10) == 0){
number += "IX";
}
// If the number ends in a 5
else if((randomNum % 5) == 0){
number += "V";
}
// If the number ends in 6, 7, or 8
else if(((randomNum % 5) < 4) && ((randomNum % 10) > 5)){
number += "V";
// A loop that iterates for each remaining value when random is divided by 5
for(int rep = 0; rep < (randomNum % 5); rep++){
// Appends an I for each iteration
number += "I";
}
}
// If the number ends in a 4
else if(((randomNum + 1) % 5) == 0){
number += "IV";
}
// Oterwise, just adds Is for each unit random is above a base 10
else {
// Loop that iterates for each value that random number is above 10
for(int rep = 0; rep < (randomNum % 10); rep++){
// Appends an I to the string
number += "I";
}
}
// Outputs numeral and takes user's input
cout << number << endl;
int temp;
cin >> temp;
// Correct Answer
if(temp == randomNum){
cout << endl;
}
// Wrong Answer
else{
lives --;
cout << incorrectAnswer() << " You have " << lives << " lives left! " << endl << endl;
//returns false
return false;
}
}
// If random is greater than 40 & less than 50
else if(randomNum >= 40 && randomNum < 50){
// Creates 49 in numerals if number is 49.. How whack is it that that's 49..!
if(randomNum == 49){
number += "XLIX";
}
// Creates 40 in numerals
else{
number += "XL";
// Appends a V if the number requires
if((randomNum - 40) >= 5){
number += "V";
}
// Adds Is for amount or remainder when divided by 5
for(int rep = 0; rep < (randomNum % 5); rep++){
number += "I";
}
}
// Outputs numeral and recieves users input
cout << number << endl;
int temp;
cin >> temp;
// Correct Answer
if(temp == randomNum){
cout << endl;
}
// Wrong Answer
else {
lives --;
cout << incorrectAnswer() << " You have " << lives << " lives left! " << endl << endl;
//returns false
return false;
}
}
// Checks to see if random number is greater than 50
else if(randomNum > 50 && randomNum < 90){
number += "L";
// Creates loop to iterate as many times as 10 goes into the random number
for(int rep = 0; rep < randomNum/10; rep++){
// adds an X to the string for each iteration
number += "X";
}
// If the number is 1 unti away from a base (aka 19, 29, 39)
if(((randomNum + 1) % 10) == 0){
number += "IX";
}
// If the number ends in a 5
else if((randomNum % 5) == 0){
number += "V";
}
// If the number ends in 6, 7, or 8
else if((randomNum % 5) < 4){
number += "V";
// A loop that iterates for each remaining value when random is divided by 5
for(int rep = 0; rep < (randomNum % 5); rep++){
// Appends an I for each iteration
number += "I";
}
}
// If the number ends in a 4
else if(((randomNum + 1) % 5) == 0){
number += "IV";
}
// Otherwise, just adds Is for each unit random is above a base 10
else {
// Loop that iterates for each value that random number is above 10
for(int rep = 0; rep < (randomNum % 10); rep++){
// Appends an I to the string
number += "I";
}
}
// Outputs numeral and takes user's input
cout << number << endl;
int temp;
cin >> temp;
// Correct Answer
if(temp == randomNum){
cout << endl;
}
// Wrong Answer
else{
lives --;
cout << incorrectAnswer() << " You have " << lives << " lives left! " << endl << endl;
//returns false
return false;
}
}
// If number is between 90 and 100
else{
// Creates 99 in numerals if number is 99.. How whack is it that that's 99..!
if(randomNum == 99){
number += "XCIX";
}
// Creates 90 in numerals
else{
number += "XC";
// Appends a V if the number requires
if((randomNum - 90) >= 5){
number += "V";
}
// Adds Is for amount or remainder when divided by 5
for(int rep = 0; rep < (randomNum % 5); rep++){
number += "I";
}
}
// Outputs numeral and recieves users input
cout << number << endl;
int temp;
cin >> temp;
// Correct Answer
if(temp == randomNum){
cout << endl;
}
// Wrong Answer
else {
lives --;
cout << incorrectAnswer() << " You have " << lives << " lives left! " << endl << endl;
//returns false
return false;
}
}
}
return true;
}
Happy New Year all! I hope everyone had a prosperous year, and plans to have an even better one in 2019! I’ve been hard at work on some code for you guys, but I wanted to share a trip video I made a couple months ago after a dream trip to Japan with my girlfriend. I hope you guys enjoy!
