Em-8ER: The Main Story

[zabernat#1238]

It sounds like Grummz has gone back and forth as to whether or not the game should or will have a story.
Personally, I believe a story would add a ton to the game and would prefer to have video-announcement-style for major times of world progression.

What type of story would you hope for in game?

I recently watched the anime “Shangri-La Frontier” and it got me thinking about the type(s) of story Em-8ER could have and there are a lot of possibilities:
1. Linear arc: this one is probably the easiest to manage and could be account by account basis with new chapters being added periodically or based on account level/achievements.
2. NPC based: as you meet and interact with specific npcs, dialog opens up and occasionally creates cutscenes tailored to your status level
3. Player creation: player generated npcs and interactions with them generate dialog and cutscenes but with more player driven choice and customized experience rather than all players meeting the same handful.
4. Event driven: this is probably the least easy to input as it would not provide the same new player experience, but the world state could be the basis for whatever story is active. For example, if players defeated Crodus for the first time, that could unlock story dialog with various nps, maybe a cutscene, and then some sort of instanced dungeon where everyone can go to fight him solo or in groups going forward where the initial fight could have been a world event.

I would love to hear peoples’ thoughts.

Maybe there could be a faction that makes peace with the Tsi-Hu but the kaiju still fight them? Or a certain team we all meet and follow that has characters from the novel?

 

[Pandagnome]

Stories are truly worth it because those who are interested in the story are able to relate more with the character and the enviroment too.

The stories might not always go to plan some twists and turns even surprises a long the way.
Stories can uncover clues to finding out npc's, items and such and some to know where their allegiance is to another etc

(For those not interested in stories those should be able to skip as an option after the first time)

My thoughts:

1. Linear arc: this one is probably the easiest to manage and could be account by account basis with new chapters being added periodically or based on account level/achievements.
2. NPC based: as you meet and interact with specific npcs, dialog opens up and occasionally creates cutscenes tailored to your status level
3. Player creation: player generated npcs and interactions with them generate dialog and cutscenes but with more player driven choice and customized experience rather than all players meeting the same handful.
4. Event driven: this is probably the least easy to input as it would not provide the same new player experience, but the world state could be the basis for whatever story is active. For example, if players defeated Crodus for the first time, that could unlock story dialog with various nps, maybe a cutscene, and then some sort of instanced dungeon where everyone can go to fight him solo or in groups going forward where the initial fight could have been a world event.

- Linear: is A - B nice to know where you are at such as using a navigator to get to the destination
Instead could use filter to have a priority list depending on the story line and other factors.

- Npc: This reminds me of star wars the old republic with the cut scenes.

- Player creation: provides some unique npc's and path ways and great for exploration such as in l4d2 mods.

- Event driven: This is worth it and even have a beginner type event such as confronting your first mini boss etc This is the pinnacle of fun events especially when we are talking about massive multiplayer scaled pew pow wallop to smaller groups even solo.


This might sound odd couldn't someone choose the experience e.g. such as difficulty levels from easy to ultra hard you could instead choose the path you take and the game filters that to your choice.

Linear would make it so the experience is that and if your want to have it less guides then you choose the other option player created etc

For the standard the so called how it was made you select Event driven which would do that.

Is that even possible or am i dreaming again???



The extra questions i have are!

- How much more time will this take?
- Would this be done in conjunction with the main core game or afterwards?
- When are the bikes out to go for a ride around in the demo?

 

[zabernat#1238]

The extra questions i have are!

- How much more time will this take?
- Would this be done in conjunction with the main core game or afterwards?
- When are the bikes out to go for a ride around in the demo?

Those really are not questions anyone outside of the development team could answer unfortunately. Theoretically, story content could be part of marketing and pre-launch/launch hype, so the best time to work those out is probably during game testing phases to keep the team active and creating marketable content.

 

[Pandagnome]

Theoretically, story content could be part of marketing and pre-launch/launch hype,

Ah yes, and perhaps these stories could be collected to form The Em8er Codexium revealing more each time as we uncover in the game. The Em8er Codexium bridges the stories of the novel, lore and ingame characters experiences/encounters to Em8er news reporters of a 3rd party source.

