The game is set in a world where imagination is enough to make something exist. Only limits are set by a deity overseeing the world. Every few days, a different deity takes this role, changing the rules and moral values. World’s inhabitants need to follow the rules, even if those rules are against their moral standards, or they will be punished. If an inhabitant follows the rules, he is blessed and protected by the deity.
The game’s world is dangerous and unstable. A sudden “purge” can disconnect a location for days, erase memories or create a connection to a completely new location. Objects can appear or disappear when there are fluctuations in acceptance. It can start snowing during a hot sunny day if someone is having a bad day. The whole world is merely someone's imagination turning memories into shapes, colors, and sounds.
The game’s world is inhabited by beings called Lalia. They arrive to it to learn how to become better versions of selves. They are there to learn to coexist with each other and solve problems by socializing and using each others strong sides in order to live in a world filled with love.
Lalia live in an information society. They effortlessly communicate to each other mind-to-mind. They can instantly exchange information with others or with whole world. Lalia even can contact higher spiritual beings that can help Lalia do the right thing and show them the right path.
Lalia are spiritual beings. They are genderless, they do not need to eat or drink, and they never get physically ill, age, or die. They are clueless about what they are and from where they came. All of their knowledge about the world and themselves comes from what they find out by exploration or asking to higher spiritual beings.
You, the player, assume the role of such higher spiritual being. In the past, it did unacceptable things. As a result now needs to help Lalia to find their true loving selves. This spiritual being, called Spirit Guide, needs to lead Lalia through every sequence of events that is thrown at them. Every choice made by Lalia becomes the reality and has an effect on all events before and after.
Spirit Guide is limited by the same rules set by the deity. In addition, it is limited by influence of another mighty entity - Story Master. Story Master is a spiritual entity that controls the flow of events. It does as it pleases to advance the story to a conclusion it sees fit.
Spirit Guide needs to live in this harsh reality where once a story ends, somewhere, sometime, with someone at his disposal, a new story begins. What happens is just a fragmented memory of Story Master, who is just a fragmented memory of Spirit Guide. There is not a hidden truth behind it all, only one important story of how Spirit Guide fell in this limbo of illusions.
Game mechanics
Main points of the game mechanics:
- A multitude of short mini-stories creating a longer main story
- Heavy branching and multiple endings for every mini-story
- Different Lalia can take same roles in one mini-story
- Setting is decided and altered as the game is being played
- The game can play itself without the player’s input (spectator mode)
- Hidden choices – the player can enter what Spirit Guide would say directly
- The game tries to progress with the biggest possible emotional impact on the player
- Lalia choose their actions based on the situation and personality
- Lalia can become acquaintances, friends and good friends. No romance.
- RPG style conversation-battle system and character classes with skill progression
- Extendable community based design – anyone can add new mini-stories and alternate artistic resources, which are immediately obtainable from within the game
Independent:
Game engine’s basic functionality: ~76% (AI 90%, renderer 67%, simulation 48%)
Game engine’s extended functionality: ~ 32% (AI 53%, renderer 23%, simulation 17%)
Scripting language: ~15% (basic 74%, extended 3%, rendercontrol 5%, simcontrol 9%)
Script editor: ~10%
Code specific to the game: 62%
Mini tech demo (hands on C2 2018, eyes on C1 2018)
Script outline: 14% (20 situations ready to be expanded upon)
Script: 4% (9.5K words active , 0.6K finalized)
World rendering resources: 3%
Character rendering resources: 1% (4% with programmer art included)
Dev-kit spots open: 0/5
Latgol script hands on spots open: 0/5
Participation spots available
We have unlimited space for writers. Ability to learn the setting, to follow existing plot and to create nonlinear and random stories in a multiwriter environment is a must. Willingness to learn basics of Latgol script’s syntax will be considered as a bonus.
Both background and character artists are welcome. Be aware that we use layered backgrounds and sprites with post processing (shader effects) and 3D particle effects. Join only if you are ok with that. We are going for simplistic K-ON like anime style. If you can do the whole project, we will accept any anime-ish style. However,be realistic in your abilities, as even demo will have 30+ characters and 20+ locations. Possibly more.
Any musicians interested are welcome. As a musician, you need to be able to create loopable background music pieces varied in different moods.
C# programmers are welcome. We will find something for you. Shader programmers are welcome too. We stick to shader model 9.0c and use only pixel shaders.
The project will be self-published donationware. Content for the game will be distributed using ingame online functionality and a web based content portal. All submitted 3rd party content is registered in our Content-ID system and stays the property of the corresponding registered rights holders.
We will not make piece-based upfront payments, even when we will receive the funding.
Join only if you plan to stick with the project and are passionate about the idea.
Minimum time you need to stick with the project to be added to the Content-ID payout system is 1 month, and the minimal contribution rate is 40 hours monthly. Payouts are done only using PayPal.
I highly appreciate any suggestions, critique (especially negative), or questions.
Thanks for reading!