Dark Voyage - The Series ... Prologue: "Cold Storage"

[Genii Benedict]

In 2165, the Earth was dying.

Overpopulation and global starvation had drained the planet of resources, and rampant industrialization left the land and waters scarred beyond repair. All of the Governments of the world joined together to create the Earth-One Coalition, a single Global Government that would focus on creating a solution to try and save as many of the world's population as possible.

After years of deliberation, it was decided that the only solution left was to begin construction on a number of Earth Colony Ships, space vessels capable of transporting thousands of people off-world. Earth-One's best scientists had created a new form of propulsion, the Lumen Drive, which allowed them to send out numerous interstellar satellites, confirming the existence of a pair of life-supporting planets in Alpha Centauri, 4.7 light years away. With this new technology, it would be possible to travel this distance in under two-hundred years, a time once thought impossible.

But, would humanity survive the trip?

William S. Jackson is a Builder. He, his Wife and two children are traveling on the first Earth Colony Ship to what they hope will be their salvation. Not one to believe in luck, Will has worked hard every day of his life to give his family what they have needed to survive in the harsh environment that Earth-One has become. It is this hard work that earned him a spot on the ECS Searchlight, while his friends and extended family members are still fighting to survive on a world that is too quickly dying around them...

The ECS Searchlight is the first Earth Colony Ship to complete construction. It houses thousands of people in cryogenic suspension, while a skeleton crew of Administrators, Academics, Builders and others are awake, and flying the ship to its uncertain destination.

Spoiler

The Main Menu...

The Bridge...

One of many tributes to the classics of the science fiction gaming genre... This one, from System Shock 2.

One of the Main Corridors on-board the ship...

Multiple areas to explore, custom signage and colour-coding...

I am presently using the following scripts in my game:

• Yanfly's Core Engine v1.09
  
• Yanfly's Message System v1.04
  
• Khas' Awesome Light Effects ... and
  
• TDS' Title Window Font Changer
  

I would like to thank:

• Enterbrain, for their amazing RPGMakerWebAce program
  
• GrandmaDeb for the use of her beautiful sci-fi tile set ... and
  
• The Members of RPGMakerWeb.com for the inspiration and assistance
  

 

[Genii Benedict]

I was working on mapping the environment, and realized that without a physical design in my head, bit-and-piecing it would be nearly impossible. So, I decided that I should design the ship in a couple of graphics packages. It started with some innocent shapes in PhotoImpact, and then I moved on to Google Sketchup. Now that I've completed my initial rendering, I should be able to lay out the different sections of the ship a little easier.

Ladies and Gentlemen, without further ado, I give you the ECS Searchlight...

Spoiler

 

[Levi]

Puuuuurrrrrrdyyyyyyyyyyy! Awesome tileset GrandmaDeb!

This is a super cool idea! Plus, I haven't played a Sci-Fi RM game yet.

 

[Genii Benedict]

Grandma Deb filled a need, that's for sure! I've seen a whole bunch of fantasy RPG's, and a few survival/horror RPG's, but I haven't seen any sci-fi themed ones at all. I'm not saying they're not out there - and I'd love to play them, if they are - but they're certainly not as plentiful as I would like.

Let's start a new trend!

 

[RATED-RKOFRANKLIN]

So far I like what I see. This game definitely has potential. What is the gameplay?

 

[Genii Benedict]

So far I like what I see. This game definitely has potential. What is the gameplay?

Thanks!

I'm looking at it being very story based, however, I don't want to deliver the story all in text. For the prologue, there is probably going to be a minimum of combat, but I am trying to work this in effectively. (i.e. I can see the possibility of 1-3 battles, but it won't be part of the core gameplay. It will serve to move the story along in one of two directions.) There will be some 'action' elements by way of timed challenges, and some good (imho) puzzles.

This is my first foray into creating a game, so I'm hoping to deliver something that is enjoyable to most. That being said, I'm writing it so that I enjoy it... ...so, if you like what I like, I hope you'll enjoy it just fine!

