Morendah: Search for a Cure

[Diego2112]

Alrighty then...  I suppose I should post the idea here, maybe get some feedback, see if it's worth half a darn.

Now, I DO NOT have any screenshots yet, as I've mostly been trying to get certain event systems down.  I actually started with the idea of what the player gets to DO before I started on the story!  SO, I've got the eventing already set up and ready to go, I'm now working on mapping and characters.

Sure, that's a bass-ackwards way of doing things, but hey, if Paul Simon can write songs by coming up with the MUSIC first, then the lyrics, I can do a game the same way!

SO, here's everything I've got so far!

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[SIZE=14pt]“Morendah:  Search for a Cure”[/SIZE]​

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High Concept Statement​

Your homeworld of Morendah has been struck with a severe plague.  Search the Stars for a cure.

Player Motivation​

Players are trying to save their homeworld from a violent plague outbreak that either kills the infected, or turns them into violent zombie-like killers.  Speed is of the essence, as each ingredient for the vaccine degrades after it’s taken from it’s native soil.

Features​

• Functioning Day/Night system that keeps track of time.  24 minutes to a full 24 hour cycle, giving the player 48 minutes to complete the game, before the ingredients spoil.
• Intuitive harvesting system based on random chance.  Each node has limited resources, each tool has limited uses!  Choose wisely!
• Party system.  You can have up to three people in your party, take the doctor if you want healing, take the security chief if you want some extra firepower.  Take the engineer if you want to blow stuff up!
• Weapons and armor pickups are available along the way, as well as many power up items.
• Each planet offers its own unique set of enemies.  What works on one planet might not work on another!
• NavCom System allows for quick travel to each planet, but you’ve got to be on your ship to use it!
• Level Up System:  Gain EXP from each kill and successful resource harvest!

Genre

Role Playing Game

Target Customers

PC Gamers.

Unique Selling Points

• Simple to learn interface
• Space/Sci-Fi Setting
• Unique mining system
• (I HOPE to have a) Craft system-combine items to make stronger versions
• Challenging levels
• Fun for all ages

Target Hardware

PC

Design Goals

Simple:  I want the game to be easy to pick up, easy to learn, and accessible to most age groups (there are some mature themes, zombies, alcohol, that sort of thing).  Arrow key movements, enter key to interact with surroundings, and escape to bring up the menu.  Anyone can pick it up!

Engaging:  I want the game to be engaging to the player.  Simple controls do not mean the game itself has to be easy to beat.  Each planet will offer new challenges to the player through tougher enemies, and harder to reach resources.

Fun:  Most importantly, I want the game to be fun!  After all, that’s the entire point of games, isn’t it?

Characters:

• Captain:  The Captain of the ship is a smuggler with a heart of gold.  As he and his crew are the only people off his homeworld when the plague strikes, they are Morendah’s last hope!
• First Mate:  She’s tough as nails, no nonsense, and helps keep the ship’s crew in line!
• List will be updated as more characters are added!

That's what I've got so far.  I'd love to hear feedback on the concept, y'all let me know what you think!

Flames will be used to make s'mores.  Complaints will be reviewed, processed, and fed to an angry rottweiler named Frankie.

 

[Dream3r]

It seems interesting though I'm a bit ocnfused, are you traveling you're own planet or are you visiting one?

 

[Vexed]

I think this could be really interesting and very compelling. I love the 48 minute time limit and the systems you have in mind sound really cool.

Wish you the best of luck with this and can't wait to give it a try.

 

[Diego2112]

It seems interesting though I'm a bit ocnfused, are you traveling you're own planet or are you visiting one?

You're the captain of a smuggling vessel who was off-world when the plague hit, so you're going to be visiting other planets to collect the resources to hopefully cure your homeworld.

I think this could be really interesting and very compelling. I love the 48 minute time limit and the systems you have in mind sound really cool.

Wish you the best of luck with this and can't wait to give it a try.

Thanks most kindly!  I've been working hard on it-the Day/Night cycle alone took me 8 solid hours of eventing!

 

[Paladin-Cleric of Awesome]

Seems interesting, can't wait to see some screenshots of it when they're ready.

 

[Diego2112]

Seems interesting, can't wait to see some screenshots of it when they're ready.

Will be a bit before any are posted.  Want to make sure I have things well sorted before I start posting images; I've seen what I'm up against!  

