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Post by The Smurf on Mar 18, 2005 22:27:41 GMT -5
Hi, I'm smurf90! i'm new to the board, but not to the game. here's the storyline for my newest game, Dark Angel (title may be changed based on suggestions)
Here's my storyline: Long, long ago, before life itself began, there was a war between good and evil. The war was between the gods of goodness and the gods of destruction. This war, known as the Godly War, waged for centuries until one side was finally sealed away. Genesis, leader of the victorious army, used his power to create a small paradise for his gods to live in. This paradise was called Heaven. It was about twenty years after the creation of Heaven that Genesis learned of a ring that was powerful enough to create matter from thin air or reduce anything to dust. He sought this ring of legend, and after years of jouneying across the universe he finally found it. Using its magic, he created the world and the people to live in it. He became their king. One day, however, Genesis discovered that the ring was gone. Someone had stolen it. No, not just someone. One of his gods! He could no longer trust his friends, so he and two of his closest friends selected a human to find the ring and return it to him. The "Champion" succeeded in his mission, but upon returning the ring to Genesis he learned that Genesis was really the king of the evil gods and that the good ones were sealed away. After a long battle, the Champion released the good gods and sealed Genesis away and destroyed the ring. This peace only lasted for a year. Genesis broke out and headed for a parallel world. This time, he was in search of a book filled with dark magic. The Champion persued the god, fought him again, and sealed him away. This time, he destroyed the container which held Genesis, killing him for good. The Champion settled down and had children. However, after a short while, he found out that the book was found by someone. The Champion's children traveled in search of the book. When they found it, they killed the new evil and destroyed the book for good. For nearly a century the world has prospered without the threat of evil. That is, until the day when the remainder of Genesis's secret army attacked. The people fought back, but to no avail. The land was destroyed. The angels headed to the parallel world to attack there, too. A young man stopped them on his own. The parallel world, however, was also destroyed. The survivors made for a circle of islands in the southeast ocean. The Second Godly War ended in a human victory. Today, exactly one hundred years after the Second Godly War, life on the Islands of Kisila still thrives. Evil has yet to cast an ugly shadow on the land. Except for the evil sorcerer that recently arrived on the island of plains. The mayors of this island had a meeting and decided to send the strongest boy on the island to defeat the sorcerer. That boy, as you've probably guessed, is you.
That's what my storyline is. Obviously not all of it is the game, only the bottom paragraph. After you defeat the sorcerer, you travel to the other islands to do other small quests, but they all lead into one big quest: Defeat the one member of Genesis's secret army that is still alive (as he is the one sending these evils down to Kisila). Along the way, you meet lots of interesting characters:
Thursday Lietto: The main character. Even though he grew up on Taira Island (island of plains), he was originally born in the mountains in the northeast. He is very skilled with the sword. -Always in the party Luna Fieldi: Luna is very good with an axe. She was born on Taira Island and has lived there all her life. She trains very hard and is very intelligent. She is Thursday's best friend. -Always in the party Zachary Hanshu: Zach is a samurai from the Sabaku Desert. He moved to Taira Island to escape the horrible climate of the desert. He is skilled with a lance and spear, even though swordsmanship is very pronounced. He practices Shinto, and one might find him worshipping the kami of wind in the nighttime. -In party for first quest Angela Morris: Like Luna, Angela always lived on Taira Island. Though she has no elven blood in her, she practices archery for fun and has become apt with a bow and arrow. She is very friendly but serious when it comes to fighting. -In party for first and third quest Death: Death is as mysterious as they come. He is dead, of course, but has returned to the world as a zombie. His brother, Demise, has recently been possessed and Death cannot figure out why. Even though he is stereotyped as being evil just cause he's dead, he is a very good friend and is good in battle. -In party for second quest Penguin: Yes, a penguin joins your team for a short while. He wants to help out as much as he can, and he's actually very talented with a mace. -In party for second quest Farce Taira: He is a noble from the plains, and is very angry that a dark sorcerer kicked him and his family out of their castle. Even though he isn't with you during the first quest, he still has distaste for evil. -In party for third quest Saku Ketsu: Saku Ketsu is a ninja from the Sabaku Desert. He follows bushido, and is always willing to die. He never quite trusts your team, but is nonetheless a nice thing to have in the battles on Yama Island. -In party for fourth quest Zel Lianda: Zel is a distant relative of Thursday, and unknown to him, was born in the same village. They look like brother and sister, and act like it too. Zel isn't as strong as the rest, but can still hold her own very well. -In party for fourth quest
Well there you have it. All of the characters are listed there. A few more things about my game are that it uses the default battle system (cause im too lazy and will probably screw it up if i try to change it), there are NO TREASURE CHESTS (gasp) as all of your items must be bought or stolen off enemies. Cutscenes are mainly just dialogue and there aren't [really] any dungeons besides the hideouts of the big guys. Yes, it is quite different, but still fun .
So gimme something. Questions. Comments. Criticism (not too harsh, please...) all are welcome. Thank you for your time.
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Post by Jugem on Mar 19, 2005 5:27:23 GMT -5
Wasn't "Dark Angel" the name of a TV series?
I briefly read over your storyline, and I've got a few comments. First of all, "Godly War" just doesn't sound very imaginative. Secondly, this Genesis god is powerful enough to create Heaven and defeat all the good gods, but he still needs to search for that ring? And it takes him years to find it?
