From the Sugar Plum Kingdom (Political, Fantasy)

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yaelso
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From the Sugar Plum Kingdom (Political, Fantasy)

#1 Post by yaelso »

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GENRE
Fantasy | War-time Drama | Romance

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A retelling of the classic fairy tale "The Nutcracker and the Mouse King", young socialite Clara Stahlbaum finds herself whisked away on Christmas Eve to a world unknown by her, brimming with blizzards of twinkling snowflakes, animated dolls, and a terrifying monarchy of mice.

Still reeling from being spirited between realms, she comes to find that the three kingdoms-- those of Porcelain, Mause, and Sweets-- are engaged in a heated war and by stroke of fate, she has managed to wedge herself right in the middle of the conflict. With no clue as to how to get home, Clara must find the strength to break from the fever dream before it coils around her . . .



From The Sugar Plum Kingdom (FSPK) is a free visual novel based loosely around The Nutcracker, expanding on the history of the world and giving depth to each of the kingdoms described. The goal is to gain some footing as you decide what role to play in the conflict-- do you simply wish to return home to your plush, warm bed, or might you prioritize aiding those around you? Meant to come from multiple angles, FSPK will be fairly lengthy & will feature a broad range of endings. As of present, there is both choice & stat-based progression installed! Clara will have the chance to pick up useful skills depending on the route, and the higher a particular skill point is, the more liable a player is to achieve a particular ending. Of course, Clara's decisions too weigh heavily in the plot's direction. I hope to stick in at least one mini-game, though I think that either way, the passing days will be graciously interactive on their own!


FEATURES

✦ 4 total interests (male/female/nb)
✦ ? total endings
✦ ? total cgs
✦ Prologue & 3 Acts
✦ Library/dictionary system
✦ Widescreen resolution

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Clara Stahlbaum (she/her)
A warmly amicable, yet somewhat constricted young woman born to German socialites in the tail of the 19th century. Fond of fairy tales and literature, Clara is has long been a dreamer . . . simply a limited one. Despite this, there is a glow of dutiful optimism and pride within her, and she reasons that her right path is always somewhere nearby-- even if it is clouded by brush for now.

The Nutcracker (he/him)
A vivacious young man under the thumb of an unshakable curse, presently leading the front line of the Porcelain army against the Kingdom of Mause. He contains a strong respect for life as a whole and hopes that one day the warring kingdoms will find their own form of peace. It seems that there might be a glimmer of guilt in his actions . . .

The Mouse King (he/him)
The last-living monarch of the Kingdom of Mause, the king Alfons da’Mauere Mause is a bitter and destructive force, hell-driven on capturing the Porcelain Kingdom for past sins gone unchecked. In his fury, however, he has managed to tear apart his own country, leaving a displeased murmur to echo through the towns . . .

Princess Pirlipat (she/her)
Once under the very spell that now haunts the Nutcracker, Pirlipat is the ruler of the Porcelain Kingdom; the personification of utter beauty and seeping vanity. Though the Porcelain forces are to be reckoned with, the young pampered princess-turned-queen still fumbles with organizing the war effort, too consumed by the shelter and lavish niceties of the palace . . .

The Knight (they/them)
A solemn figure serving head of the Mause king's royal guard-- a mediator, almost, between the king's tirades and official commands. Known well by both the Mice as well as the Dolls for their astute swordsmanship, they rival the Nutcracker's battlefield-tact . . .

. . . Plus a cast of colorful supporting-characters!

✦ Current Progress ✦
Script: 100%
Sprites: 0%
CG: 5%
BG: 5%
GUI: 40%
Programming: 40%
Music: 100%


Notes & Updates

- 12/7/2014 .... thread was made
- 12/10/2014 .... small updates & concept art additions
- 2/5/2015 .... script is finished
- 3/16/2015 .... gui updated; thread to be updated
- 2/13/2016 .... gui & thread updated, progress back-in-action
- 12/7/2017 .... contact updated & art resumed; tentative goal to release during the 2018 holidays

Contact
developmental blog
personal blog
twitter
yaelasolomon @ gmail.com


Feedback

Before I get to actually asking questions, I'd like to say that this will be my first project & that I intend to go completely solo-- with the exception of a few friends reading over drafts. All art will be by myself (*´_ゝ`) I plan on updating with more shots soon! For now, examples of my work can be found here.

1) Does the premise sound appealing?
2) Is there anything you'd like or hope to see out of the game?
3) Is there anything that pops out to you the most?
4) Lastly, are there any further questions or critiques? Any tips would be appreciated!
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Check back soon for more!
Last edited by yaelso on Thu Dec 07, 2017 12:53 pm, edited 19 times in total.

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Re: From the Sugar Plum Kingdom [Political, Fantasy]

#2 Post by CSV »

1) Does the premise sound appealing?
It does sound interesting, yes. I love fairytale retellings. =)

2) Is there anything you'd like or hope to see out of the game?
Nothing as of yet, but I'll look forward to seeing any progress.

