Greetings all, I’m Jessie and I’m representing a new visual novel made by a small team of three: Rose Brailsford (Writer) , Joshua Foster (Programmer) , Tristan "Cipher" Hallihan (Proof Reader and Editor) and myself Jessica Kings (Artist). We talk and discuss concepts all the time and this has been under the works for a while now. The idea itself is nearly a year old (and boy do I wish it was a year along in development!)
We are created a narrative-focused turn based strategy game set in a galactic conflict with factions and planets unlike our own. These are all fresh ideas (Hopefully!) and I truly hope that what is shown here is pleasing because we aim to impress.
We are created a narrative-focused turn based strategy game set in a galactic conflict with factions and planets unlike our own. These are all fresh ideas (Hopefully!) and I truly hope that what is shown here is pleasing because we aim to impress.
The Story
The Hexiliath Empire is eons old, and stretches back to the early days of intergalactic exploration; in those days, it saw a period of rapid expansion through a combination of conquest and diplomacy. Today, however, it is a monarchy of over thirty planets with a variety of cultures and lifestyles.
It is not alone. The galaxy’s other major power is The Outer Rim Confederation – a collection of planets ruled by a single idea: independence at all costs. These two entities have not always been kind to one another. The ORC was explicitly formed to stop Imperial expansion; however, the Emperor’s death has shaken up the stars’ ecosystem.
The current leader of the Hexiliath Empire is Empress Alinara, who rules from the capital, Almalexia. On the other side of the galaxy is her brother, Prince Laymirith. Unlike his cruel sister, he is a calm and patient man who currently keeps his forces from engaging.
With these monumental events and sudden shifts in the balance of power, it’s hard to find your place. You are Nora Burris, a space captain of the Outer Rim Confederation; your goals are simple: explore the galaxy, fight foes from the vast recesses of space, and keep your crew from destruction – whether from within or from without.
I’d hate to spoil anything else, but extra details can be provided upon request. Without spoiling anything, this is a narrative-focused game; you’ll learn about your squad-mates and immerse yourself in the world.
I’d like to explain what I mean by “narrative focused.” Since we had a clear vision for the game and didn’t want to make our world feel shallow, Norra is a more fleshed-out character than some players may be used to. While you will play as her and make decisions as the ship’s captain, Norra will occasionally make decisions that will flesh out the world, further the narrative, and lead to her character’s development.
It is not alone. The galaxy’s other major power is The Outer Rim Confederation – a collection of planets ruled by a single idea: independence at all costs. These two entities have not always been kind to one another. The ORC was explicitly formed to stop Imperial expansion; however, the Emperor’s death has shaken up the stars’ ecosystem.
The current leader of the Hexiliath Empire is Empress Alinara, who rules from the capital, Almalexia. On the other side of the galaxy is her brother, Prince Laymirith. Unlike his cruel sister, he is a calm and patient man who currently keeps his forces from engaging.
With these monumental events and sudden shifts in the balance of power, it’s hard to find your place. You are Nora Burris, a space captain of the Outer Rim Confederation; your goals are simple: explore the galaxy, fight foes from the vast recesses of space, and keep your crew from destruction – whether from within or from without.
I’d hate to spoil anything else, but extra details can be provided upon request. Without spoiling anything, this is a narrative-focused game; you’ll learn about your squad-mates and immerse yourself in the world.
I’d like to explain what I mean by “narrative focused.” Since we had a clear vision for the game and didn’t want to make our world feel shallow, Norra is a more fleshed-out character than some players may be used to. While you will play as her and make decisions as the ship’s captain, Norra will occasionally make decisions that will flesh out the world, further the narrative, and lead to her character’s development.
Your Crew
More crew and foes to come!
Features
• Turn-Based Combat: Unlike many VNs, we wanted to try attracting a wide range of players by introducing more interactive elements. At certain times, the player will take control of the ships and mechs under Norra’s command.
• Choice: Did you tell Sarah to stop giving you combat advice? She’ll remember that! Both major and minor choices will impact the story, thanks to the engine we’ve created within Unity.
• A Large-Scale Story: You are battling for the fate of a galaxy-spanning empire. Planets will burn, battles will rage throughout space, and people will die. We really wanted to make our game feel grandiose, and wanted to show how these events impact the crew.
• Not Too Large: We want you to get to know the crew, and so learning about them/keeping them happy are crucial to the story. Tasks can be mundane, like mediating disputes or conducting repairs; on the other hand, you may deal with major problems, like uncovering a spy.
• Animated Combat: You won’t find any still images on this battle screen! Each unit has its own set of unique animations and comes with a wide variety of moves. (See here)
• Turn-Based Combat: Unlike many VNs, we wanted to try attracting a wide range of players by introducing more interactive elements. At certain times, the player will take control of the ships and mechs under Norra’s command.
• Choice: Did you tell Sarah to stop giving you combat advice? She’ll remember that! Both major and minor choices will impact the story, thanks to the engine we’ve created within Unity.
• A Large-Scale Story: You are battling for the fate of a galaxy-spanning empire. Planets will burn, battles will rage throughout space, and people will die. We really wanted to make our game feel grandiose, and wanted to show how these events impact the crew.
• Not Too Large: We want you to get to know the crew, and so learning about them/keeping them happy are crucial to the story. Tasks can be mundane, like mediating disputes or conducting repairs; on the other hand, you may deal with major problems, like uncovering a spy.
• Animated Combat: You won’t find any still images on this battle screen! Each unit has its own set of unique animations and comes with a wide variety of moves. (See here)
http://i.imgur.com/zzut7er.gif - Attack animation
http://i.imgur.com/SpD2KTD.gif - Idle animation
http://i.imgur.com/XHHNdlz.gif - Final move animation
Gameplay and GUI
Questions
1: Do any of the characters intrigue you? Would you like to know more about a specific one?
2: We noticed a lack of sci-fi VNs when doing our research; how do you feel about an adventure-based sci-fi game compared to more traditional settings and elements?
3: Turn-based strategy will be a large portion of the game. Is this idea appealing to you? Should we have multiple difficulties? Should we give players the option of skipping combat altogether?
4: Do you have any other thoughts? Anything would be helpful, as we want to make the best game that we can!
1: Do any of the characters intrigue you? Would you like to know more about a specific one?
2: We noticed a lack of sci-fi VNs when doing our research; how do you feel about an adventure-based sci-fi game compared to more traditional settings and elements?
3: Turn-based strategy will be a large portion of the game. Is this idea appealing to you? Should we have multiple difficulties? Should we give players the option of skipping combat altogether?
4: Do you have any other thoughts? Anything would be helpful, as we want to make the best game that we can!
Progress:
Story - 20%
Characters - 50%
Combat Sprites - 40%
Backgrounds - 5%
Music - 50%
GUI - 80%
CGs - 10%
Characters - 50%
Combat Sprites - 40%
Backgrounds - 5%
Music - 50%
GUI - 80%
CGs - 10%
Thank you so much for reading! Its our first time putting out anything like this so we are really excited about hearing back your thoughts. We have a lot more information coming soon!
That includes things like a gameplay video, website and even demo for the game for you guys to try out!
) As I said we hope with the power of Unity to be able to make the map fully 3D and interactive, but our goal for now is sorting combat before we head to anything like that, thank you for your kind words about Rachelle, Annabelle is probably my fav to draw and write though!