And where in the universe was it? Surely, it wasn't just floating in space. Was there another world already? And who created that world? And why was the ring there unguarded?
Another thing, you say he can no longer trust his friends, yet he still asks his friends to help him? And how does a human get a ring back from a god? In fact, how does a human defeat the god of evil and destroy such a powerful ring?
How does this human find out that Genesis is the king of the evil gods anyway? And how does a human have the power to break a god's seal?
I'm going to stop there. As you can probably tell, I don't find your storyline very plausible. That's not to say that it's all bad. Your "gods" idea could lead to a great game. It's just that I think your plot has too many holes in it right now.
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Post by The Smurf on Mar 19, 2005 8:51:23 GMT -5
ouch. hey its cool, i think i might have left some stuff out. lets see now...like i said, the title wasn't even close to permanent Genesis and his ARMY defeated the good gods, and it wasn't easy cause it took multiple centuries He created a SMALL paradise for the gods, but needed the ring to actually create an entire world/planet It takes him years to find it because the universe is vast Like i said, this is before life began. there were some planets that were volcanic, hydrogen atmosphere, no water, filled with caves, etc. i never actually came up with where it was, but it could have been in a cave, on top of a volcano, etc. since it wasn't in the open, it took years to find it. it was unguarded because there was no other life to guard it. How was it made? that is something that hasn't yet been revealed... "Another thing, you say he can no longer trust his friends, yet he still asks his friends to help him?" yes, as soon as i typed that, i thought there was a problem...but couldn't think how to rephrase it. He realized there was a traitor, but truly believed that these two, who were his absolute closest accomplices and were as faithful as they could be (still not sounding right, but i think you get the picture...i hope) aided him in selecting someone. Here's a huge chunk i left out for space, but really shouldn't have. The human was their(the two gods who helped Genesis) son. The two gods, ironically, were the ones who stole the ring (the ring is called Eversia, originating from eversio, the latin word for destruction). They took it, broke it into six pieces (cliche #1) and set up temples and guardians to protect the shards (cliche #2). They selected their son, and guided him on his journey. They knew Genesis was bad, so they tried to convey messages to him through his dreams (why did i leave this out?). He didn't understand the dreams, so he assembled Eversia and gave it to Genesis. The parents revealed themselves at this point, and as a result so did Genesis. The Champion, being the son of a god and goddess, realizes that he is a god. I'm not sure if i stated this clearly, but when a god is really beaten up badly (as they can't die), one can seal him/her inside a container. this is what happened when the Champion and genesis fought. after a long fight, champion (named Jack, btw) finally was able to get a hold of the ring and destroy it. Genesis lost enough power that Jack finished him and sealed him away. Human having the power to break a god's seal? i don't remember saying that...Genesis broke out himself a year later, but that was w/o human help... i hope i cleared some stuff up. i was originally trying to make a game out of this first part (with genesis and the champion), so that's why i have all the answers right away. still, questions, comments and criticism are welcome (just not too harsh...) also i need some suggestions to improve the characters, too. -the smurf
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Post by Jugem on Mar 19, 2005 16:34:09 GMT -5
Human having the power to break a god's seal? i don't remember saying that...Genesis broke out himself a year later, but that was w/o human help... You said the champion released the good gods. And how does a god release himself from a seal? Then it wouldn't really be a seal, would it? It would be more plausible if he had some outside help... One more thing. You say God's cannot die, but yet the champion manages to do just that? And by destroying the container? I would have thought that destroying the container would release the god sealed inside; especially if the god cannot die. The new bit of info you added about the champion being a god does help a lot in explaining things. Although, why would two gods want their son to live like a normal human? And if those two gods weren't evil, then why didn't they fight for the side of the good gods in that war? Yeah, so I'm trying to pick apart your story. Don't take me too seriously. Just try to take what I say and try to make your story a little more believable. Or not; it's your choice. I'm sure you could make a good game from what you've already got. I'm just trying to help point out possible flaws in your story so that you could make it that much better.
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Post by Neo Samurai on Mar 19, 2005 18:55:55 GMT -5
Actually, in Norse mythology, it's possible for a god to die. I read a book last year about Norse mythology. I don't remember what the exact story was, but one of the gods died and wasn't revived.
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Post by The Smurf on Mar 19, 2005 23:00:01 GMT -5
okay, okay... Genesis's gods are still in heaven, right? how bout champion fights them, and everytime he defeats one he seals the defeated god into a seal already occupied by a good god. Since a seal can only hold 1 god, the one that's already inside is released. Better? since i decided to add more to my game, i have to go about and change some stuff. Genesis DOESN'T die, the champion banishes him between dimensions (his world and the parallel world) this also fixes the "broken container" bit. Genesis was able to break out because he's the bad guy and that makes the story work. he was resting and regained his strength over that one year of sitting inside a little ball. The parents were evil, but changed when they realized what Genesis + Eversia was capable of. (this was not just made up now) As for them wanting their son to live like a human, they wanted him to have a normal, care-free life and have friends... happy now? -still looking for comments on my characters. will probably make more soon... -the smurf
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Post by LunarMoon2 on Mar 19, 2005 23:40:37 GMT -5
The villains could use a lot of development. It's annoying and lacks though provoction when the line is so clear.
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Post by The Smurf on Mar 19, 2005 23:51:51 GMT -5
hmm...but this stuff is all just the legend (which happens to be true)
The actual game starts multiple centuries after the whole thing with the champion.
still, i admit, Genesis is very bland.
