After getting my feet wet in video game development using Game Maker with a few other small projects, I've decided to just go tits to the wall and make the game I really want to make. Originally the idea was to someday invest a good $100k into doing a fully 3D third person shooter version of this, but lately I've been digging more and more on the old skool retro side scroller beat'em-shoot'em-ups and I think the story I've been creating could work just as well in that format. Not to mention I've been really impressed what Game Maker is capable of, and I think I have a better shot at getting this game done that way, rather than hiring out people to do something in an engine like Unreal.
Last year I spent a few months laying out a 200 page design document based primarily around the branching story, adventure gameplay elements, and general aesthetics, and now I'll be working on the combat system.
Once I get the combat system down, I'll begin working on implementing everything else, and lastly working towards getting some good artists and musicians involved to make the game really pop.
I expect this to be a 2-3 year project, and have decided to be as open and transparent about the project as possible, because I'd love anyone who wants to be involved the ability to see what's going on in development, and contribute as they might feel inspired to.
I have a primary website setup for development information, but will also be posting updates here.
The website is :
http://www.solburning.com/I was going to post about this all a while ago, but I figure I'd wait until I was actually beginning development again on a more regular basis, and I think I'm finally there.
Below is the story overview thus far. I look forward to hearing criticism and any other words of advice or thoughts anyone has, as I really believe it's best not to do video game development in a vacuum.
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STORY OVERVIEW*SPOILERS GALORE*
Pirates and Privateers takes place some time in the future, when space flight from planet to planet is feasible (but still dangerous). It is a story that takes place as humanity has begun to colonize our solar system.
Mars has been terraformed and is the first place humans have settled outside the confines of Earth, but the people who have settled there (Some of the greatest Scientists and thinking minds of the time) have revolted against the ways of old Earth. They believe in humanity's manifest destiny to evolve beyond crude flesh through the use of computers, genetic, and augmentation of their bodies and minds.
In the settling and terraforming of Mars, a great schism, which had been widening for some time, develops on Earth between those who desire freedom to augment themselves through all technology, and those who believe such things are a grave threat to the future of humanity.
A hundred years pass between the initial settling of Mars and the present in which you, our unlikely hero, begin their journey. In that time, Mars has become a thriving planet filled with an exotic form of humanity, augmented through technology, with a strict caste system built upon what each person is able to contribute to the collective technological push forward. The people of Mars more resemble a collection of Alien cultures with each identifiable through their unique augmentations.... some appearing more Android than human. Others appearing more animal-like, anthropomorphized to fit a self image (and physical progress) of the animals they love so... and while "vanity" augmentation is prevalent throughout Mars society, intelligence and helping move technology forward is the ultimate goal of Martian society. This desire to move forward at all costs has put a high pressure to move beyond what Martians consider to be the Old Ways of thought that once (and still do to a degree) pervade Earth. In particular, Religion has been banned from Mars. This obviously poses an interesting conflict for those who wish to live a highly augmented life, but still worship a Deity.... because while Earth does still offer the freedom to worship as you please... augmentation is strictly limited on the home world of humanity.
On Earth, humanity has found an interesting stabilization in its connection to the planet and to each other. There is a great organization that rules the planet under a stern, but fair, doctrine in which every person is given at minimal a healthy and relatively leisurely basis for existence, but at the cost of mandatory civil service. Each person has a job that benefits their local community, and each person is able to work their way up to a higher standard of living while contributing more to their community and the world if they so desire.... or if they decide to simply do their minimal part and spend the rest of their time in quiet contemplation of their lives (as those who work less, gain less entertainment, access to information, drugs, etc), then they may. This stands is stark contrast to the Martian way of life in which from birth your genetic make up determines your position and stature in society, and while some Martians may be able to rise above their caste status through augmentation and hard work, it takes tremendous effort to convince the system that one would be worthy to move into a higher caste.