Hello all! So I’ve been working more on my Simpossible game, and specifically on the roman numerals ID minigame I talked about in earlier posts. So, in short, I’ve been working with the modulus operator nonstop for a couple hours… But it’s been really fun! So far, it’s coming together well. The majority of my time I spent on devising just how I would turn regular numbers into roman numerals. I’ve done it mostly by using whats called the “modulus” operator (%). You can read more on that here, but I’ll explain the basis for anyone unfamiliar with programming basics. It’s an operator (Like plus, minus or multiply) which will return the remainder of the first number divided by the second. So, 17 % 5 = 2. This operator is used most frequently in creating bounds for the rand() function, or to find whether or not a number is even.
My use of this operator has been to find whether or not a roman numeral requires an “X” or a “V”. So, for example, I can use the equation 17%10 = 7, and from there determine the appropriate numeral is XVII.
Below is some output and the unfinished method. I hope you enjoy!
/*
Roman Numeral ID
*/
bool romanNumerals(int difficulty){
// Start of game
// Initialize roman numeral string to be appended
string number;
cout << "Hey, ID this Roman Numeral for me.?" << endl;
sleep(3);
// Difficulties below or equal to 1
if(difficulty <= 1){
// Seed & initialize rand
srand(time(0));
int randomNum = rand()% 5;
// Ensures rand cant = 0
if (randomNum == 0) randomNum += 3;
// If rand is < 4, the numeral will only consist of "I"
if(randomNum < 4){
// Create the roman numeral up to 3
for(int rep = 0; rep < randomNum; rep++){
number += "I";
}
// Output numeral
cout << number << endl;
// Take user answer
int temp;
cin >> temp;
// Correct Answer
if (temp == randomNum){
cout << endl;
}
// Wrong Answer
else {
lives --;
cout << incorrectAnswer() << " You have " << lives << " lives left! " << endl << endl;
//returns false
return false;
}
}
// If rand = 4
else {
// Outputs 4 in Roman Numerals
cout << "IV" << endl;
// Take user answer
int temp;
cin >> temp;
// Correct Answer
if(temp == 4){
cout << endl;
}
// Wrong Answer
else{
lives --;
cout << incorrectAnswer() << " You have " << lives << " lives left! " << endl << endl;
//returns false
return false;
}
}
}
// Difficulty > 1 && < or equal to 5
else if(difficulty > 1 && difficulty <= 5){
// seeds and initializes rand range 5 - 20
srand(time(0));
int randomNum = rand() % 20 + 6;
// Rand = 5
if(randomNum == 9){
// Output
cout << "IX" << endl;
// User input
int temp;
cin >> temp;
// Correct Answer
if (temp == 9){
cout << endl;
}
// Wrong Answer
else{
lives --;
cout << incorrectAnswer() << " You have " << lives << " lives left! " << endl << endl;
//returns false
return false;
}
}
// Rand = 14
else if(randomNum == 14){
// Output
cout << "XIV" << endl;
// User input
int temp;
cin >> temp;
// Correct Answer
if (temp == 14){
cout << endl;
}
// Wrong Answer
else{
lives --;
cout << incorrectAnswer() << " You have " << lives << " lives left! " << endl << endl;
//returns false
return false;
}
}
// Rand = 15
// IDK WHY but this wont work rn
else if(randomNum == 15){
// Output
cout << "XV" << endl;
// User input
int temp;
cin >> temp;
// Correct Answer
if (temp == 15){
cout << endl;
}
// Wrong Answer
else{
lives --;
cout << incorrectAnswer() << " You have " << lives << " lives left! " << endl << endl;
//returns false
return false;
}
}
// Rand = 19
else if(randomNum == 19){
// Output
cout << "IXX" << endl;
// User input
int temp;
cin >> temp;
// Correct Answer
if (temp == 19){
cout << endl;
}
// Wrong Answer
else{
lives --;
cout << incorrectAnswer() << " You have " << lives << " lives left! " << endl << endl;
//returns false
return false;
}
}
// Rand = 6 - 20
else{
// If rand is directly divisible by 10
if ((randomNum % 10) == 0){
//Create a string which properly represents rand with Xs
for (int rep = 0; rep < (randomNum/10); rep++){
number += "X";
}
// Output
cout << number << endl;
// User input
int temp;
cin >> temp;
// Correct Answer
if(temp == randomNum){
cout << endl;
}
// Wrong Answer
else{
lives --;
cout << incorrectAnswer() << " You have " << lives << " lives left! " << endl << endl;
//returns false
return false;
}
}
// If rand can be divided by 10 with a remainder less than 4
else if((randomNum % 10) < 4){
//Starts numeral with a X
number += "X";
// Creates the random numeral
for(int rep = 0; rep < (randomNum - 10); rep++){
number += "I";
}
// Output
cout << number << endl;
// Input
int temp;
cin >> temp;
// Correct Answer
if (temp == randomNum){
cout << endl;
}
// Wrong Answer
else{
lives --;