-still looking for comments on the characters. making more soon...
-the smurf
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Post by wolf on Mar 20, 2005 0:32:10 GMT -5
Why's the main character's name... Thurday....?
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Post by Jugem on Mar 20, 2005 5:10:51 GMT -5
happy now? -still looking for comments on my characters. will probably make more soon... -the smurf Don't take my criticisms too seriously. As a written story, it's easy to sit here and pick it apart. But as an actual game, you learn to accept any shortcomings in the story. Because when you play it, you experience it, and you don't really question what's going on...you just accept it. So really, what you've got should suffice. As for your characters, you don't really say a whole lot about any of them, so there's not much to comment on. I like the name "Demise" though for Death's brother. Very creative.
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Post by Deleted on Mar 20, 2005 5:38:14 GMT -5
Here's some helpful stuff to read through: Me- "I recommend splitting up the different categories in your plans so that they are easy to find later. What I did was (this is largely before RPGM2 came out too): General Notes to Remember - things like, "name the abilities well, for example call it Blizzard Strike and not Ice Slash and Thunder Flare instead of Bolt 3" Beginning basic overview - basically, the VERY first thing you write, don't go into any detail, something simple like the general flow of the game, this one isn't really important unless you just came up with the basic story idea and want to write it down in case you forget it (later you'll probably look at this in total awe at how much your game's changed from your original idea) Characters; Personality, Background, and player's Understanding - what is each character like and through their background (which I like to reveal a while later after the character joins) why are they like this, and thus how the player can understand, believe, and possibly relate to these characters. Whatever other information here that arises because of their story is also taken into account (such as something like hometown). Note that very minor characters like 'main character's mom' or something don't need this. This is more for your main characters. If you're having trouble making characters with depth I recommend thinking about your life, what's happened to you, and how it's shaped you to be who you are now. Also, do not simply 'base a character off someone you know' because sooner or later that person will change, you'll find out what you knew of that person wasn't the whole story, etc. and you'll be left with a character based on a fake idea of a person that never existed as you thought they did. Characters; Extra Information - (this one isn't totally neccessary) Whatever other information about the characters such as age, hometown, etc. I recommend you wait on this part till you're done with the one right above this since the characters' story will determine what this stuff should be. Characters; Stats, Abilities, Equipment, etc. - Basically, all the gameplay aspects of the characters like their stats (I recommend doing specific numbers), their abilities/how they learn them (this one varies a lot from game to game), what they can equip, etc. Note that later when working on your battle system plans your battle formulas and character stats will go hand-in-hand in balancing everything out well. Expect to re-do the characters' stats 4+ times or so. Specific Cutscenes not gone into detail but overviewed - Write down every cutscene you think of, use dialogue where needed and summarize others. Put all your cutscenes in the right order and connect them from A to B to C etc., and you'll have a perfect plan for what happens in what order (more than just 3 key parts in the story not connected, then later connected with very weak/lame reasons (leading to disbelief among the player)) and what the player does in what order, what cutscenes and locations you'll have to make, and from there you can move onto the next part. If you find yourself having trouble connecting two parts of the story together do NOT force out some weak connection, give it time and wait and you'll randomly come up with a good idea of what to do in between point C and E (or whatever). Do not be afraid to go for several weeks or more without adding anything to the story. (this is the longest part - it's the whole story planned pretty thoroughly) World Map/Game Flow Plan - Draw a simple map with the different locations where they need to be (this will save you a lot of trouble editting the difficult-to-use-well map editor in RPGM2) (it'll be a long while till you get to this one probably, but don't worry, it goes real quickly) Gameplay; Battle System - Your game may not, but most likely will have a battle system. This will end up being a result of which battle system you think will be best for your game and that you are most capable of making in RPGM2, and in making fun (people at the boards will always be there to help you at least) Gameplay; General - Lots of info such as, approximately how many battles per dungeon/half-dungeon/final-dungeon, if you have dungeons or not (like in the case of a Tactical RPG like Final Fantasy Tactics or Tactics Ogre), etc. This is much more general notes to think about and remember and not specific details about the game. Gameplay; Features - This is very broad and varies a lot, but will include anything special that the player can do in your game such as a customizable leveling/ability system, mini games, private actions (look here: williampaladin.tripod.com for an explanation), anything special/additional to your battle system like limit breaks/etc. that the player can do (this will likely already be in the battle system part), sidequests, and more Additional Plans - This varies as well, but includes stuff like item lists, equipment lists, what types of shops you'll have, and whatever else you see fit." (continued)
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Post by Deleted on Mar 20, 2005 5:38:51 GMT -5
Vespuleth - "while im not particularly for the collection idea, i want to present a few thoughts to ponder:
1) none of our stories are truly unique. every storyline has been done and redone to death.
