Dream's Dénouement [Psychological][Fantasy]
Posted: Wed May 30, 2012 11:26 am
Click on the logo to visit our website!
Disturbed by the disorder in the Waking World, Pasithea began toying with the idea of simply ending it all. Hypnos has convinced her to give life a chance to show some sort or redeemable quality, and so to test them, Pasithea begins randomly pulling humans into the Dream World to observe them. If the humans can overcome the nightmarish trials of the Dream World that they themselves created, they may save Waking World. However, if they fail, all life is doomed to eternal slumber...One thing is for certain: Failure is not an option.
~~~
Official website: Dream's Dénouement (more info, pics, development blog and other cool stuff).Writing: 100%
Sprites: 40%
BGs: 60%
CGs: 0%
Music: 50%
The percentages above apply to the main part, scroll to the bottom for progress of individual modules.
- Jungian psychology
- Large-scale visual novel
- Awesome original art and music
- CG gallery
- Music Room
- Unlockable bonus content
- RPG and other gameplay elements (in individual modules)
- All gameplay elements are optional / skippable
- One of the biggest collaborative VNs
- 100% free
- Enter the Dream World: A world with limits that are unknown even to its inhabitants. Explore the individual worlds created by the captive human souls.
- Escape the Dream World: Humans aren't here on vacation, they want out. But here,even your own perception of the way things are is no longer trust worthy.
- Experience the dangers of the Dream World: It's just a dream, but the pain is very real.
- Ride the Emotional Tide: One experience can go from paradise to hell in seconds, from a love story to a full-on night terror, from bliss to absolute ruin.
- With a wide cast of characters, some original and others recognizable from other series, you can experience life in the Dream World through numerous perspectives.
Pasithea is the one with the Collective Unconscious, she experiences and knows all of humanity’s sorrows, rage, disappointments, and joy. Pasithea has absolute control over the Dream World, meaning that she dictates its shape, rules, and fate. She has the ability to peer into the Real World and the individual realms created by visitors and residents of the Dream World. She’s become rather pessimistic lately.
Hypnos is husband of Pasithea who has a bit of a sweet tooth, often spotted carrying slices of cake. When he gets sad, he'll plop some ice cream in the waffle cone on his head and nibble at it slowly. His daily routine consists of monitoring the realms that pop up in the Dream World and making sure nothing too serious happens… He’s somewhat of an optimist and idealist.
Norse can travel through time using the clock he sits on to get around everywhere. Oftentimes he uses his power to entertain himself, going to past events to relive a different experience. Deadpan and nonchalant, he doesn't get along well with grumps, tsunderes, or otherwise annoying people. He likes to take things easy, with his life's pace almost snail-like. Other likes include salty food, clockworks, and reptiles. His true age is unknown, although he might not be as young as he looks!
Octalus IV is a picky, misanthropic, grumpy, bad tempered old wizard who can't even grow a beard, so he slaps on a fake one. He hates people who waste his time, green vegetables, excessively loud noises, bright places, flashing lights and overcooked meat. Despite all that, he isn't stingy with his knowledge and takes in anyone who wants to be an apprentice, though he drives them up the wall through constant nagging. Likes to badmouth other wizards. Also likes gossip.
Episode I:
The world has fallen into an eternal night and time has stopped in order for Pasithea to consider all things in both the Dream and the Real Worlds. Pasithea is on the verge of abandoning both realms completely because she is disturbed by the sheer amount of apathy and cruelty present, but Hypnos insists on giving humanity one last chance. Pasithea thus proposes an experiment: she will pull in few Creatures from the Real World into the Dream World and see if they can escape the realms that their hearts create. If there are positive emotions, escape should be easy; if there are negative emotions, the realms, the Creatures are in, becomes a nightmarish horror.
If all of the transported beings are able to return to the Real World, then all is well and the Pasithea has her faith in humanity restored (for now). If not, then Pasithea will force the destruction of the Dream World, which is invariably tied to the Real World, causing chaos to spread to the Real World. Her motives for doing this are because she’s tired of seeing humans hurting each other and repeating the same old mistakes, and she’s one step away from being convinced that there is no chance for salvation. “Better to end it all now than to let it continue on like this.”
The mood is fairly somber and serious, and themes include ones revolving around human nature, idealism vs. realism, etc. Still, the residents of the Dream World joke around, while Pasithea is not amused.
The story follows the characters and the places where they were transported to, and the world that they created. Characters are initially unaware, that this experience is inside of the Dream World, but they sometimes realize what’s happening during the module when something surreal happens or they realize that the events are impossible in the Real World (in psychological terms, they would now be in lucid dreaming).