 

[InterloperGames]

This looks really cool, the time element especially seems pretty interesting. I was looking into time based stuff the other day when thinking about a real-world time day night cycle.

I'm a fan of perma-death in games, so I like that you can actually lose in this. Have you thought about removing the save feature? Just a thought, since it will be quite short anyway, it might up the tension!

Looking forward to playing it, I'm a sucker for a good sci-fi

 

[Diego2112]

This looks really cool, the time element especially seems pretty interesting. I was looking into time based stuff the other day when thinking about a real-world time day night cycle.

I'm a fan of perma-death in games, so I like that you can actually lose in this. Have you thought about removing the save feature? Just a thought, since it will be quite short anyway, it might up the tension!

Looking forward to playing it, I'm a sucker for a good sci-fi

I'm hoping that the time system works the way I want it to!

As to perma-death and no saving...  Eh, if I knew how to institute a "Hardmode," I'd do it.  Outside that, save points will be limited-at each space port only, so you'd have to star the LEVEL over, but not the entire game.

GOOD sci-fi is very subjective!  I hope that I don't let you down!

EDIT WITH UPDATE ON WHAT IS GOING ON WITH THE MAKING:

1/4 of databasing done (weapons)!

Left to do on databasing:

Armor

Health/Powerup Items

Ore

Mild background for each of the PCs worked out.

Maps done:

Ship Cabin

Crew Quarters

1/3 of Galley

Solar System

Maps left:

2/3 of Galley

Engine Room

Five Planets (With three sub-areas each)

After that, adding in NPCs, and instituting a party select system.

Then I just add the events for the ore system, and event out the cut scenes, and I'm DONE (in theory)!

 

[Diego2112]

ALRIGHT, it's been 5-6 days, only been updating in the update thread proper, but I figured I'd do a massive info dump here, since there have been many changes since the last post!

Database is DONE (apart from tileset stuff, that's a per-use basis, really).

Characters are DONE.  I've set the curves, I've set basic backstory, and I've set equipment usage and whatnot.  Pleased as Punch!

Maps are coming along quite nicely.  I have ALL of the ship mapped out, one of the space ports, and it's tavern.  

The Solar System now has a name other than "Sol."  It's Sanguine.  I don't know why, probably something to do with the fact that I'm a huge fan of The Great and Glorious Big Mac Daddy King Emprah of All That is Epic and Awesome.  Maybe.  Dunno.

Have REMOVED the Time-Limit system, after MANY complaints (they ain't even PLAYED it yet, they just HATE the idea of a time limit causing the m to LOSE).  It has been replaced with an INSTANT LOSS line of dialogue.  You choose wrong on this one (four choices), game ENDS.  Why?  Because I'm EVIL!  I make O'Mally look like a nice guy!  MUWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!  Seriously, though, since this is a ROLE PLAYING GAME, and you're playing the ROLE of Captain Sully, you'd have to break character to make the wrong choice.

Due to a massive databasing LOSS, I have had to change some things from the original idea.  HOWEVER, if I'm able to get the mapping knocked out swiftly (I have AT LEAST eleven more to map out (that does not include building interiors and whatnot-that's just main zones:  Space Port, outside field type area, dungeon/forest/cave area).  If I can knock those out this week AND event the NPCs, I'll add back in the stronger items/craft system idea.  The resource nodes and harvest system is still the same, although without the crafting system it's not nearly of as much import.  I blame bad backup habits for this issue.

Still, I hope to have everything working and correct by the 22nd, when the game will go to my beta test group.  Over that week, it will be refined and optimized, for official upload to the contest page on the 29th.

I've played things VERY close to the chest thus far, but I feel I can go ahead and show a WIP screenshot of the engine room for the ship:

 

[Diego2112]

More updates on what's what:

Have EVERY PLANET MAPPED OUT TOTALLY (Apart from one, I'll get it in the morning, and then can start eventing)!

Have several NPCs set up and evented properly.  

Have added a maze area (that's really simple to figure out if you just pay attention to patterns) to Sanguine-V.

Have basically got everything but 3-5 maps done, and the eventing.

Things are coming along QUITE nicely.  I pulled 12 hours today working on it, and will probably pull another 5-6 tomorrow, and another 12 on Tuesday.  Wednesday-Friday I'm going to the beach for my anniversary, but I WILL be swapping off driving with the wife, so I'll probably be eventing on my way down there, and then in the evenings after we've had our fun.