2) none of them have been done well enough that we think they should be redone. thats why we are all here. because we have seen a story device we thought we could be done better.
if you want to do a good 'collection' type rpg, id advise you to play a few musts:
Legend of Zelda, a Link to the Past Legend of Zelda, Ocarina of Time
also, to begin your bare bones plot, think of these things:
what is the artifact(s) in question?
is it a stone? a suit of armor? a special sword? a lost scripture? a simple mirror? an enchanged bag?
why is it(they) important?
what does it do? does it grant immortality? three wishes? is it a crown that ensures a prosperous rule for whoever owns it? a sword that guarantees success in battle? a bottomless bag? a scripture that exposes some ancient belief? a special spell that subdues mankind to a certain person?
why is it in several pieces?
if it has been divided, why? is it to ensure it remains hidden? to ensure its survival (many people in olden days would memorize parts of important documents, so that if the document was destroyed, several people together could reproduce it)? to decrease its value (treasures divided up are less easily lost)?
is this item common knowledge?
is this an item of legend, something that all little boys here about? is is a sacred ritual whispered about, but only performed in secret? is it a responsibility of the royalty to protect it, and only they know about it? who knows about this item? a religious sect? a political sect? an alignment (the good/bad guys)(if doing this, give a good reason why only they know about it)? everyone? one country?
Who are the involved parties?
where is the conflict? in any situation, more then just the desired party knows about the artifact, sometimes more then just two, and each has a reason for wanting it. who are yours?
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so heres my rewrite of your original story:
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in ages past, as a gift to a wise King, priests forged a crown at the foot of the Throne of God (and as such, it can never be totally or truly destroyed, unless by the priests, at the Throne of God, or by God himself), and gave it to him. This crown ensured his peoples loyalty, and guaranteed his lines rule over him so long as he kept it, and in one piece. Years past, and the crown became a legend, that no one ever saw, and few people, even of the royal family, even believed. Slowly the bloodline became corrupted, and the times of wise kings is no more. Somehow, the crown turns up missing, and the royal family gets nervous. The Inaugeration of a new King is coming, and they would like to have it back. They ahve assured whoever has the crown whatever they want so long as they keep the crown and its power a secret, and return it to them. When the crown theives do not respond, the player is sent out to get it.
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implications:
who took the crown? was it an infiltrator, wanting the power the crown had? was it a member of the royal family, greedy for rule? was it the priests, emberrassed of the greedy family they had embraced, ready for their demise, and the set up of a new regime? was it a kingdom enemy, planning a kingdom attack?
who is the player? is he a townsman, a serf of the king? is he the inaugural heir? is he a priest in the order, charged to find the crown? is he a knight of the King? is he the Kings advisor, who through trust has discovered the secret of the crown? is he a suspect of the thievery, and thus why he was sent to regain it? is he the thief?
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at some point, due to the relative closeness of the royal family regaining the crown, it may or may not be broken, and split between different people, places, things, and so forth, making the player pursue each individual piece. this scenario would be interesting if the player is somehow directly involved with the crown (he may be the inaguraul heir, and has to secure the crown so that his rule will be prosperous and good for the people, he may be a priest, trying to ensure the crown is safe, or he may be one of the thieves, making sure for whatever reason that the royal family does not regain the crown.)
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you may feel free to borrow any or all of this story, and manipulate it as you wish. if you dont, one day i may. i wrote this as i went, so if parts dont make sense, you will have to forgive me. i hope that this gives you some direction or idea on how to deal w/ this sort of story, and if nothing else, please think on the questions, and use my story as a good way to apply them. (you dont have to use my story if you dont like it)."
The Last Big Fall - "Well here is my Process AND Problem in a nutshell:
As most of my ideas are of the serious variety, i tend to usually end up working on more of an epic type game/story. I usually notice that a lot of my plot is influenced heavily by what i am reading at the time, or even an excellent movie (or game) that i have seen (or played) recently.
I tend to lean toward somewhat fantastical, though based in realism, ideas. For example the last big thing i was working on was called House Angelis.
*i may eventually post the plot outline here*
House Angelis's idea was gleaned largely in part from 17th and 18th century sciences. Namely Alchemy. In addition i tried to incorporate similar ideas that circulated at the time, such as mathmaticks (how it was spelled), astrology, dynamics, and basically the pre-cursors to all the scientific methods we now have. Namely the studies of Descartes, Newton, Hooke, and others.
I digress.
My advice to you is to look to what you enjoy. No matter what media it is you muct have had ideas at one point along the lines of "I liked this about that movie" or "This part of the game was AMAZING." I am not saying you should take them and copy the same aspects, but rather you should look at WHY you liked them. What about those ideas spoke to you. From there try to develop something unique. You will find MANY people of the opinion that nothing is unique anymore, that everything has been done and is now cliche. I disagree. You might find many similarities in games/books/movies but there still exists something to set them apart.
To break down my recommendation to you further... First develop a general history or timeline, then flesh out your main characters. From there start envisioning what it is you want the story to say, to eventually do in the end.
In the beginning all you need is just that, a beginning. From there you have unlimited time to tweak, add, and subtract from your original idea. It is all a matter of finding a balance.
I talk too much.
And THAT is why i will never finish House Angelis..."
(continued)
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Post by Deleted on Mar 20, 2005 5:39:05 GMT -5
Me - "My advice is not to make an intro scene till after you've done lots of other things, so that your intro scene won't be the first cutscene you make, and therefore will be better. My other advice is not to start a game's story from an intro scene. Start planning out the whole thing from start to finish (at least important parts and map design with locations) in your head/on paper/on microsoft word (and get feedback before starting to create it on RPGM2 as to not waste your time on a bad/cliche story)." "Start with an overall view of how the game will be played (not story).
My now over 150 page written game started out with this
"Overview - 1 main character, 1 main story, 6 or more parts where the story and what the main character does splits in 2 paths and later comes together, 1 of those parts is how to enter a castle or mansion and determines out of 2 alternate characters which 1 will join, 1 is near the end of the game, 1 main character, 3 other always join characters, 4 pairs of alternate characters (8 characters), private actions (1 point of view), 13 characters total not counting - if there are any - temporary joining characters."