The society of Earth looks down on augmentation, seeing it as a stepping stone in moving too far away from what makes Humanity so unique and important, though that is not to say Earth hasn't embraced technology. Limited augmentation is available for such things as missing limbs, and genetic based therapy is available to those born with particular physical defects... but anything that alters one's mind through the use of non-organic technology is strictly forbidden (though there are obviously rare exceptions to the rule... often times covert more than not). On the flip-side of this coin... the use of pharmaceuticals has become a well accepted part of day to day living on Earth, mainly due to the old Pharma companies who are part of the power structure of Earth. The Old Corporations are the ones who control Earth, but society has come to accept this reality, but only because the Old Corporations are finally doing a good job providing the opportunity for a fair, good life for all.... unless of course you seek the freedom of Augmentation.
Mind you, the Solar System isn't limited to Earth and Mars. While space flight is still a perilous endeavor, there is still much to be gained out in the void of space. Asteroid haulers are the life blood of the Solar System, ferrying rocks from between the planets and the Asteroid Belt to destinations through out the Solar System that are in need of the precious resources available by breaking down the Asteroids to their most useful elements.
While Mars and Earth have set up their strict societies, others have taken it upon themselves to try and make a life off-planet on colonies in the form of space stations free floating in space, or on asteroids.... or more dangerous yet, other planets and moons, some in the hope of terraforming their own worlds for colonization.
Of course, terraforming Mars was no easy task, and it took the greatest minds of humanity to get that job done... but there are others who would try elsewhere. In particular, an influential Magnate who has had his hands (and money) in many of humanity's greatest projects over the past century, has taken it upon himself to try and create a new, more moderate, seat of humanity on the moons of Jupiter. Using his influence he is able to terraform Europa into a livable planet, which he converts into a get-a-way for not only the rich and influential of the Solar System, but also the down-trodden. Unfortunately he is having trouble stabilizing the terraformation of Europa, as well as even beginning to crack the heavy atmosphere of Titan.
... but the Magnate has a secret plan, and he's convinced it will work. He believes that he has found a way to convert Jupiter into a small star, and harnessing that star's power, he will be able to complete the terraformation of the Jovian system and provide a place of respite for those looking to escape the heavy handed rules of Mars and Earth. The only problem is that the Magnate doesn't have the technology to harness the necessary energy to turn Jupiter into a Star.
This is where the Founder comes into play. The Founder is the scientist and engineer who helped develop the technology that ultimately lead to interplanetary flight, and instantaneous communication between any two points in space that is necessary to make such navigation possible. He worked heavily in the field of entanglement which involves creating or manipulating particles so that if you effect one, the other one will be equally effected, instantly, even if it was on the other side of the galaxy.
100 years before, when the first colony arrived on Mars, the Founder was beginning to develop a means of transporting matter from one point to another in space using Gates created out of entangled particles. These Gates were a hypothetical technology that the Founder hoped would help open humanity to the possibility of colonizing even further than our own Solar System. He imagined a future in which gates would be established between the local star cluster of which our Sun was a part of, and then beyond… maybe even one day through out the Galaxy… or to other Galaxies.
Unfortunately the technology was untested at the time, and to do so required a great deal of resources, energy, and a test site far away from civilization in case anything went wrong. Fortunately the Founder helped pave the way to the terraformation and colonization of Mars, and was granted the money and resources necessary to further his Gate research on Martian soil…. in no small part thanks to the generous contributions and influence of the Magnate.
The first Gate project was met with devastating effect. Built on the surface of Mars, the Founder was unprepared for what the Gate would do in the presence of such large amounts of matter (i.e. the Martian atmosphere). It was realized after the fact that the Gates would need to be built and tested in as empty space as possible (i.e. off planet, in the relative vacuum between worlds). The catastrophic failure of the first gate project left a barren, unlivable wasteland on a small portion of the then slowly terraformed Mars… with many of his colleagues dead, and his confidence extremely beaten, the Founder slipped away from the public eye for a time… most of humanity, including the Magnate, thinking him dead from the original Gate's failure.
… but that was in the distant past. It turns out that the Founder, over the course of those hundred years, had secretly been helping continue to bolster humanity's push forward to the stars. The Gate program continued on (with his covert help), and a few working gates were established at key points around the Solar System. Unfortunately they could only be used to transport a limited amount of matter at a time (a small space ship, or asteroid), and space flight was such that it only took a few hours to get from planet to planet… so the Gate technology, while useful in an emergency, ultimately did little apparent good for humanity.