cout << incorrectAnswer() << " You have " << lives << " lives left! " << endl << endl;
//returns false
return false;
}
}
// If rand can be divided by 10 with a remaineder greater than 5
else if((randomNum % 10) > 5){
// Starts numeral with a XV
number += "XV";
// Creates random numeral
for(int rep = 0; rep < (randomNum - 15); rep++){
number += "I";
}
// Output
cout << number << endl;
// Input
int temp;
cin >> temp;
// Correct Answer
if(temp == randomNum){
cout << endl;
}
// Wrong Answer
else{
lives --;
cout << incorrectAnswer() << " You have " << lives << " lives left! " << endl << endl;
//returns false
return false;
}
}
// If rand is not divisible by 10 at all, aka less than 10
else if(randomNum > 5 && randomNum < 9){
// Starts numeral with a V
number += "V";
// Creates the random numeral
for(int rep = 0; rep < (randomNum - 5); rep++){
number += "I";
}
// Output
cout << number << endl;
// Input
int temp;
cin >> temp;
// Correct Answer
if(temp == randomNum){
cout << endl;
}
// Wrong Answer
else{
lives --;
cout << incorrectAnswer() << " You have " << lives << " lives left! " << endl << endl;
//returns false
return false;
}
}
}
}
return true;
}
So it’s my birthday, which means I got time to work on stuff that I care about, and not just finals studying! I got some time to work on my Simpossible game, as well as go through some of my old design documents, and wanted to share this one with you all.
Below is the back story on a game I started writing and designing a year or so back… we’ve put the project on the back burner as of a few weeks ago, but the story written for it and the basic lore are below:
We start at a time before time. The creation of the 5 planets we now know as the 5 sisters. As legend has it, the gods created each planet 1 harvest apart, creating entirely unique ecosystems for each one.
Planets
Arne
The first was Arne. Arne was created closest to the sun. It is a barren wasteland. With no water, Arne is essentially endless sand dunes. Arne rotates much faster than any of the other planets, and it’s days only last for about 4 hours, and it’s nights the same. Arne has very little large settlements, mostly consisting of groups of 2-4 homes in the middle of nowhere.
People: The people who are able to survive shield themselves from the sun by only coming out at night. All other times they live in these forts they make from condensed sand, which creates a stone like material. The people here are notorious for their ability to make it days without food or water, and they are able to survive off the bare minimum essentials. The people, when they do eat, feast upon the rare to find animals of the planet. They wear masks which cover all but their eyes in the hopes of avoiding the wrath of the sun.
Animals: The animals inhabiting Arne are mostly small beasts. All of the large gods fled the land within the first few hundred years. Rodents reign supreme here. Most of the rodents have evolved to eat anything they can find. They gnaw on any wood which may fall from the heavens. They eat sand, foliage, each other, and most importantly, man. The people of Arne must always be weary of where they walk, for if they stumble upon a nest of rodies, they very well may become their next meal. The rodies are small, fast, and dirty. Their eyes glow a bright yellow in the night.
Vex
Next came Vex. Vex sits comfortably away from the sun, the optimal distance for human survival. Vex is where our hero begins his story, for Vex is the origin of some events to be discussed later. Vex is unique in its ecosystem, but leans towards a more mediterranean ecosystem, however a large majority of the planet is covered in huge cities. The cities are the center of life in Vex. Anything anyone could ever need can be found in one of it’s cities. Vex is also covered in a fair amount of water.
People: The people of Vex live the best quality of life of all those who live on the 5 sisters. Vex is the government capital of all the planets, and this is mostly because of the utopian qualities it demonstrates. Being by far the most civilised and technologically advanced planet, the people are often well spoken and well off. Those who are not usually end up outside the towering city walls. The people eat well. They keep jobs and respect their government. There has only ever been one crisis in Vex. Crime is low, and the people are happy. Most stay within the walls, but it is not a big deal to leave the city once a harvest or so. The people eat meat and the food from farms. Most of the farms lay directly on the outskirts of a city’s walls, however some farmers do stray from this norm.