Now not all of that is true, but it was my beginning, and I'm sure your beginning won't end up being all true in the end either.
Then I would say, start conceptualizing different characters overview - such as a young 19 year-old man that likes to check out the ladies a lot, or an older 26 year-old man that likes to eat a lot and knows a lot about food and cooks a lot and well. Right now, these two characters are very flat- because they can be summarized into a simple one sentence statement. There are four types of characters (this I learned in my English class)
+Flat - basic character, can easily be summarized into one statement, has no depth (recommened for: minor characters) +Round - character with many different personality traits, has depth to them (recommended for: main characters) +Static - unchanging through out the game (recommended for: minor or main characters) +Dynamic - changes significantly in one or more ways throughout the course of the game (recommended for: minor or main characters)
So be very careful how the characters develop, and by all means make all the main characters Round. Quick example: Chrono Cross: Pushel - a stupid pink dog with poor speech (yet is still a dog that can talk) Flat: Bad for a main character
Personally, most people do well on the background's of characters but not the personalities. Try to make them fun and interesting in some way. I rank the personality above all else when dealing with characters.
For the story, this is what I did. I started out with an overall idea. Main character learns of mysterious Big Bang, goes out to find what it was and how it can be stopped, and finds out (I won't say yet, but have something planned for here too). Slowly add in more and more parts that often have nothing to do with each other. Quick example: FF9: The thief gang capturing the princess, Zidane getting romantic with Dagger, Zidane saving Blank later in the game, Steiner trying to take Dagger back to Alexandria, Vivi learning his past, finding out about the black mages, and finally the important part of the story: Kuja and (I forget his name) and saving the world. They're many different parts in the story that often don't have anything to do with anything. or Quick Example: Star Ocean 2: Meet Rena, get romantic with Rena, try to find way back home, go to Cave with Celine to find artifact, get artifact appraised, meet Ashton and the dragon, Clik getting destroyed, Lacour tournament of Arms, going to the cave because Bowman wants you to, go through the Hoffman Ruins, fight at the front line, go to El, and (you know what happens).
Eventually you'll have enough ideas (write them down in semi-detail so you don't have to remember them all). Then it's time to try to put them together. Map it out on paper. Does this because this, then this because this and meets blank, learns blank from blank and decides to go blank, does this to get to blank and meets blank, etc.
**Learn the ways of RPGM2 before thinking up features to your game.**
Then start thinking up features that'd make your game fun. Remember to in your mind think out the basis of how you'll do them so that you don't have to give up an idea once you're commited to it.
Then check out an article by KingSpoom in one of the more recent (I think the last one) RPGM Mag Issues at...
I like how he talks about a theme because my game's full of themes. You may start out with a simple overview and story, but eventually you'll probably get to the point where you want to send a message to the player (or multiple messages). I know I do...
Sorry, one more thing.
*******Don't EVER be afraid to scrap anything you've though of/created. I am still changing things (sometimes big things) in my game and it's storyAayear and a half after starting it. Also, it took me about two months of coming up with story ideas to get to the one I'm on. I scrapped a total of 4 game ideas within the two months before starting on Paladin.
And don't ever plan sequels to games before you're done with them, especially if the sequel is just named "The Return of (main bad guy)." If you have a prequel or sequel, my advice is to make it after making the original and to make it INdirectly related to the original." "It doesn't really matter whether you start with setting, characters, or plot and develop the others from what you've already thought of. I think as long as try at making it the best you can and take your time and don't rush it, it'll turn out pretty good no matter." "Don't be afraid of the word cliche, but also don't think that it has no meaning."
(continued)
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Post by Deleted on Mar 20, 2005 5:39:21 GMT -5
KingSpoom - "Every piece of literature has a tone or mood. Most professional games convey a theme, even non-rpgs. It is not necessary to have one, but it certainly can help. A theme will help to keep your storyline running smooth, but only if you use it. A theme can keep the player immersed in your world. Now... how do we come up with a theme? What exactly is a theme? A theme is simply the message your game has. Common themes are:
One person can make a difference (Chrono Trigger) Some things are worth dying for (Lufia 2) Friends are there to help (FF6). There and many more out there and millions are possible. Coming up with a theme shouldn't be too hard. In order to find the theme of your game (in case you don't have one), you should look at generalizations of your plot. If your game is a traditional or similar RPG, then take these steps. First look at your main character(s). Then ask yourself why, in a general way, he fails or succeeds. This doesn't work all the time, if it doesn't you usually have to look throughout the whole story, but many hints are given. To give you an example, I will take a look at Final Fantasy 6. Terra is thrown into a world she remembers nothing about. Throughout the story she is guided to be good, by her newly found companions. After the world splits apart, many people lose hope. Just knowing that there were others willing to fight Kefka wasn't enough, however, and she needed to be convinced that saving the world would still help the children she wanted to protect. In the end, Kefka is defeated because of the teamwork involved against him... and the spell Ultima. The theme is mentioned above, and it is shown throughout the game. Your friends are constantly helping you through situations, giving you the support you need to finish your journey.
