next »

[Reives]

Hi guys. After some years of making interactive story-ish games, To the Moon is my first commercial attempt.

Edit/Update: Whew, game's finally released!

http://www.freebirdgames.com/to_the_moon/


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Bandcamp - OST featuring Laura Shigihara (supershigi)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Game launch trailer:





To the Moon is a story-driven RPG/adventure game hybrid with no battles or leveling, revolving around a reverse-chronological story that spans a life time.


Dr. Eva Rosalene and Dr. Neil Watts have rather peculiar jobs:

They give people another chance to live. Literally.




There exists a technology that allows doctors to weave artificial memories, such that a patient can request attempts to alter their mind, and wake up with memories of things that didn't actually happen.

However, since these new memories are permanent, the conflict between them and the existing authentic memories clash in such a way that it ceases the person's ability to properly function.

Thus, the operation is only done to people on their deathbeds, to fulfill what they wish they had done with their lives. . . but didn't.




But creating a new memory is not as simple as pressing a button.

The technology allows the doctors to step into the memories of the patient, which are reconstructed as interactive scenes. The doctors then gradually traverse backwards through memories of the patient's life until they reach childhood -- at which point, the wish of the patient in present time would be transferred over.

Along with the doctors' influence, the patient (as a child) could then lead an entire different life inside their head, working toward and fulfilling their dying wish themselves. And if all goes well, they would wake up, having lived the dream life they never had, and embrace a brief moment of blissful fulfillment.

Shortly after, they'd be drawing their last breath.




Every once a while, there comes a life that is rather peculiar.

This particular story follows Dr. Rosalene and Dr. Watts' attempt to fulfill the dream of the dying elderly man, Johnny. In their mission to do so, they traverse backwards through the man’s memories, unfolding his curious life story before their eyes.

With each step back in time, a new fragment of Johnny's past is revealed. And as the two doctors piece together the puzzled events that spanned a life time, they seek to find out just why the frail old man chose his dying wish to be what it is.





And Johnny's last wish is, of course. . . to go to the moon.





--- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---
Cheers folks, thank you for yer time!
Kan

[game launch poster by Alisa Christopher]

[Lega]

I must say this looks (and sounds) beautiful! The story is very inventive and I simply cannot wait to experience it. The graphics are lovely; the pixel work there is very well done! 

I'm now off to download and play your previous releases to get a taste of what I'll be in store for when this RPG of yours is finally released..!

[flavio]

It's FANTASTIC! Congratulations! I can't wait to play it!

[Valyou]

Wonderful idea. I'm going to be impatient just for this to actually come out and buy the soundtrack just for the charities. (ok not really, it sounds like it would be awesome)

[supershigi]

Hey Reives!  Welcome to TIGsource, glad to see you over here  

I really enjoyed playing through the first part of the game... the premise is super creative and you did a great job with the atmosphere.  I'm sure that people will really enjoy the story and seeing how Johnny's life unfolds.  Feel free to send me the more complete version over at Spongen whenever you're finished, I'm really looking forward to working on the song!

[chumez]

This is so beautiful and artistic, the idea is splendid. It has potential to be one of the most emotion- evoking games out there.
The sentence

Thus, the operation is only done to people on their deathbeds, to fulfill what they wish they had done with their lives. . . but didn't.

has really got to me. So sad, but inspiring ... 

Can't wait to see the game finished

[increpare]

I really like the story. : )  [ the music demo reel sounds ok to me (in general I tend to put myself on guard when I feel music trying to tug at my heart strings) ,  though the graphics leave me mostly unaffected (with the exception being the room full of bunnies) ].  I feel half overwhelmed by feelings of bittersweet tenderness already.

[dlan]

nice graphics and tileset, it have a dreamy feeling that fit well the theme of the game.

the whole idea of the game is quite interesting, now I'm curious about the gameplay mechanics that you will use, you earn yourself a follower

[Reives]

Thanks for the kind words everyone, I really appreciate it. c: And hey shigi, nice to see ya here!

Here's a special track from the game. It's a bit more cinematicy than most of the other tracks in the game; I don't get to write this type of music for my games that often, so it was refreshing.

Anya by the Stars - MP3 [Click]

[phubans]

I will be following your projects on here, as they look very wonderful!

[Chris Whitman]

Uh, well, as someone else who has spent the past several years making a game about exploring the memories of an old man who wanted to go to the moon, I wish you luck!

[Raptor85]

Art style reminds me of Chrono Trigger 

Any chance of a cross-platform release? I'd love to play this!

[Halcyon]

Oh wow, I am thoroughly impressed with the story, graphics and music! This should be awesome, looking forward to it.

[flavio]

Anya by the Stars - MP3 [Click]

I love it

[Sigz]

This game sounds amazing, I can't wait to play it.

[superflat]

It sounds almost too perfect!

[Reives]

Many thanks for the kind words, folks! 95% of every sporkful of food that goes into my mouth shall be devoted to meeting the expectations.

I've been working hard on it this summer. With the current schedule, the game is set to be finished around September of this year, then I'll leave a month for final testing and other pre-launch preparations. Although, during this period, I am susceptible to serious head injuries from falling down the stairs, so no contractual deadlines are provided.

Anyhow, some new screenshots:





Mm, I don't think I've talked about game-play much yet here. . . Here's a brief description; I'll post some more detailed stuff on it later.

Given its story-oriented nature, the game-play mainly consists of the process of traversing through the memories via "mementos". A memento can be used to travel when it exists in two relatively close memories simultaneously.


The time bar constantly visualizes your progress in Johnny's life, to hopefully sleep-deprive you until you're done.

To be able to use each memento, 5 "memory links" from the current construct must be acquired through various means, depending on the memory.

Additionally, mini-games and puzzles are scattered about wherever appropriate.


Anyhow, I'll have to prepare some more screenshots and the like to make a more detailed post on that. And also for next time, supershigi/Laura Shigihara made a recording of her awesome song for the game~! I'm super excited for it. Cheers, and good luck with everyone's projects!

[Reives]

Actually I'll just release an in-game video in the near future.

For now, here're two posters by the game's spriter, Alisa Christopher. c:



and http://www.freebirdgames.com/images/ToTheMoonPoster-1200.png

[AndrewFM]

This looks phenomenal. I wish you the best of luck.

[Belimoth]

I am tearing up

Looks great!