Terms:
- Dream World – A surreal world which co-exists with the Real World; no one, not even the Pasithea or Hypnos (who have been there since the day of its creation), knows why it exists. Perhaps it is supposed to give temporary relief from the Real World, but the ability to mold the landscape into a twisted nightmare land contradicts this. Whatever happens here is only limited by creativity and imagination.
- Real World – Also called the Waking Life by residents of the Dream World. Humans and what have you live here, and nothing too mindblowing happens here :/
Note: Some of the modules below may not be included in episode 1. The titles of the modules are subject to change.
(Visit the Media Gallery on our site to view all screenshots)
Seaside Anniversary:
Joshua and Elise (from That's the Way the Cookie Crumbles) go to a romantic restaurant by the beach for their one year anniversary of dating. Elise desn't like how Joshua is always toying with her, but she still likes him. It's a make or break point for their relationship.
- Number of words: 3,000
- Writer: CheeryMoya | Sprites & CGs: Tag- | BGs: Zylinder | Music: Ziassan & Retribute
- Writing: 100% | Sprites: 100% | BGs: 100% | Music: 25%
It's adventure time for Janelle (from Astral Transparency: Cole's Gate) and Chiara (from Lotus) as they find themselves in Candy Kingdom. Prince Ben has been kidnapped by the evil Ice Queen in order to marry her! Will they be able to rescue Prince Ben from her evil clutch and save the Candy Kingdom?
- Writing & Sprites & CGs: Maltagliati | BGs: Leon & jghibiki | Music: Ziassan & Retribute
- Number of words: 3600
- Writing: 90% | Sprites: 50% | BGs: 100% | CGs: 50% | Music: 66%
Kouji from In This Dream of Ours wakes up in a mysterious city. It's kind of like a cartoon world full of superheroes, vilains and everything in between. Can Kouji and his new allies defeat The Evil Dr. Zorkasplorken and stop his evil plans?
- Writing: Kaleidofish | Sprites: Fungii | BGs: Leon | Music: Ziassan
- Number of words: 6,000
- Writing: 95% | Sprites: 54% | BGs: 100% | Music: 66%
Malron was preparing most of his life for a mission to establish first contact with an alien race, but he got retired before he was needed. However he is about to get a second chance. His wife was sent on a mission, but she dissapeared without a trace. He is sent on a mission to investigate his wife's dissapearance and continue her mission.
- Writer & BGs: Leon, Sprites & CGs: dark-deeds
- Number of words: 3,000
- Writing: 100% | Sprites: 10% | CGs: 50% | BGs: 100%
When Carly was a little girl, a magical being appeared before her and offered her a gift: a magical tattoo with the power to make all her wishes and dreams come true. Now anything she sings, happens without fail.
Carly really likes her friend Aldrin, but he is just about to tell her about another girl, that he likes. She is about to find out, her 'gift' can be both a blessing and a curse...
- Writer: Maelstrom-Fenrir | Sprites and CGs: Patty | Music: Ziassan
- Number of words: 6,000
- Writing: 100% | Sprites: 100% | Music: 100%
A few more previews:
Check out the Media Gallery section of our website for more sketches, WIPs and previews!
The collab is organized in a way that there's one overarching storyline and within each episode there are several smaller stories (AKA the modules). While the main story will have a single, cohesive art style and plot, all the module creators are free to do whatever they please in terms of genre and art style.
Imagination and a touch of Jungian psychology is our only limitation here, and we intend to use the mystery of dreams to its greatest potential.
Our goal is not only to complete a VN built upon collaborative effort, but also to help members create connections to one another for the future.
Here are the awesome people, who are working hard on making this happen.
- Writers: CheeryMoya, Compulsive Liar, Enigma, Hijiri, Kaleidofish, Maelstorm-Fenrir, OrochiWolf, SilverxBlue
- Editor: jghibiki
- Artists: dark-deeds, Fungii, Lennonhead, Maltagliati, myapple, mirae1212, Nottiebutt, OnchoPoncho, Patty, Purplefinch, Sunlit-Dreamer, Tag-, WeakJounin, Zylinder
- Composers: Antoniojf, JKOL, Retribute, Skulesta, Ziassan
- Programmer: Leon
- Beta-Testers: azureXtwilight, Omnificent, Valethar
Topics for discussion:
- What features / extras would you like to see (voice acting, more CGs, ...)?
- What do you like/dislike about the concept?
- Do you think Pasithea's motives are justified?
- Who are your favourite characters and why?
- Are the characters believable?
Who wants some of Hypnos's cake?