3) Is there anything that pops out to you the most?
I saw your art and I thought it is very befitting of this type of story. I wish you good luck in drawing everything you need for your game.

4) Lastly, are there any further questions or critiques? Any tips would be appreciated!
If it is your first game, maybe you should try not to make it too long, as that's sometimes bad for motivation. Also, I would like to ask - is it a normal vn or will there be stat-raising?
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Re: From the Sugar Plum Kingdom [Political, Fantasy]

#3 Post by yaelso »

CSV wrote:1) Does the premise sound appealing?
It does sound interesting, yes. I love fairytale retellings. =)

2) Is there anything you'd like or hope to see out of the game?
Nothing as of yet, but I'll look forward to seeing any progress.

3) Is there anything that pops out to you the most?
I saw your art and I thought it is very befitting of this type of story. I wish you good luck in drawing everything you need for your game.

4) Lastly, are there any further questions or critiques? Any tips would be appreciated!
If it is your first game, maybe you should try not to make it too long, as that's sometimes bad for motivation. Also, I would like to ask - is it a normal vn or will there be stat-raising?
ヽ(;^o^ヽ) Ahh goodness yay I'm glad it sounds interesting! Thank you for the well wishes-- hopefully I survive;;

The length was something I thought about, but I've grown a little bit more confident the longer I've had this in the works-- since about June, actually, but I've been busy.
Anyway, FSPK will be a normal vn!

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Re: From the Sugar Plum Kingdom [Political, Fantasy]

#4 Post by Seigetsu »

1) Does the premise sound appealing?
Yes, I like stories with political elements.

2) Is there anything you'd like or hope to see out of the game?
Is Princess Pirlipat going to be a romantic interest, or is there just a friendship option for her? It'd be awesome if she has a romantic route too (I'm a big fan of games with a GxG route). Of course, I'm still looking forward to the political plotline the most, but romance would be a pleasant aside.

3) Is there anything that pops out to you the most?
Not in particular. The art on your dA account looks fantastic. Very unique. Will this be the style you'll use for this game? I like the prideful part of the protagonist as well. It's a breath of fresh air compared to the damsel in most games.

4) Lastly, are there any further questions or critiques? Any tips would be appreciated!
I'm a little bit worried about this game being long and you're working solo. It sounds like a lot to undertake. I suppose if things get too difficult, focusing on a single route first and then adding other routes after might be better? I'm not sure, since I haven't completed a game before, but it seems a lot of first projects that have grand projections end up unfinished. I was also wondering if this would be a free or commercial release.

Anyway, good luck. Things are looking good so far.

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Re: From the Sugar Plum Kingdom [Political, Fantasy]

#5 Post by yaelso »

Seigetsu wrote:1) Does the premise sound appealing?
Yes, I like stories with political elements.

2) Is there anything you'd like or hope to see out of the game?
Is Princess Pirlipat going to be a romantic interest, or is there just a friendship option for her? It'd be awesome if she has a romantic route too (I'm a big fan of games with a GxG route). Of course, I'm still looking forward to the political plotline the most, but romance would be a pleasant aside.

3) Is there anything that pops out to you the most?
Not in particular. The art on your dA account looks fantastic. Very unique. Will this be the style you'll use for this game? I like the prideful part of the protagonist as well. It's a breath of fresh air compared to the damsel in most games.

4) Lastly, are there any further questions or critiques? Any tips would be appreciated!
I'm a little bit worried about this game being long and you're working solo. It sounds like a lot to undertake. I suppose if things get too difficult, focusing on a single route first and then adding other routes after might be better? I'm not sure, since I haven't completed a game before, but it seems a lot of first projects that have grand projections end up unfinished. I was also wondering if this would be a free or commercial release.

Anyway, good luck. Things are looking good so far.
Pirlipat will be a romantic interest, yes. I definitely think there's always room for more GxG routes. ε-(´・`)

Oh gosh, I'm flattered! It will be the same style, though details will be a little more refined. Clara's archetype is something I really wanted to focus on, so I'm glad it's shining through.
As for length, I think the single route idea would be good to fall back on! I have much of the bulky planning done already however, so I'll work within my comfort levels. All that I really have left would be reworking graphics and general art, but I don't think it'll really be troublesome!

As for the latter part, the project will be completely free! ٩( ‘ω’ )و Thanks a bunch!

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Re: From the Sugar Plum Kingdom [Political, Fantasy]

#6 Post by ameliori »

1) Does the premise sound appealing?
Yes it does. I'm a really big fan of fairy-tale elements so this definitely sounds something I'd play

2) Is there anything you'd like or hope to see out of the game?
Just a compelling story. Also, I want to see more art. I love your style! It absolutely fits the game!

3) Is there anything that pops out to you the most?
The characters sound interesting and dynamic! Looking forward to see them interact!