This form would be compiled, stored by the A.I for easy access or even kept safe in your own home as a holo-book with blank pages that begin to show faded images to blurred writing the closer to uncovering something!.

This could also create our legacy with players names appearing in the book, how the first training began where we met at the test center, selection process of Reaper potential in Em8er etc

To when our first bike was tested provided by the Em8er tech research Department for recon field tests etc etc

 

[Omnires]

I have not thought of such things like that for this game. And I'll need some time to think about it. But I can said based on my knowledge of how things like technology works mixed with ideas I seen in other sci-fi. For one I love the idea of a living history. Things of the past have odd ways of effecting the future. Even if that past was fake. Because people have to remember and be open to is that the history they was always told might not be the truth. And so there is always this on going battle between the people who want to the know the truth and spread the true against the people who try to hide the truth and live if a false reality based on lies. Even if we as the players might know the reasons why happened that doesn't mean that the NPCs do. And in that there can be some good bits of story telling mixed with game play. As your actions can ether help find and spread the truth about that really happened or you can help hide the truth and force people to life in the dark.

Because of this being a sci-fi game with things like spaceships and mecha. It means we have options to learn about things other than just reading about them or viewing data logs. For example finding A.I. cored from ships or mecha and having them tell you about what happened, if their memory is not too damaged. Or doing scans of the area and using the data to run reconstruction simulations. Or sharing black box data with other pilots so you can run a simulation of everything they seen and done. The list goes on but you get my point.

Because of options like that. It makes it easier for us to see past events but also to play as other characters using the simulations. This also means that at when it comes to some parts of the game's story the devs can make us feel as over powered or as underpowered as that what without changing our gear or stats to fit the story. Because in those parts we are just playing a simulation, be it for training or for trying to find out what really happened in the battle. Hell, a new type of enemy might have shown up attacking an outpost no one could stop. By looking at the data and playing the simulations of it you might learn of it's weaknesses or at the vary lest learn something about it's attack patterns before it shows up at the main base in the area. And the A.I. running the simulations could help you find the best tactics and/or gear you'll need to take out such an enemy quickly before it break past next line of defense.

In that sense not only are we making history in terms of the story but also living past events of the story and using that information to push for the future we want.

 

[Pandagnome]

As your actions can ether help find and spread the truth about that really happened or you can help hide the truth and force people to life in the dark.

To lie for the reason of protection and assurance worth it towards keeping order. Alternatively to tell the truth however grim that could cause unrest and lead to fear!

Those choices could turn some against or create alliances with another. Some secrets are kept for a reason especially when it could be the motive such as greed, power or even vengeance while maintain a cover seen as something different to specific groups etc

 

[Omnires]

4. Event driven: this is probably the least easy to input as it would not provide the same new player experience, but the world state could be the basis for whatever story is active. For example, if players defeated Crodus for the first time, that could unlock story dialog with various nps, maybe a cutscene, and then some sort of instanced dungeon where everyone can go to fight him solo or in groups going forward where the initial fight could have been a world event.

in the MMO Wild Star the why the handled event driven story telling is by having all the players so did events share the same world and stuff. For example in you game killed the giant robot enemy boss as part of the story. So on your screen all you is the after math of that event of the story. But then you have a friend join the game for the first time. They go to the area to meet you and on their screen they don't see the after math of the large explosion and parts of the giant robot laying on the ground. They see the area as it was before the fight and even see the boss still alive in the area trying to break something. Both of you still exist in the same world and can party with each other. But going by what events each of them did and where in the over all story they are at. Each person might see different things. Although the higher level player can still help out in events they have already done if the lower level player is the team leader to start the mission / event. But some missions and events might be blocked to the lower level player just because they have not cleared a key event or storyline yet. To stop people from skipping bits of the core story and spoiling things.