I mentioned that a theme isn't necessary earlier. A good and original idea is important (unless you are doing a parody/comedy type deal). Creative ideas seem to pop in certain people's heads, but what about the rest of the populace? Everyone else has to either steal their idea, or make their own. Hopefully you choose the latter. Here are various tips I have heard over the years:
Listen to music Watch a movie Read a book Play a game Take a nap Ask someone else Personally, I have only tried listening to music to help with a game... it was orchestral music. All of my other game ideas have come out of the blue or by thinking just about games. It does help to have a guide in your quest, and I intend to provide one over this small series of articles. When creating a story, there are a couple of things to remember. First, you should strive for originality to ensure your game brings a fresh feeling to the player. Next, you should decide on a setting. Then, you should plan your linearity. After that, you should decide your conflicting force. Then, you should develop your plot to make it dynamic and unpredictable and your characters to make them interesting and believable. Finally, you should let it sit. Wait you say? Let it sit? Yes, after fully documenting your game project, let it sit in a drawer away from your mind. Come back to it in 2-4 weeks, after you have forgotten about it. If the game still sounds like a good idea, then you have a winner. It can be skipped (although I wouldn't recommend it).
Original ideas... Some would say they are few and far between, but what is the definition of an original idea? To be original, you must precede all others in time, which means to be first. There is a fine line between originality and deriving your work from another, and there are even different scales upon which people judge originality. What you must realize is that the kind of originality that you should have doesn't have to be as far from your predecessors as possible. Remember that just making your game original will not force its success. Things to avoid taking, in order of importance not to take are: Main stories, character stories, specific graphics, names (characters, towns, or other), concepts, events, and features. If you want to help rid yourself of other game's ideas, you should stop playing games for a week (only involved games, you can play Tetris, pong, etc...). For those of you hard-pressed or unable to come up with a plot, I will list several generic plot types in a future installment, as well as some examples that may be used by anyone." "You may be asking yourself "where do I start?" A relatively simple question. If you do not have an idea for a main character or plot already, then the setting is the most important thing to make. If you already have one of the things mentioned above, this will be the next step. The setting will set the pace of the game as far as what the characters will be able to do. It will give a basic idea of what weapons (if any) will be used, what technology or knowledge is available, and what the world will look like. A setting will begin to form the basis for your game. There are advantages and disadvantages to every setting. Past settings are the most common type (specifically medieval) and can run into problems if you are looking for original ideas. Modern settings generally have less of an "epic" feel to them. Modern settings also discard realism in many cases, allowing people to perform superhuman feats, only to become feeble moments later (although many games do this, it is more apparent in a modern setting). Futuristic settings are more common than modern settings, and for a good reason. In a futuristic setting you can basically do what you want. Technology can allow cloning, teleportation, and many other fantasies as realities without totally discarding realism. On a downside, futuristic settings confuse players on a constant basis, and often try to handle complex stories beyond the creator's reach. The right type for you should be easy to decide. It should be the type that you have an idea for, or the type that interests you the most. Writing about something that interests you will yield a better game in the end.
The next important thing to decide is the game's linearity. Linearity will be a helpful factor in determining how much effort you will have to put into the game, and where it needs to be placed. Deciding on your linearity before you start your game will help it be organized and will allow efficient use of resources. Linearity is a measurement of the amount of options there are while playing a game.
There are two basic types of options that are given to players. The first type of option, which I will now call static options, don't have to happen. It is entirely up to the player to trigger them, and the game will finish unaltered either way. An example of a static option are the weapons from Final Fantasy VII. The story remains the same if you beat them, and you really don't receive a reward for beating them (if you could defeat them, you could defeat the end boss, which renders the weapons they provide unrewarding).
The other type of option is a dynamic option. These are the real options, the ones that affect linearity. These options often come in sets, and they usually can't all be completed. However, some of them MUST be completed in order to finish the game. For example, in FF7, while busting into the Shinra HQ you can either sneak in through the back or charge forward through the front. Each different option could yield a different outcome. Each one of the options also contains different pros and cons. The amount of options available gives the game a lot of replay value and it allows the player to change the challenge of the game by getting or not getting certain characters or spells.
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Post by Deleted on Mar 20, 2005 5:39:38 GMT -5
KingSpoom- "Here are the four types of linearity with a description and example. Completely linear game: Description - Every time you play that type of game you will doing the same thing in the same order, give or take the minor details.
Example - Gradius (NES)
Partially linear game: Description - Often it involves a scripted beginning followed by a couple decisions nearing the end. For this reason it is often compared to a tree. Players will start at the trunk (roots are usually avoided, but are sometimes individual openings for players who quickly join together). Players then follow the game path up the tree nearing the top where the branches start. However, even though the player can explore these "branches", he will eventually have to return to the tree and continue the game.
Example - Castlevania: Circle of the Moon (GBA)
Non-linear games: Description - These games are huge, but often generic. The player can move in and out of events in any way he wants and can usually come about the end of the game in several ways. However, the game still has a goal.
Example - Mario Sunshine (Gamecube)
Completely non-linear game:
Description - In this type of game every possible option is available from the start, often viewed like an open field. Instead of focusing on one aspect, the game is about everything.
Example - Simcity (PC)
Each of the above types of linearity has certain advantages and disadvantages.