Largest map so far is 41x45.  It's the Moon.  It was a right -YOINKED!- pain to do, too!

Tomorrow, after I map out the last few areas on Sanguine-VI, I'll be working on face sets for Sully, as I have face sets for all the other PCs, and most of the NPCs.  MIGHT try and make some for Fightin' Joe Hooker, on account of he's actually a pretty important non-critical NPC.  Talk to him.  He'll tell you about the planets, and what you can expect to face on each one!

...

STILL not 100% sure how I want to start the game...  ON Sanguine-VI?  On the SHIP?  In the solar system and let the PLAYER decide where to go first?

Alas, I cannot answer this question at this time.  I'll probably wing it, as I've done most of this stuff!

Anyway, all y'all been real good to wait, so here's another screenshot!

This is the space port for the PLANET Morendah, your end destination!

Spoiler

In my personal opinion, it's the best map I've ever done.  Yes, those ARE bodies on the ground...  What of it?

 

[Diego2112]

Well, that wraps it up.  It's all in the hands of the People, and the Judges now.  I hope I did alright.  *Nods*  

It's been a wild ride of health issues, time constraints, and headaches, but I got it done.  Had to cut some things, but everything I cut was pretty much cut for the same reason-my core testers didn't care for those features.

But hey!  It's working, it's (mostly) bug free, and it has very few spelling errors (well, very few for ME, anyway)!

I'm stoked.  I just HOPE that the people liking it on Facebook are also sharing it!  (It'd be DAMN fine if they'd COMMENT on it, but that's probably hoping for too much)

 

[Diego2112]

Here is the link to the contest/download page.

Should have done this sooner.  My bad.  I'm a noob at this!

Morendah:  Search for a Cure

 

[kartersaint]

I just checked the comment section of your entry and there are many reviews that sum up my view of your game. 

I'm not good at playing RPG with turn based but your game developed the structure skilfully. Thoroughly designed mapping. I have nothing to say more. Your game is the best RPG that balanced well in the contest.

Get my vote! Your family would be proud of you! 

 

[Indrah]

Here's my very quick and sketchy take on the game (link for info on why it's so short and all that jazz)




+Intro does not drag too long (thank god).

+The ship has a somewhat interesting design/decent mapping.

+The “space map” is a good idea (if poorly executed and bland).

-The intro with the kid and the grandpa feels completely superfluous (and their map is very oddly mapped with medieval looking tiles).

-Why are the kid and the grandpa just standing in the room?

-Mapping outside the ship is very bland and basic at best.

-Nothing about space looks any different than earth, so it lacks any charm there.

-I don’t mind if the game’s excuse is retrieving 4 random items, but if you care so little about the reason don’t try to pretend it’s a big deal for a cure or whatever (none of the characters act like it’s any big deal).

-Writing and characters are dry and stiff and lack personality.

-Face sets mismatch: the captain has a different style than his party members, and the two chars during the intro too.

-The planets feel, overall, very half-assed. This is a big problem in a game about SPACE TRAVEL. The settings are what we look forward to the most.

-Battle is uneven with no recovery options (outside the shops I assume, but do you really want to make a visit to those compulsory?)

-You have a bunch of characters NOT introduced in the formation. At least mention them!

-I’m all for different character having different attacks, but this is not mentioned anywhere.

To the developer: This game…is lacking. The concept of space exploration is always cool, but this feels very…lazy. I’m not accusing you, but that’s what comes across from this. When the planets look no different from earth then it feels like the maker didn’t try (even if it’s not the case). There’s no context or setting explained, no differences, everything feels the same. I understand it’s partly a matter with resources, but it still feels half-assed.

The intro feels pointless, no character is properly introduced and neither is the gameplay. I’m not sure of what the “forte” of this game IS, or where its focus lies. If you want to make this game WORK (as in remake it and not move on to another project) I’d recommend starting with the setting. Space Travel is lovely, but if it doesn’t feel like it then it’s a problem. Properly introduce the elements of your game: the setting, the plot, the characters, gameplay elements…it just feels very rough and “shoved in at the last minute” as it is.

If you’re going with an “alien planets” theme at least make them look somewhat DIFFERENT from earth. Even just a simple tile recolor, SOMETHING.