It is like a larger scale version of how in some MMOs if you befriend an NPC and now you have chat options that other players can't see. On top of that NPC also selling you things that they don't show to other players. You just have to make a lot of check points and tag players with different flags about what they can and can not see and do. Like how in one game I tried to show a friend the hidden back room of a NPC shop where they sell things that don't show up in the front of the store. This because if they was lucky some times there was cheap cars for sell. Don't question where some of the items come from or why they are so much cheaper there than at other places. Be when I walked behind shelf they thought I was hacking because to them they didn't see the open to push the hidden button to open the door. To them I just walked up to the shaft and vanished as off I logged off. But when they looked at their mini-map they could see I was in an area they couldn't get too. And if I was not in the same team at them they would not never known that area existed. Because the only shows up for people who befriend the shopkeeper and them be shown the back room for the secret deals they only give to trusted people who can keep secrets.

It is bit harder to make games with that kind of story and interactions. Because you have to make so many flags and different options for both players and NPCs. But if done right it makes the game more fun because your knowledge of different NPCs and your relationships with them can have you playing the game in different ways than other friends. Like for example, how in some games there are NPC smugglers and spies. And befriending them such people might let you know about hidden routs on the map that can be used as shortcuts. Like knowing the storm is not as powerful if you come in at this angle and turn in just the right way as to not be sucked in by it, than you can skip taking the long way around while avoiding law enforcement. After all, who knows what you are traveling with or even if you are on some NPC wanted list.

 

[Omnires]

Side note about my last post. Games that have story telling like that often have some dating sim elements in them. Because you need to build up relationships with different NPCs and even factions. And your relationship status with the NPC unlocks things based on how they view you. In some MMOs it is even possible for NPCs to hate the player based on their actions. Because like in dating sims the NPCs do have memories and can recall things the player did to them, be it for them or against them. It is also why I used the term "flag" in my last post, as it is term people used when talking about dating sims that acts as both a check point and the start of new paths you can take. The most flag there are the more the player has to do to get the NPC to trust them or hate them. But also it make the relationships with the NPCs feel more personal and realistic, if the flags make logical sense and the paths options are true to character.

I also like it when games are realistic about the relations players have with different NPCs and factions. Because befriending one person or group shouldn't automatically make the other person or group hate you. In real life, two people can totally hate each other and yet still be great friends with the same person. As long as the 3ed person knows not to leave them in the same room together for to long and remind them to try and be nice as long as they are with them. And it is the same with different factions. Just because 2 or more groups of people hate each other doesn't mean that they all still wouldn't do business or ask for help from the same person or group. After all, people like mercenaries and arms dealers do exist. And they are knows both for helping both sides and/or switching sides based on their own personal goals despite who is in the war. Hell, in some cases the different parties of the war knew that the arms dealer was selling to the other groups or that mercenaries would switch sides based on who paid them more. But despite that it they still worked with them because they knew trying to fight a war without them would be way harder than it needed to be with a greater risk of losing. So I like games where I can befriend all the NPCs and factions at the same time, even the ones that hated each other, because they value what type of person I am or at the least they know they would rather have me as an ally rather than an enemy.

 

[grayhammer#2116]

Personally, at the start the story needs to be frontloaded. Specifically, the GateStriders, who they are, why you are part of them, how their home exploded, skim over the drifting through the universe (Just enough to make us want to know more) and then have them find the Planet as they call all Omni-Pilots, leading into the character creator, choose your OP-AI companion and starting Frame with starting modules, just give us enough options to create our own basic layout of our frame.

Have the AI talk about how you will need to work to make better components, and apologize since thats all they could requsition. This tells the story of how the gatestriders are doing, not well since you are handling hand-me-downs and scavenged parts.

This ties you into the opening cinematic, you create your character. Do a tutorial test dive before boarding your ship heading for the planet. From there its up to Grummz on how the story unfolds/beats he wants to show us on planet.

Personally, I'm passionate about a good story. Tired of games treating it as the red headed stepchild. If its done well, people either appreciate it, or ignore it.

Edit: Create Character, Choose OP-AI, then your Frame, Possibly the Ship In that order, You make yourself/RP character. Choose your companion, Then the Omni-Frame you two will be working with.

This way the OP-AI can make comments about the Omni-Frame and give you blurbs based on its personality and Lore bits. Your AI companion - at least from what Grummz has said, is going to have more of a focus than our FF handler.