Animals: The animals which live in this land are few. Vex is the safest planet, and is renowned for it’s “Safety Force”, which is responsible for keeping all cities clean of pests. But the few animals that do inhabit the land of Vex are unforgiving. Packs of hounds are the most common of these. The hounds are fast, but prefer to stay unseen. The second most common is Ozen. The Ozen were once human but have evolved since the creation along a separate path than the humans. They share similar features, but are a completely separate species at this point. More on the Ozen later. Another threat to some in Vex are the bots sent out by the King Olii to seek out the forgotten who remain outside the city walls. They pose no physical threat to the forgotten, however, upon seeing a member of the forgotten, they seek out the nearest safety force members to alert them of forgotten presence.
Zaki
Zaki was the third planet to be brought into existence. Zaki sits slightly closer to the sun than Vex. Zaki is a jungle planet. Largely untamed by man, Zaki is a beautiful and peaceful planet. Zaki is said to be the home of most the gods, and for that same reason many natives claim to have encountered giant beasts on long journeys. Zaki is green and gorgeous. The planet consists of 2 masses, said to have been split by the gods at the dawn of man to keep man from ever venturing to the god’s domain. The planet therefore is effectively split down the middle, and the only way to cross the great abyss is by crossing the Bridge of the Gods. No man has ever come back from the god’s side of the planet, therefore all settlements are on the man’s side of the planet, referred to as such. The settlements in Zaki are often centered around a church of a specific god, for the inhabitants are largely religious. There are only a few large cities known within Zaki. What lies on the other side of Bridge of the Gods remains a mystery, however.
People: The people living in Zaki worship the gods for a living. All they speak of are the gods. All they ever are concerned with are the gods and it is for that reason that they placed no votes in the most recent of the elections. For this, many of the people of Zaki are unliked by those of other planets. The people of Zaki often wear face paint. They are amazing survivalists, able to track down many beasts and humans alike. In addition, they rarely ever wear shoes. The people don’t carry any currency and instead tend to be more self sufficient in all their survival needs.
Animals: The animals in Zaki are copious. All types of beasts and critters alike roam these lands. The people live at peace with many of the critters. The beasts, however, tend to attack settlements, and often. The many types of beast hold resemblance to the hounds on Vex, and the springers on Buri. However, it seems that many of these beasts still remain unknown. The gods which some claim to have seen have been recorded to take the shape of some of the common animals inhabiting this region. Ozen have been recorded to live here but are not common by any means.
Buri
Buri is the fourth planet of the sisters. Buri is the second farthest planet from the sun. Buri is the only planet to ever attempt to withdraw from the sisters, in disagreeance with the result of the 3rd election. Because of this, many of the forgotten fled to Buri after the 4th election, but fell into a trap set by the new king to rid themselves of the forgotten. The king Olii flooded the planet killing many of the inhabitants, and destroying all established settlements. Because of this, Buri is almost entirely covered in debris scattered water. The settlements that have since popped up are placed upon giant rafts, and have little protection from the springers, a beast which lurks under water, and attacks from below, but is able to live upon land. Buri is not home to many people nor animals, but it’s resources trapped below the surface are plentiful. Some do travel to Buri to gain access to these riches. Buri also has a high population of Safety Force members.
People: The surviving people of Buri are quiet. They mostly keep to themselves. The scale of the disaster which took place here has been too much for many of the people to handle psychologically. All people own a makeshift boat. It is essential to survival. Many fish for food. Others dive deep down to take springer eggs, which are a known delicacy. The people have not fully adapted to this life, however they are known to be skilled negotiators. Only the richest of people on Buri are able to afford to live on one of the few bits of land remaining. These people tend to be incredibly defensive of their land and protect it indefinitely.
Animals: There are many fish who inhabit Buri, but the most common dangerous animal are the springers. Shooting out of the water at high speeds, and being able to fight on land with their claws is a huge advantage to them. Other than springers, there are not many surviving threats to the humans living there. Near land, there tends to be more birds in the air.