That is, except for the dream of extra-solar travel. Once humanity had perfected its first fully functioning gate, a new project was established to launch a space ship towards the closest star with terraformable planets… and thus the 100 year journey of the extra-solar Gate project began. So just as humanity was beginning to colonize our own solar system, it sent out a beacon of hope for the possibility of expansion further into the galaxy. Though, still tracked by interested parties on all sides, humanity as a whole has become less fascinated by the thought of inter-stellar travel. Mars and Earth both being firmly rooted in their societal structures and very comfortable with their position in the Solar System… the dreams of expanding to another Star System seem like an almost forgotten whim in light of the potential oncoming conflict between both societies.
Every month more and more proxy conflicts begin to emerge between the two cultures. Extremists on both sides begin to rise up… Fundamental Terran groups forcibly remove augmentations from Martians who end up in the wrong parts of the Solar System. Martians who have grown beyond the scope of traditional human morals use Terrans as guinea pigs for gruesome experiments. But these are all just symptoms of the underlying schism, and greater disease, that has developed between the two planets, and it is beginning to effect those in power. Some are beginning to call for war… and a few are even calling for outright Genocide.
… but some are seeking peace… such as the Founder, who has spent the last century perfecting his Gate technology for the purpose of peace. Specifically, he has discovered a way to use a planet side Gate on Venus to solve problem of terraforming a planet with such a heavy atmosphere; and hopes to create a planet in which humanity will be allowed to live freely, whether augmented or not… whether religious or not… all views respected so long as it does no harm to any other person.
Problem is… as careful as the Founder has been with his secret research… his covert contributions to the Gate technology that has spread through the Solar System has left a trail… and there are those interested in his work that have been searching for him… because while he has created his latest Gate in the name of peace… there are those who would use it for destruction. The fringe Martian forces who feel the Solar System would be better with out the Terrans see potential to use the Gate as a means to strip Earth of its atmosphere while leaving the planet's structures and technology available for plundering and colonization. The fringe Terran forces see the Gate as a means to direct the power of the Sun, and reduce Mars and all its inhuman technology to a burned out cinder.
… and the Magnate… well the Magnate is convinced that with the Gate, he would be able to harness the power of the Sun to turn Jupiter into a new Star… and create a peaceful set of worlds, with freedom similar to the vision of the Founder… but under the influence of the Magnate.
And this is where Falcon…. our unlikely hero (or villain) comes into play.
Falcon is a washed up free lance spaceship Captain who has made their life hauling cargo and doing dirty work for who ever pays the highest price. Their story begins with a hangover… after having spent a long night drinking with their long time partner and crew mate (which for now we are calling their Jules)…. they come to find out they won a new Spaceship in a game of poker the night before… which is fortunate because they had just lost their last one in unfortunate circumstance.
They must then Proceed to find a crew for their new ship. Over the course of a few short adventures they gather together a rag tag band of misfits that include their Jules who has a long history with the Captain and handles whatever he is needed to on the ship, a weapons specialist we are tentatively calling "Pirate Pete" who is a space free lancer with a sordid past, a Terran born female pilot who used to be part of the a Terran special ops unit, and an androgynous, augmented Martian engineer who has spent most of their lives in Space.
The one thing they all have in common is that they have never really felt at home on Earth or Mars, and they are all at a point in their lives where every step forward will have inexorable consequences on their futures.
The gaming system of Pirates and Privateers is being built around how your choices as a Privateer Captain affect you, your crew, and the fate of the Solar System. Whether you choose to take sides, or are just in it for the money, every step forward you take, will determine who lives, who dies, and how much of the big picture you'll end up experiencing, because time will be of the essence, and there will only be so much you can experience before having to make tough decisions that will change the shape of humanity to come.
Like I said before… we have ALOT more detail fleshed out for this story, the game mechanics, art style, and so on… but I wanted to at the very least give you a foundation to know where all of this is headed.
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