The Setting (new)
The world has two parallel realms, the "spirit" realm and the "regular" realm. The spirits can interact with the regular plane, and an ancient civilization figured out how to communicate with them. The civilization prospered peacefully and spread across the galaxy, thanks to the technology developed with the spirits' aid. Unfortunately, turmoil arose in the spirit realm and the technology used by the civilization became unstable. Without the boon of the spirits to sustain them, the civilization collapsed and the technology was lost to time, its people scattered across the galaxy and isolated from each other. As millions of years passed, the different pockets of the civilization evolved and developed independently, although not every group survived. The ones that did became the new galactic races.
One day, the ancient technology mysteriously began working again, and the civilization's descendants rediscovered how to put it to use, though they did not fully understand it. Eventually, brilliant minds were able to research the technology and scientific breakthroughs were made, allowing them harness the powers of the spirit realm for their own. They had thought the ancient civilization reborn, but they did not realize the relationship the ancients had with the spirits.
A new civilization was born on the shoulders of the ancients. Four major organizations rose to power, each with a different focus and ideology: The Unified Galactic Republic, the Guild of Commerce, the Shi'Ru Empire, and the Order of the Mani'Ulo. Each operate independently and vie for power across the galaxy. Wars broke out, and eventually the leaders resolved the conflicts with treatises. The four organizations coexisted for an age under a volatile arrangement. Inevitably, a shift in the balance of power led to further conflict, which is still ongoing at present.
One day, the ancient technology mysteriously began working again, and the civilization's descendants rediscovered how to put it to use, though they did not fully understand it. Eventually, brilliant minds were able to research the technology and scientific breakthroughs were made, allowing them harness the powers of the spirit realm for their own. They had thought the ancient civilization reborn, but they did not realize the relationship the ancients had with the spirits.
A new civilization was born on the shoulders of the ancients. Four major organizations rose to power, each with a different focus and ideology: The Unified Galactic Republic, the Guild of Commerce, the Shi'Ru Empire, and the Order of the Mani'Ulo. Each operate independently and vie for power across the galaxy. Wars broke out, and eventually the leaders resolved the conflicts with treatises. The four organizations coexisted for an age under a volatile arrangement. Inevitably, a shift in the balance of power led to further conflict, which is still ongoing at present.
The main character (the Agent) works for an independent contracting agency, titled The Agency, which focuses mostly on scientific research and development of technology. The Agent has been assigned to a team to explore and research a planetary system believed to have been one of the hubs of the ancient civilization that did not survive the test of time. After the team establishes a base camp, disaster strikes and the Agent finds himself trapped in the ancient ruins. As he explores, he discovers a secret to communicating with the spirits, and bonds with one. The bond with the spirit grants him power beyond what modern technology provides alone. With the spirit's aid, he overcomes the trials to escape the ruins, only to find his team has disappeared. The Agent must explore the system to look for clues to the disaster and save his team. As he explores, his bond with the spirit grows and with its help, he uncovers more secrets, including a plot that ties in to the collapse of the civilization.
The game will be set in a distant planetary system, with gameplay taking place on the main planet and its three moons. Each planet/moon will be broken up into subsections with their own sub themes. The main hub will be the Base Camp on the first moon. In SMBX terms, the hub is its own level, and the adjacent areas are also their own levels. Traveling between levels should be seamless, as if going through a door in Metroid. Every area is accessed from an adjacent area. Eventually, the player will unlock teleport options to different areas, and can warp to the main hub from them, and vice versa. Each level will be split into different sections, much like the different rooms in Super Metroid. After a certain plot point, the player will be able to travel to the other moons and main planet.
*adjusted wording to fit new setting
*adjusted wording to fit new setting
Hit Points
First, it will utilize a basic Hit Points system. Instead of getting hit and losing your powerup, it registers the hit and subtracts from your Hit Points. When you reach 0 hit points, you die. Throughout the game, the player might come across upgrades that increase maximum Hit Points.
Next is a Powerup System that is based on your Hit Points. The player will be able to unlock different powerups as they progress through the game. Each powerup corresponds to an element. At specific areas, you will be able to choose your "active element". While you are above a certain amount of Hit Points, you will be set to your powered up state that corresponds with your active element(i.e. If your active element is Fire, you will be Fire Mario). While at critical HP (i.e. almost dead) you will revert to being powered down (i.e. Small Mario). There may be some obstacles that require being small, adding risk.
*adjusted wording to fit new setting
*adjusted wording to fit new setting
As you progress through the game, you will unlock a sort of "tag-team" ability, letting you toggle between your default mode and your active enhancement (which acts like a different character). Like the powerup, at specific areas you can set which enhancement you have equipped. You will have separate hit points and powerups for each mode, so you will need to figure out what combination will work best for the area you are exploring (like Fire Mario + Leaf Toad, or Ice Mario + Fire Luigi). The hit points for the alternate mode will be less than default mode. When the enhancement runs out of hit points it will automatically deactivate and become unavailable until repaired. The alternate mode will always be powered up.
*adjusted wording to fit new setting
*adjusted wording to fit new setting
A menu interface will be implemented. This allows for easy selection of powerups, teleports, items, etc. and also allows the player to view information such as the map, quests, and current status. There will be different menus for different things, such as the pause menu, the powerup/enhancement selection menu, shop menus, and teleport menus. From the pause menu, the player can access their inventory.
There will be an inventory system that allows you to store items that help you in various ways that can be used at any time. For example, there are items that restore Hit Points, absorb damage, and even grant temporary invincibility. The way the items will work: You unlock each item once and each item has a set number of maximum charges. Using the item expends a charge, and when you're out of charges you can't use the item. At specific areas, you will be able to recharge your items. As the player explores, they might find upgrades that increase the maximum charges an item can hold or augment the item's effect somehow(e.g. invincibility lasting longer, more restoration, more damage absorb).
*separated interface information from inventory
*separated interface information from inventory
There will be two types of resources the player can acquire: a renewable resource obtained from defeated enemies, and a finite resource obtained through quests and exploration. The renewable resource might be used to pay tolls to access certain areas or special challenges, maybe even to activate special, helpful objects. The finite resource will be used to purchase various non-essential upgrades and items from shops (e.g. HP upgrades, Item Charges, Item Augments, a new Item, maybe even some secrets!)
With the implementation of the Powerup and Tag-Team systems comes a whole slew of opportunities for exciting, powerup-based level design. Areas can be designed around a certain powerup or Team setup. Powerups go from being "a neat advantage" to "a necessary ability" without the stress from trying to keep your powerup through difficult areas and having to backtrack just to reactivate it.
The implementation of the Hit Points System also affects level design in a positive way. The levels can be designed to be more difficult with platforming or enemy placement, and the player won't be extremely penalized for making a mistake. This also allows for a better difficulty curve to match the player's power scaling as they find upgrades.
The implementation of the Hit Points System also affects level design in a positive way. The levels can be designed to be more difficult with platforming or enemy placement, and the player won't be extremely penalized for making a mistake. This also allows for a better difficulty curve to match the player's power scaling as they find upgrades.
Yeah, save your progress like in Metroid or something. You restart at your last save point with all the progress you had made up to when you saved. Save Data stored in a text file and loaded with Lunalua, pretty self explanatory.
I could definitely use some help and/or support, mainly with graphics, level design, and boss design. A)I'm no artist, and B) collaborating on design seems to be the best way to produce a decent game (so long as people agree). If anyone is interested in assisting or collaborating, let me know!
Feel free to ask any questions or give your thoughts on the project or concepts.
