19,588
edits
Oni2:Slaves of War/Overview: Difference between revisions
m
+loose thread
(adding rest of "Art style" section; tweaks to Gameplay section) |
m (+loose thread) |
||
| (9 intermediate revisions by 2 users not shown) | |||
| Line 6: | Line 6: | ||
As the basis for Oni's alternate history timeline, my point of divergence occurs in 2000 AD when a scientist in Oni's timeline develops phase technology. This allowed contact between our world and another place. In our timeline, some small difference caused this technology to not be discovered. In Oni’s timeline, while experimenting with the "phase veil", some small seed or seeds of life slipped through into Oni’s world unseen. This foreign life was able to grow even in Earth’s environment because it was Daodan-enhanced; all life is, in this other place. | As the basis for Oni's alternate history timeline, my point of divergence occurs in 2000 AD when a scientist in Oni's timeline develops phase technology. This allowed contact between our world and another place. In our timeline, some small difference caused this technology to not be discovered. In Oni’s timeline, while experimenting with the "phase veil", some small seed or seeds of life slipped through into Oni’s world unseen. This foreign life was able to grow even in Earth’s environment because it was Daodan-enhanced; all life is, in this other place. | ||
According to this premise, the atmosphere is becoming toxic not because of industrial pollution (as the fans tend to assume, but is never stated) but because Daodan-enhanced life is coming through the phase veil and taking root here, [ | According to this premise, the atmosphere is becoming toxic not because of industrial pollution (as the fans tend to assume, but is never stated) but because Daodan-enhanced life is coming through the phase veil and taking root here, [https://sf-encyclopedia.com/entry/xenoforming xenoforming] our planet to resemble their home. At first it is only simpler kinds of life, like bacteria and plants, but as those flourish here, larger alien life forms which depend on the simpler life as food are able to live here too. | ||
By 2012, a few things happened as a result. For one, the BioCrisis was serious enough that the WCG had to be formed. The manual states that the purpose of unifying the nations of the world was to avoid the spiraling debt that many were in. In our timeline, some countries are in financial trouble, but in Oni's, the situation was made worse by having to deal with the gradual toxification of the atmosphere, which led to the construction of Wilderness Preserves and Atmospheric Conversion Centers. | By 2012, a few things happened as a result. For one, the BioCrisis was serious enough that the WCG had to be formed. The manual states that the purpose of unifying the nations of the world was to avoid the spiraling debt that many were in. In our timeline, some countries are in financial trouble, but in Oni's, the situation was made worse by having to deal with the gradual toxification of the atmosphere, which led to the construction of Wilderness Preserves and Atmospheric Conversion Centers. | ||
After Jamie’s death, Hasegawa analyzed the Wilderness to find an answer to what killed her and what made the Preserve so dangerous, and he noticed that the same genetic signature/process was occurring in all the hostile/alien plant life. Naming it the Daodan ("[http://oni.bungie.org/forum/viewtopic.php?pid=52760#p52760 troublemaker]"), he then decided that if humans had this same extraterrestrial process inside them, they could adapt to the xenoformed environment in | After Jamie’s death, Hasegawa analyzed the Wilderness to find an answer as to what killed her and what made the Preserve so dangerous, and he noticed that the same genetic signature/process was occurring in all the hostile/alien plant life. Naming it the Daodan ("[http://oni.bungie.org/forum/viewtopic.php?pid=52760#p52760 troublemaker]"), he then decided that if humans had this same extraterrestrial process inside them, they could adapt to the xenoformed environment in the same way that this life is adapting to (and changing) Earth. | ||
This approach unifies the development of the Daodan Chrysalis, the reason for the WCG and the cause of the BioCrisis, and explains all of this with a single change in our recent past, which is the successful development of experimental phase technology in Oni's world and not ours. | This approach unifies the development of the Daodan Chrysalis, the reason for the WCG and the cause of the BioCrisis, and explains all of this with a single change in our recent past, which is the successful development of experimental phase technology in Oni's world and not ours. | ||
| Line 39: | Line 39: | ||
Isolation => Belonging | Isolation => Belonging | ||
Oni was about Konoko working alone, losing anyone that she had left to trust, so let's make Oni 2 about working with others as part of a group ("<u>Someone</u> left to trust"). Plus, I'm inspired by Guido's art, in particular '''[[:Image: | Oni was about Konoko working alone, losing anyone that she had left to trust, so let's make Oni 2 about working with others as part of a group ("<u>Someone</u> left to trust"). Plus, I'm inspired by Guido's art, in particular '''[[:Image:Guido - Rendezvous.jpg|this piece]]''', which is my favorite. I really want to see Mai be part of a team like that — even if it turns out that not every member of the group is entirely allied or trustworthy.... | ||
| Line 59: | Line 59: | ||
==Gameplay== | ==Gameplay== | ||