Completely linear games:
Disadvantages
- Most people feel confined by the lack of options - After one playthough the game becomes boring - Usually rely on high difficulty factor to remain interesting Advantages
- Easy to keep track of what is going on for both the player and creator - Quick to make and fix - Simple to playtest, so the game should be solid Completely non-linear games:
Disadvantages
- Quickly overwhelms you with options, forcing you to make choices with unknown effects - Impossible to keep track of everything the player has done - Devoid of life; Games feel like random pieces of scenery thrown together - Allows player to get lost in a giant world because of excessive areas Advantages
- Highly customizable, allowing the player to play how they want - Easy to maintain challenges that are not combat based - Allows a feel for a real world, and real world situations - Style of gameplay will usually not leave players frustrated Partially linear and non-linear games
Disadvantages
- Can ruin gameplay with excessive or flawed sidequests - Sidequests can also lead to plotholes in story Advantages
- Most popular and liked styles of games among the 4 above - Allows players to make choices that affect the game - Gives breaks from tiresome 'plot trekking' often and at players leisure Here are a couple tips to remember while thinking about linearity:
- Giving the player something to do besides following the game's base storyline is a good idea, however, disrupting the flow of the game or the plot to do so is not. Placing a fun minigame in an average dungeon while the player is hunting down a magical artifact may be fun; putting the same minigame in the main villain's hidden lair while the players are attempting to rescue an ally is distracting.
- The more non-linear your game is, the easier you must make it to stay on track.
- The more optional stuff you have during the game, the stronger your player has potential to be.
- Don't offer an option if there's no reason to take it! Players don't like going out of their way to be greeted with a dead-end. They will often think they missed something and spend more time exploring an optional area than they should, and for nothing." "The plot is the pattern of events over the course of a medium. It has four main parts: Scenario, problem, solution, and main result. The scenario is the main setting of the game, both time and place. Since most RPGs aren't from our own world, this usually involves a lot more than two simple answers. A whole world, with laws, customs, and traditions should be created. It doesn't have to take place all at once (even though most of it should), but it should be recorded somewhere for reference. The problem is a conflict within the story. A tree blocks the road ahead, some thugs have come to rough you up, a village lies in the path of destruction... all three present problems that are to be solved by the character (and player). The solution is how the problem is dealt with. The hero could simply step over the tree, show the thugs his true power, and ignore the village. It doesn't matter how the problem is solved, but once it stops existing it isn't a problem anymore. The last part, main result, is the biggest and most important result of the problem that was overcome. The hero can now make it to the cave of doom, the thugs respect his space and property, and the hero no longer has to worry about saving said village. There can be as many results from a solution as you want, but the main result is what you would expect to be told about an event. Back in the dark ages (scenario), there was a demon who forged an evil army (problem), but was stopped shortly after by an old man's magic (solution) and peace enveloped the land (main result). It will always appear in that order (unless time is messed with, including flashbacks and amnesia), but several problems can arise before a single one is dealt with. You see this often in commercial games, but even then rarely more than once. In FF6, Kefka threatens to enslave Espers and dominate the populace. You meet him rather early in the game, and even though he presents many problems, the main threat of Kefka isn't stopped until the end. Of course the only reason you didn't take care of him earlier is because of more immediate problems, as Kefka took a back seat for a while, it sets the overall goal of the game. Making the plot before you make the characters usually helps the flow of ideas, and often makes character creation easier and more relevant to the story.
Simply knowing what you need to fill up a plot isn't enough. One thing most amateur games lack is direction. Direction is the driving force behind characters and the story itself. Without direction, your whole game takes a hit; characters seem less lively and believable, links between anything seem weak; it can even confuse the player. There are several things to keep in mind when trying to keep direction in a game. First, the player must know where to go. This can be done by telling him, "Go northwest to the cave of doom". Both the direction and the object you want them to enter are good to know. Between commonly traveled grounds, such as towns, you can put roads or lighter grass areas. It is a small task, but it does help a lot. An objective is also a great thing to know. It gives the player an idea of what he is heading towards. Each person thinks differently, so clues as to what is going to happen help people to stay on the same track. When I think of what might happen in the cave of doom, I imagine a boss battle. However, someone else might think it is just a name to keep children or thieves away from it and expect it to be a treasure filled dungeon. Lastly, giving a hint at a solution will clear up all but the craziest of adventures. Knowing that the beast in the cave of doom has weak knees will give me an advantage, knowing that someone in town knows a cure to the disease my friend has been overtaken by gives me a direct route to helping him. Depending on the type of situation you are in, you will want to give varying amounts of direction. If players view your game as too hard, and it has nothing to do with the mechanics (a battle), then you probably lack direction."
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Post by Deleted on Mar 20, 2005 5:39:55 GMT -5
KingSpoom- "Before I list those ideas, I want to explain a bit about clichés. A cliché, as you may know, is something that has been done so many times that is has become old and stale. "Mario, Bowser has kidnapped the princess... go save her!" It happens all the time, Mario is apparently the only one who can save her, and it usually turns out the same way. However, many people tout the word cliché around as if to judge everything by it, as if only original stuff can be entertaining and without really the knowledge to use such a word. It happens almost as much as I read the words "with a couple twists". The truth is that most summaries you read about someone else's game are going to sound cliché just from the lack of extreme details. To go just a step farther it really isn't even their fault, because it would be a tremendous effort to give the details you need to change it around. Here are some examples:
Cliché version: An evil demon creates 4 magical crystals so he can conquer the world. You play the role of Malvin Toldas, an apprentice wizard, and try to stop him.
