Outlandish Move [SFW][edu][lang][school-based]StoryUpdate

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darlo
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Outlandish Move [SFW][edu][lang][school-based]StoryUpdate

#1 Post by darlo »

Current Statistics. - 18 Feb 2013
The game contains 4,715 screens of dialogue.
These screens contain a total of 13,737 words,
for an average of 2.9 words per screen.
The game contains 114 menus.
20 endings written
:roll: :mrgreen: :twisted: :o :) :cry: :| :P :arrow: :x :lol: :mrgreen: :mrgreen: :lol: :D
Ok, after ummmming and arrrring (especially as yesterday was International Pirate Day) and reading the sticky numerous times, I've decided to actually post about my current project.

EDIT 11 Feb - I've added new pictures. I'm using sprites generously donated from Widget, YonYonYon and Bubblesfish. I'm still undecided on a couple of other characters, particularly the main male character. Enjoy!

Title
Outlandish Move (current working title, likely it will change) [Educational][Language Study]

Why I'm Making This Game
I live and teach in a small area on the coast of Japan and my students get very little chance to interract with native speakers. I wanted to make something which presents a scenario where they would be forced to use what they have learned, and learn from any mistakes they make.

Very Brief Plot
Your character (insert name here, with special in-jokes for certain names) has just moved with your mother to the village of Takibe in Japan. After arriving at school for your first day you are pushed through the door with great force and see a white light. When you wake up, a girl in front of you (who looks a lot like a neighbour you met on arrival) greets you in English. You come to realise you are no longer in Japan, but have somehow been transported to England. But for some reason, the school and students were expecting you as an exchange student.

Your character has to try and use English to get by. Whether 'get by' means trying to get back to Japan, trying to work out just what is going on, or trying to adapt to a new way of life, your skills in the local language are indeed neccessary (especially whether to say football or soccer, which (given one scenario), could be a factor in whether you live or die!).

Screenshots
Mom and Michiko
Mom and Michiko
Michelle and Mrs Harris in class.
Michelle and Mrs Harris in class.
Michelle and Mrs Harris in the Hall
Michelle and Mrs Harris in the Hall
Michelle and Mrs Harris in the staff room
Michelle and Mrs Harris in the staff room
Features
*20 different endings. (Prev:15 different endings, (good, bad, mediocre, death ... guess death should be bad, lol))
*Endings accessable depending on interactions with characters as well as English competency (through a point system)
*Self-named user character with neutral interactions gender-wise (so male and female students can play the same game).
*Other character's attitudes change toward you depending on what language you use (your character still 'thinks' in Japanese, and often has the chance to speak in Japanese rather than English ... but will anyone understand you?)

Why I'm making this thread
My main reason is for my own progress and to keep myself going. I'm working on this when I have free time between lessons and marking (which to be honest isn't much) and also when I'm at home (small village, not much to do). I've already made use of the forums for technical help (mainly using threads where the answers were already available), and will continue to do so. I've been working on this since the 29th of August, so almost a month now, and want to have it ready for my students by the start of the third semester (which is in January).

Statistics (Japanese words are not included it seems) Updated at top of this post
The game contains 1,257 screens of dialogue.
These screens contain a total of 3,882 words,
for an average of 3.1 words per screen.
The game contains 34 menus.

Conversation Starter (like I said I read the sticky, lol)
Are you intrigued to come and visit this little town on the edge of Japan? At least a little bit enough to Wikipedia search it?

Previous Screenshots - I've not drawn out the characters yet, but for the time being have used pictures of well known characters from shows in Japan to represent them in the programme.
Coding away.
Coding away.
Meeting the neighbours.
Meeting the neighbours.
Gotta use the right grammar!
Gotta use the right grammar!
Do you use your native language, or risk it?
Do you use your native language, or risk it?
Which ending will you get?
Which ending will you get?
Last edited by darlo on Mon Feb 18, 2013 9:07 am, edited 27 times in total.

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darlo
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Re: Outlandish Move [wip][edu][lang][rpg][school-based]

#2 Post by darlo »

Just a wee statistics update before I travel to another school:

The game contains 1,349 screens of dialogue.
These screens contain a total of 4,182 words,
for an average of 3.1 words per screen.
The game contains 37 menus.

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Re: Outlandish Move [wip][edu][lang][rpg][school-based]

#3 Post by gekiganwing »

I'm curious why you're using a cartoonish, abstract art style. Is this a visual style that you really want to use, or that you excel in?

And while I realize that One Piece is the current top-selling comics series by magnitudes, I'm not sure why Luffy would make a cameo...
darlo wrote:Are you intrigued to come and visit this little town on the edge of Japan? At least a little bit enough to Wikipedia search it?
Actually, I already did... even before I saw this statement. It looks like Yamaguchi Prefecture has some history, but it doesn't sound like much currently happens there.

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Re: Outlandish Move [wip][edu][lang][rpg][school-based]

#4 Post by darlo »

gekiganwing wrote:I'm curious why you're using a cartoonish, abstract art style. Is this a visual style that you really want to use, or that you excel in?