Hau
Hau was the final planet created by the gods, on the final harvest. Hau is also the furthest planet from the sun. Hau is mostly frozen over, and completely covered in snow. Despite this, it is a fairly lively planet. Hau is known best for it’s feasts. Hau celebrates at any chance that they can, and they do so in huge ways. Huge dining halls in every city is where you are most likely to find anyone you are looking for. It is this mentality that makes the planet feel very welcoming to strangers. Life in Hau is eventful, simple, and above average. The simplicity comes mostly from the lack of technology to have reached them. The people still ride animals, chop wood, and even read. The people stay warm with huge bonfires within city walls, and are always seeking out more wood to keep the flame ablaze.
People: The people of Hau are kind, welcoming, and most of all, happy. Never to be caught without a mead nearby, they live a much simpler life than those on other planets. But this does not make them stupid. It is this style of life that allows them to all stay in top physical shape. Most of the people survive by hunting some of the many wildlife that live beyond city walls. They often wield traditional weapons such as guns, or even bows and arrows. Many of the men grow beards while the women also remain incredibly fit. The best way for the people of Hau to stay warm is the accumulation of many beast’s pelts over their shoulders, worn as almost a vest.
Animals: The animals in Hau are innumerous. Although Ozen have taken many parts of the planet, the majority of beasts on this planet are white to better blend in with the snowy weather. One of the most common of these beasts are the Marus. The marus have huge white tusks and although not fast, they are strong. They have no arms or legs, but fins. They are proficient swimmers as well, but they are most dangerous at close range.
After the creation of the 5 sisters, the gods created man, and then went into hiding. While some do insist that they reside on the other side of The God’s Bridge in Zaki, this is not known for sure. The first planet inhabited by men was Vex. Here, man thrived and quickly advanced. Over 10,000 years ago, man began to venture from Vex, to live on the other planets. They all quickly adapted to their environments and evolved to best survive in their respective situations. The system of government had been the same for as long as man could remember. The king ruled over all subjects in his or her domain, which was expanded to include the other planets once necessary. This continued until only 300 years ago, when the king was assassinated by a group only known as The Control.
The 5 sisters plunged into chaos, in utter disbelief of recent events. But soon, a new king arose. King Gaius of Zaki took the throne. A new system was established. One which was meant to preserve the lifestyle of all inhabitants of the 5 sisters. It enacted an election upon the death or resignation of the king. It required that every single citizen cast a public vote for one of 2 predetermined candidates. Since Gaius had already taken the throne, he declared himself the victor of the first election, and had all opposition run out of cities, and prosecuted as criminals. Public executions, mass graves, and rallies of hatred began to take place throughout the 5 sisters, except on Zaki. And so it was.
The 2nd election was around 260 years ago. The retaliation towards the losers was swift and powerful. It had become a new norm. Killed on the street, run out of cities, left for dead, the losers of the election became the Forgotten. The 3rd election was about 140 years ago. Buri made an attempt after the election to leave the 5 sisters and be a standalone governing body. This notion received no support from the other planets. Come the 4th election, many of the forgotten though that Buri would be a safe place to hide from the treachery that would soon ensue, but instead found themselves in a trap set by the new king, King Olii. This trap killed many of the forgotten. While nobody knows exactly where all the forgotten hide, the hideout that we find our hero in is in Vex, underground in the furthest outskirts of the planet.
Beast Guide
Rodies
Present on all planets, mostly Arne.
Small rodent like critters
Yellow Glowing Eyes
Small, fast, dirty
Eat anything
Set traps for humans
Always travel in groups
Hounds
Present Everywhere but Arne and Buri
Wolf like creatures
Quick, strong, intelligent
Always travel in packs
Ozen
Present all planets
Human like features
Strong
Travel in packs,
Diverged along separate evolutionary path
Bots
Present all planets
Serve the king
Don’t attack, but alert others
Travel alone
Tough to kill
Safety Patrol
Present on all planets
Squads sent out by King Olii to pursue the Forgotten
Use weapons
Have armor
Travel in packs
God Beasts
Present on Zaki
Rumored to exist but never reliably recorded
Giant, beautiful beasts
Strong and sometimes aggressive
Springers
Present on all planets but Arne and Vex
Live in both water and land
Use claws and fast attacks as weapons
Travel in packs
Marus
Present on all planets but Arne and Vex and Buri
Look like fat walrus
Live both water and land
Incredibly strong, not smart
Travel in small groups
The other animals that inhabit this universe are much like those in our own world. Most are not aggressive but some can be at times.
Aidan Takami Game Development 