skydereign wrote:happyjustbecause wrote:I think we shouldn't be afraid to throw some cool things in even if they may seem a little off beat from the other areas of the game, I don't think we're trying to make a super engaging and thrilling story that can't afford to take risks. I mean we're trying to make as best a story we can, but the gameplay should be more important right, and if we have some cool new sections like these that could help make the overall gameplay better and less repetitive.
Sorry for that little tangent, I just don't want to be afraid to have unique ideas like this because it doesn't quite fit in with the steam punk theme.
I get what you're saying, but we should still consider the theme. Jamming in too many different conflicting themes will only make the game less enjoyable. We want to player to feel submersed into the world we create. By breaking apparent rules that we set up (including fantastic things that normally wouldn't belong), we break the illusion. We are striving for a really immersive environment, compelling story, and addictive gameplay. So why not take the precautions so that we can make an all around amazing game?
The key to branching out from the theme, is to adjust the theme to the branches. You can have magic in sci-fi, as long as that plays a relevant role throughout the story. The use of the zombies would work, as long as say big brother was experimenting on recreating life (perhaps they thought it was a failed project). It wouldn't need to be fully shown in the main story, but it should have a few mentions, as well as some npc dialogue. Steampunk does include some of the weirder side of innovation, and with the use of electricity to restart the bodies of the living I could see it working out. Creating monsters out of slime though, is far less believable in a steampunk world, and would break the game's illusion. After all, you're not going to see unicorns in a cowboy game.
happyjustbecause wrote:Yeah, that's usually a good way of going about doing things, making them relate to the world rather than it just being unexplained. Because then you are also adding to the lore and the depth to the world rather than just something that is there but doesn't really make much sense it that setting. I guess if we add enough to something, to make it seem like it fits in with the tone that works just as well. For things like unicorns in cowboy games I guess you need the whole game to be like that level of wackiness, unless of course it's an easter egg.
I think we should get away from the notion of zombies/supernatural stuff because this was never really my intention (my bad for giving the wrong impression and not enough detail). I was thinking more along the lines of SOME humans who have become more primitve (more tribalised?). This brings a unique steampunk niche into the fold:
Steampunk tribalism? I'm thinking humans with steampunk stylised body piercings (bolt necklaces, nose rings, earings, metal strip skirts, etc...), think shanty towns & villages made of scrap metal parts, a rugged worn out look but with a comfortable out doorsy kind of look? Their weopons would also be less advanced (steampunk bows & arrows, dart pipes, etc...). On religious front what would a
steampunk diety worshipped by a
steampunk tribe look like? A whole anthropological minefield to explore and get lost in, all in glories
steampunk dumbed down (
)
To make the game less same old same we should perhaps focus on how we can make the themes appear different yet still connected. Stitched togather like a patchwork quilt, with a universal theme/shape to it. This could be done by exploring how a world full of steampunk inhabitants would survive in different biomes rather like life on Earth but by mainly utilising steam with a bit of electricity (if pragmatic enough) in rural areas and more advances electrics in unrbanised ones (kind of like how design thread more or less states now).
How would a steampunk civilisation evolve in following environments: a desert, sea/coastal, forest, mountain terrain and of course subterranean regions. What aspects of these environments (including biology & resources) would influence the overal design for it. Would the steam be produced a different way? Would water scarcity (desert) have an impact on how and the extent to which steam technology is used (
steampunk solar?) And likewise a surplus supply of water (sea/ocean/river) would this create an explosion of well steamed and advanced water cities? Would you see regular
steampunk merchant caravans travelling to and fo from city to city, one terrain to another to sell their wares ( what would a steampunk fashioned camel look like or would it be a caravan of steampunk tracked vehicles?) Would rebels have their own resource contacts amongst these travelling merchants or commission their own pushy steampunk entrepreneurs to keep stocked up for raw resources that cannot be got from overlord city (timber, sand, stone, raw metals, etc...). What would the inhabitants look like in these regions with respect to steampunk look ( a fusion of steampunk and local reources for the look of clothes & housing? e.g. what would a desert marquee stylised with steampunk look like? What would
normadic steampunks,
aquatic steampunks, etc..., look like?)
One way is to imagine this for real. In a real world we would still need resources like stone, wood, glass and metal. These would be obtained from forests(timber), mountain(cave mines = stone, metals, minerals), Desert(silica/sand = glass for glass blowing rebel smith). Just like in our world you would have large urban complexes and remote rural areas for agriculture and resource gathering. The only distinction would be that the way they survive will be through steampunk means, the machinery, the housing, the transport (steamboat/barge/longboat on a river/sea), etc... Despite all this you would still have people living in different biospheres. It's this (terrain) that would influence the different modes of
steampunkism (is that a word
)
I've gone too much overboard now. Anyway, to have too much ideas would be good for a sequel (
)