And while I realize that One Piece is the current top-selling comics series by magnitudes, I'm not sure why Luffy would make a cameo...
These aren't the actual characters I'm using, it's purely for the sake of having something visual to show (especially as my teachers are interested in how it's getting along). I did make a little note of that just above the screenshots.
darlo wrote:Screenshots
I've not drawn out the characters yet, but for the time being have used pictures of well known characters from shows in Japan to represent them in the programme.
gekiganwing wrote:
darlo wrote:Are you intrigued to come and visit this little town on the edge of Japan? At least a little bit enough to Wikipedia search it?
Actually, I already did... even before I saw this statement. It looks like Yamaguchi Prefecture has some history, but it doesn't sound like much currently happens there.
Unfortunately you're right, not too much does (well, to my knowledge anyway, lol) :lol:

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Re: Outlandish Move [wip][edu][lang][rpg][school-based]

#5 Post by sapiboonggames »

This is definitely interesting! At first, I thought "HUH? WHY IS LUFFY THERE? WHY IS IT IN JAPANESE?!!"
But I definitely can't play it, I DON'T UNDERSTAND JAPANESE :(
Visit my website: http://www.sapiboong.com

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Re: Outlandish Move [wip][edu][lang][rpg][school-based]

#6 Post by darlo »

sapiboonggames wrote:This is definitely interesting! At first, I thought "HUH? WHY IS LUFFY THERE? WHY IS IT IN JAPANESE?!!"
But I definitely can't play it, I DON'T UNDERSTAND JAPANESE :(
I guess it could work for Japanese learners, except the difficulty curve would be in reverse >_< Trudge on through the first 5 minutes not knowing what's going on until you reach England. lol.

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Re: Outlandish Move [wip][edu][lang][rpg][school-based]

#7 Post by darlo »

Just a wee update (had some between class time today)
The game contains 1,404 screens of dialogue.
These screens contain a total of 4,324 words,
for an average of 3.1 words per screen.
The game contains 37 menus.
6 endings written.

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Re: Outlandish Move [wip][edu][lang][rpg][school-based]

#8 Post by darlo »

Little update before leaving the office:

The game contains 1,447 screens of dialogue.
These screens contain a total of 4,375 words,
for an average of 3.0 words per screen.
The game contains 37 menus.

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Re: Outlandish Move [wip][edu][lang][rpg][school-based]

#9 Post by MarineScripter »

I'm excited to bash my head against the wall until I reach England. I'm studying Japanese, but let's just say I'm better at speaking than reading. The cube-head Luffy is the best thing I've seen in ages, but it's also a bit of a relief he won't actually be there haha. Your game looks and sounds very interesting and I look forward to when more details come out. Sounds like a great game, and for your students, as well.
Image

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Re: Outlandish Move [wip][edu][lang][rpg][school-based]

#10 Post by darlo »

This afternoon's update:
The game contains 1,628 screens of dialogue.
These screens contain a total of 5,001 words, (5000 mark passed! Woohoo! :mrgreen: if only Japanese words were included)
for an average of 3.1 words per screen.
The game contains 42 menus.
7 endings written.
MarineScripter wrote:I'm excited to bash my head against the wall until I reach England. I'm studying Japanese, but let's just say I'm better at speaking than reading. The cube-head Luffy is the best thing I've seen in ages, but it's also a bit of a relief he won't actually be there haha. Your game looks and sounds very interesting and I look forward to when more details come out. Sounds like a great game, and for your students, as well.
Thank you very much. (Rest assured no Luffys were harmed in the making of the game ... well ... not yet anyway).

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Re: Outlandish Move [wip][edu][lang][rpg][school-based]

#11 Post by darlo »

This morning's progress before I head off to another school.
The game contains 1,721 screens of dialogue.
These screens contain a total of 5,315 words,
for an average of 3.1 words per screen.
The game contains 45 menus.
7 endings written (an additional 7 mapped)

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Re: Outlandish Move [wip][edu][lang][rpg][school-based]

#12 Post by darlo »

Just about to break for school lunch (my main source of real nutrition since I don't cook at home, so here's an update. I've also been looking over this thread, so may reword the plot slightly later on.

The game contains 1,790 screens of dialogue.
These screens contain a total of 5,610 words,
for an average of 3.1 words per screen.
The game contains 51 menus.
7 endings written (an additional 7 mapped)

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Re: Outlandish Move [wip][edu][lang][rpg][school-based]

#13 Post by darlo »

With no classes to teach this afternoon I could power on.

The game contains 1,912 screens of dialogue. (Almost 2000!)
These screens contain a total of 6,156 words,
for an average of 3.2 words per screen. (Hoorah, the average rose 0.1 since last time!)
The game contains 56 menus.
7 endings written (an additional 7 mapped out)

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Re: Outlandish Move [wip][edu][lang][rpg][school-based]

#14 Post by fioricca »

What a cute premise! I can't wait to see this game finished already. *_* The characters seem so cute, the dialogue is adorable and I can see how everyone will be excited to play this when it's finished. Gogogo!!

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Re: Outlandish Move [wip][edu][lang][rpg][school-based]

#15 Post by darlo »

The game contains 2,127 screens of dialogue. (2000 passed!)
These screens contain a total of 6,819 words,
for an average of 3.2 words per screen.
The game contains 60 menus.
7 endings written (an additional 7 mapped out)
fioricca wrote:What a cute premise! I can't wait to see this game finished already. *_* The characters seem so cute, the dialogue is adorable and I can see how everyone will be excited to play this when it's finished. Gogogo!!
Thank you very much, just a little reminder that the images will be VEEEEEERRRRRRY different. The ones currently used are purely so I have something visual to show the school's teachers.

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