Assuming we had the use of Oni's original engine, or had totally reproduced its behaviors, what areas can we work on for Oni 2? What areas of Oni needed improvement? The melee combat is probably the area we'd need to focus on the least, as it is the most polished. Our time would be better spent in areas dictated by Oni 2's story, or by [[Review criticisms|criticisms]] of Oni. Too many bullet points on our feature list will result in another Oni project that takes longer than planned, so let's keep it to a minimum. Here's my suggestions: | Assuming we had the use of Oni's original engine, or had totally reproduced its behaviors, what areas can we work on for Oni 2? What areas of Oni needed improvement? The melee combat is probably the area we'd need to focus on the least, as it is the most polished. Our time would be better spent in areas dictated by Oni 2's story, or by [[Review criticisms|criticisms]] of Oni. Too many bullet points on our feature list will result in another Oni project that takes longer than planned, so let's keep it to a minimum. Here's my suggestions for the bare minimum (see the top of my [[../Design|Design Notes]] for additional possible features): | ||
*Slightly improved melee: now with parrying, grappling, throw escapes. | *Slightly improved melee: now with parrying, grappling, throw escapes. | ||
| Line 65: | Line 65: | ||
*Slightly improved AI: Enemies can now call or run for help. No blithely walking past KOed comrades when the area is supposedly secured. | *Slightly improved AI: Enemies can now call or run for help. No blithely walking past KOed comrades when the area is supposedly secured. | ||
*Multiplayer focus: emphasize multiplayer mode as much as the single-player story mode. Consider a co-op story mode as well as competitive and co-op MP levels. | *Multiplayer focus: emphasize multiplayer mode as much as the single-player story mode. Consider a co-op story mode as well as competitive and co-op MP levels. | ||
*Power | *Power progression: Mai's powers develop over the course of Oni's story mode, like moves are unlocked over the course of Oni. | ||
*Natural environments: this one could be a stumbling block for the Oni engine. We might need to re-write the 3D engine (or incorporate an open-source engine) in order to do complex outdoor scenery. If Mai and co. are supposed to be exploring the Wilderness, then this is an unavoidable issue. One specific concern I have is interactive flora. If you're in the middle of a bunch of bushes, do they actually quiver if you brush against them? Does the character push palm fronds out of their face as they walk? If the plants just sit there as static models, then we have a problem, especially because the Wilderness probably is a bit more lively than our everyday ferns and flowers and trees. | *Natural environments: this one could be a stumbling block for the Oni engine. We might need to re-write the 3D engine (or incorporate an open-source engine) in order to do complex outdoor scenery. If Mai and co. are supposed to be exploring the Wilderness, then this is an unavoidable issue. One specific concern I have is interactive flora. If you're in the middle of a bunch of bushes, do they actually quiver if you brush against them? Does the character push palm fronds out of their face as they walk? If the plants just sit there as static models, then we have a problem, especially because the Wilderness probably is a bit more lively than our everyday ferns and flowers and trees. | ||
*Replayability: Oni 2 needn't be a long game | *Replayability: Oni 2 needn't be a long game if we make design choices that encourage the player to replay it. Various ways to extend the life of the game are: shapeshifter, multiplayer, and interactivity during cutscenes (see [[../Design#Free_agency|HERE]] for details). | ||
On the subject of the story mode's length, Oni is approximately 6-8 hours long if you take your time, and speed runs are only an hour long. This isn’t uncommon. Here’s an [https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2011/04/the-incredible-shrinking-game-the-truth-of-game-length-in-the-modern-industry/ article] about how even the biggest games these days are very short. An Oni 2 made by a few fans could be excused for being even shorter, if we take into account MP and the aforementioned replayability factors. | |||
Conversely, we might choose to label the big-budget blockbuster games like ''Uncharted'' and ''God of War'' as the “Hollywood approach” of gaming — creating those huge spectacles takes up a lot of the development process — and then label ourselves “indie filmmakers” by comparison. If we focus on building less ''expensive'' and more ''expansive'' areas as a fighting sandbox to provide hours of basic gameplay, with fewer specially-scripted events, we could conceivably create a game at least as long as Oni. This isn’t to say that we don’t want memorable cutscenes and boss fights, but we probably shouldn’t plan any events that require a lot of special coding just for one scene if we’re aiming for a lengthy game. | |||
==Art style== | ==Art style== | ||
| Line 89: | Line 93: | ||
Things from Oni that we want to make reference to or develop on, even if trivially. | Things from Oni that we want to make reference to or develop on, even if trivially. | ||
*[[:Image:TXMPPOSTER1.png|Hapémask]] | *[[:Image:TXMPPOSTER1.png|Hapémask]] | ||
*The [[Marionette]] | *The [[Quotes/Consoles/level 3a|Marionette project]] | ||
*More advanced [[Quotes/Manual# | *More advanced [[Quotes/Manual#Tech Note 2|SLD technology]] | ||
*[[Quotes/Manual#Tech Note 2|Rogue SLDs]] | |||
*[[Quotes/Consoles#Picasso_Island|Bertram Navarre]] | *[[Quotes/Consoles#Picasso_Island|Bertram Navarre]] | ||
*[[Quotes/Consoles#Q-31_Railgun|Q-31 Railgun]] | *[[Quotes/Consoles#Q-31_Railgun|Q-31 Railgun]] | ||
*[[Deadly | *[[Deadly Brain]]s | ||
*[[Quotes/Consoles#Black_market_goods|Theta wave scans]] | *[[Quotes/Consoles#Black_market_goods|Theta wave scans]] | ||
*[[Quotes/Speech#Really_really_misc_2|Funny]] [[Quotes/Speech#Dr._Kafelnikov|civilians]] and [[Quotes/Speech#The_Glorious_Deadly_Brain_Fight_(sic!)|general]] [[Quotes/Consoles#The_day_after|Bungie-style]] [[Quotes/Consoles#Emergency_overrides|humor]] | *[[Quotes/Speech#Really_really_misc_2|Funny]] [[Quotes/Speech#Dr._Kafelnikov|civilians]] and [[Quotes/Speech#The_Glorious_Deadly_Brain_Fight_(sic!)|general]] [[Quotes/Consoles#The_day_after|Bungie-style]] [[Quotes/Consoles#Emergency_overrides|humor]] | ||