GB

 

[servantb7]

Looks nice. I like how you made it a little more realistic by saying the journey will take 200 years. I think its original to have the focus not on the new world, but on the journey.

I would think the biggest obstacle in a game like this would be a lack of variety in the environments. Will all the action be on one ship? Multiple ships? How are you trying to keep

the action fresh without new/diverse environments?

 

[Genii Benedict]

Looks nice. I like how you made it a little more realistic by saying the journey will take 200 years. I think its original to have the focus not on the new world, but on the journey.

Thanks! That was a major plot point for me - I already have a skeleton of multiple stories along the journey, and some elements within the gameplay itself will lend themselves well to the progression.

Plot spoilers ahead:

Spoiler

Not to give everything away, but the title "Cold Storage" should give you an idea of how this will be done.

I would think the biggest obstacle in a game like this would be a lack of variety in the environments. Will all the action be on one ship? Multiple ships? How are you trying to keep the action fresh without new/diverse environments?

Ah! You've asked a great question. I considered this a lot in the creation of the storyline... There will be multiple environments, yet, the majority of the story will exist on-board the ship itself... This part will be introduced in the initial prologue, itself - actually, quite majorly, so I shall put this in the MAJOR SPOILER, right here...

MAJOR SPOILER AHEAD (just in case you didn't read the above, and jumped to this button!)

Spoiler

Due to the overpopulation, the crew that aren't cryogenically frozen take up a LOT of room - so NOBODY gets a personalized stateroom. Rather, you go to a shared accommodation, and 'jack in' to a centralized system that manages your dream states. Think the Matrix. This way, you are able to interact with those who ARE asleep - your family, friends, etc. THIS is how I overcome the multiple environments dilemma. If you can dream it, you can play it.

Whew. Darn. I don't even know if I should have put that in there - even though it will be introduced pretty quickly.

GB

 

[RyanA]

Looks snazzy. :3 I agree with ServantB7 too, though.

Edit - Wow that's quite a cool way around that problem! Genie! :3

 

[Levi]

@Genii Benedict

I'm weak... and can not avoid spoilers for the life of me. If there's a spoiler... i resist for 5-10 seconds tops, then cave. Haha.

This. Sounds. Incredible! Can't wait. One of the most original concepts (overall) in an RM game that I've ran into so far.

 

[Genii Benedict]

Edit - Wow that's quite a cool way around that problem! Genii! :3

Thanks! To continue the idea a bit... Darn it. Now, I want to spill more. Nope. Can't do it. (That was me, just erasing the new spoiler I had written.)

@Genii Benedict

I'm weak... and can not avoid spoilers for the life of me. If there's a spoiler... i resist for 5-10 seconds tops, then cave. Haha.

This. Sounds. Incredible! Can't wait. One of the most original concepts (overall) in an RM game that I've ran into so far.

HA. Then I guess YOU are the audience for which I removed the spoiler I was working on. I won't give too much away... I can't. The 'core' gameplay will be surrounded by more elements such as that... ...and the twists, OH THE TWISTS!

 

[Genii Benedict]

Today, I present two of our newest characters. There are minimal spoilers within, which should not ruin anything. You will meet these characters early in the game.

Meet the Docbot...

Spoiler

Specifications of note:

• 4 fully articulated restraint grade arms
  
• 2 fully articulated medication dispensing and medical multi-tool capable arms
  
• [REDACTED]
  
• [REDACTED]
  

...and the Secbot...

Spoiler

Specifications of note:

• Six (6) fully articulated, restraint grade arms
  
• Enhanced optics kit, military grade
  
• [REDACTED]
  
• [REDACTED]
  
• [REDACTED]
  

As I've designed these 'characters' in Google Sketchup, much like the ship, I think I'm going to try and continue to have my 'non-human' characters designed the same way... ...at least, for continuity sake.

 

[Caedmon]

Genii sounds like a great idea for a game. I really do wish you luck in completing it.