4) Lastly, are there any further questions or critiques? Any tips would be appreciated!
From a storytelling perspective, I'm not sure what is the goal of the main character. Is it to change her surroundings or to go back home? Of course it is still in a very early stage and that can be defined as the story is written. Hopefully it will become clearer as the story progresses.

Another thing I'd like to ask is the gameplay. Is it the usual choice-sensitive endings? Or will there any mysteries/puzzles/minigames?

Good luck in this project. It looks very promising!
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Re: From the Sugar Plum Kingdom [Political, Fantasy]

#7 Post by melelisun »

Love the logo already, I'm looking forward to seeing what else you're gonna bring :)

I also really like the Nutcracker touch! Unique and yet familiar. I'm a big sucker for those things x)

Best of luck!
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Re: From the Sugar Plum Kingdom [Political, Fantasy]

#8 Post by Seigetsu »

It will be the same style, though details will be a little more refined.
Sounds great! I can't wait to see concept art for this!
If you do need any help with editing or whatnot, I'd be glad to lend a hand!

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Re: From the Sugar Plum Kingdom [Political, Fantasy]

#9 Post by yaelso »

@ameliori - The base of everything, through all routes, can give you the choice to going back home, but through the story progression you can pick between helping or not which thusly affects the surroundings. The perspective changes a bit depending on which character you pursue, but the fundamentals are the same. I'll make sure to write a better synopsis to clear that up! As for the endings, they will be choice-sensitive, but I haven't decided quite yet on puzzles or minigames.

@melelisun - ヾ(´▽`;)ゝ thank you very much!!

@Seigetsu - aah, I'll be sure to update with some soon! (o^^o)♪ I appreciate the help too!! I'll probably need a little guidance in the future, so I'll keep that in mind!!

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Re: From the Sugar Plum Kingdom [Political, Fantasy]

#10 Post by Ferdokki »

Ah, this sounds too cute to be true! ^___^ I LOVE "The Nutcracker" story, it's one of my childhood favorites! I'm not sure why; maybe it's because of the sheer amount of fantasy, all the mentioning of the food and dancing (if only I could indulge in both and not have to worry about weight >.<), and action incorporated into all of it! n__n

And I like that you've taken the story and made it more "mature". =) It's got that sweet, nostalgic childhood-story vibe to it, but some of the characters have more intense personalities now. =)

One question: how old is Clara? In your description of her, you said she's a "young woman", but in the picture you posted, she looks kinda young, like a child. Maybe it's because of the dress?

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Re: From the Sugar Plum Kingdom [Political, Fantasy]

#11 Post by yaelso »

Ferdokki wrote:Ah, this sounds too cute to be true! ^___^ I LOVE "The Nutcracker" story, it's one of my childhood favorites! I'm not sure why; maybe it's because of the sheer amount of fantasy, all the mentioning of the food and dancing (if only I could indulge in both and not have to worry about weight >.<), and action incorporated into all of it! n__n

And I like that you've taken the story and made it more "mature". =) It's got that sweet, nostalgic childhood-story vibe to it, but some of the characters have more intense personalities now. =)

One question: how old is Clara? In your description of her, you said she's a "young woman", but in the picture you posted, she looks kinda young, like a child. Maybe it's because of the dress?
Clara would be around 17 or so! Basically a late adolescent/early adult-- but the nightgown definitely makes her look younger (*´_ゝ`) I'm taking a few liberties here and there I guess! She's also about 5'1 if that gives a better idea.

Thank you very much!! (´▽`ʃƪ)♡

edit: JK she's 20! bumped it up for plot relevant reasons-- I feel it's way more appropriate considering the setting anyway. Clara is still pretty short though!
Last edited by yaelso on Thu Dec 07, 2017 11:02 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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Re: From the Sugar Plum Kingdom [Political, Fantasy]

#12 Post by yaelso »

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12/23/2014 - Finished Clara's concept art! I've also gotten a good deal of act one done and so I am focusing instead on finishing visuals. GUI is about half-done and base sketches for the CGs & BGs of the prologue have been completed. Thank you so much for all of the support so far!

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Re: From the Sugar Plum Kingdom [Political, Fantasy]

#13 Post by Ferdokki »

It looks cute, I love the drawing style! ♥

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Re: From the Sugar Plum Kingdom [Political, Fantasy]

#14 Post by yaelso »

Hello guys! It's been a while since I've updated the thread, but I just wanted to reassure everyone that the project is very much alive. I've been trying to develop my art style a little further so that I don't re-create the sprites every few weeks, but the script is complete and GUI is being redrafted. I'm not very good with dates, and I don't want to establish any until I'm absolutely certain, but I aim at having FSPK posted at some point during the year.

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Re: From the Sugar Plum Kingdom [Political, Fantasy]

#15 Post by Hazel-Bun »

Awesome! Keep up the good work!
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