Detailed version: The evil demon, Makkr, was stripped of his powers and banished to the human world by his master. Fearing destruction with his weakened powers, and wanting revenge on his master, he fabricates a plan to accomplish his dreams and more. By draining the souls of the four most powerful wizards on Earth into four identical crystals, great power can be achieved. Power that can rip apart the divide between this world and the next. All Makkr must do now is secure the crystals until the next full moon. You play the role of Malvin Toldas, a wizard who was apprenticed to the 4th most powerful wizard, Tazel. He learned of the demon's plot after the death of the first two wizards, and with the help of the other remaining wizard, tried to stop Makkr. Upon his death, spells were triggered in his tower instructing you of his demise. With a few magical items that Tazel had gathered over the years and what little magic you know, you head out seeking help to end Makkr's evil plot.
Not exactly the most interesting story you have heard, but when compared to the first it should take away some of your doubts about the crystals, the demon, and the main characters motivation in the story. I wouldn't even rate the first story as a 1, where as the second story might earn a 7 or 8. Of course, the important thing is that the story that is presented in your game represents the same thing. It's one thing to give a summary; it's another to have the summary be accurate. After all, many games contain more story on the back of the box than in the game.
One of the important things to remember in story telling (including the stories in games) is that there is a certain requirement for active exposition. Passive exposition is when you are simply told about events, active exposition is when you see what is going on. It is almost always better to show what has happened and let people gather their own opinions than a character to explain what happened and have it his relate to his view of the situation. Often referred to as "speaking through your characters", you should remember that even though the number 1 rule for films and books is that "Nothing should be said unless it adds to the story in some way", you should also keep in mind that each character should maintain his personality in all situations he can. Someone who earlier wasn't concerned about the destruction of an ally's home shouldn't be the one bringing it up later in a tense moment.
Medieval
01: Your master, who has raised you for all but the first years of your life, has taken ill. A seemingly unstoppable disease has immobilized him and threatens his life. Your mission is now to save him and no life holds more value than your masters! (Note: I'd be careful about how a cure, if any, is obtained. Both a self-sacrificial cure and an evil cure sound interesting)
02: Three kingdoms are at war on a single (triangle shaped?) continent. Each of them have seemingly equal armies, and there is no end in sight. A couple villages have been destroyed; many more have been taken over to help win the war. You take control of a person from one of the villages that has been taken over. There are many things you can attempt, but your main goal is to free your village. To make matters worse, each kingdom is rushing to develop new weapons to win the war. Pick your allies and enemies carefully! (Note: Gunpowder makes an excellent new weapon if you are in that age. So much can go right... or wrong for them. Try to make a lot of different ways to win, as each different path can change the story greatly.)
03: 10 years ago you were cursed by a demon before he was slain. Now a hero of your town, you live the good life. The citizens were never told that your life was essentially linked to a fist-sized gem in your efforts to stop the demon. While asleep one day, your house is robbed! Not only are most of your valuables gone, but your gem... the gem that holds your very life is missing. Travel about the world in search of your gem, group with law authorities, get help from previous victims, and bust some thugs while you are at it. (Note: At some point the main character will probably question the purpose of risking his life just to save his life. Perhaps if the gem is in the hands of someone evil (merchant?) then his mind shifts slowly towards that angle.)
04: You have lived in a small village ever since you could remember. Of course, that isn't very long because you lost your memory just a few years ago. You have a natural aptitude for a certain weapon (or perhaps magic) that isn't common in the village. Recently, strange markings have been appearing on your body. They are almost like tattoos, except they sometimes glow. It is, of course, unheard of in this area, and you don't know how it is being triggered. You set out on a journey to find out who you were before you arrived at the village, party because you want to know, and partly because the villagers have become unrest. (Note: There isn't anything in particular I would enjoy seeing here that I can think of. He probably has had this magical tattoo since just after his birth. It's either a religious thing, or has to do with an event that happened near his birth.)
05: A wizard has always lived in the tower upstream, but he hasn't always polluted the water. Until recently your village has lived easy. A nearby stream has provided it with all the water it needed to grow crops, drink, and give to livestock. Recently, waste from the wizards tower has begun to pollute it beyond use. If the wizard isn't stopped, the town will fall apart, leaving everyone to go their separate ways. You just happen to be the best-suited villager to take care of this problem. (Note: The story can work one of two ways. It can either be a story leading to a game like Diablo... except you travel UP a tower, instead of down. Or it can be a large tower that you keep returning that remains part of the main plot. The first way is simple, but the second way involves fetching artifacts, ingredients, spells, or tools from various other towns or caves to break some sort of seal/barrier/door/obstruction that you need to reach the wizard who remains locked at the top.)
In addition to the story in this article, you may use any of these plots as your own, giving me no credit if you don't want to. I would, however, like to be informed if you want to use any of them for my own personal records. Please inform me by sending an email to: Kingspoom@hotmail.com "
(back to me again) Good luck. It is good to try to write it out well before you put it into RPGM2 or else it won't be presented well in the game either.
For tons of cliche examples to avoid read through this: project-apollo.net/text/rpg.html Some, like Capitalism is a Harsh Mistress, you don't need to worry about at all but others like Oh No, My Peasant Village are definitely best avoided."
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Post by Jugem on Mar 20, 2005 5:44:04 GMT -5
Sorry to interrupt, Will, but poor, poor smurf90!
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Post by The Smurf on Mar 20, 2005 10:44:46 GMT -5
yes, i admit that my characters are very shallow. that was just a little background info. i'm working on more as we speak. Will, you seriously have too much time on your hands jk as for my story, i can cut a lot of stuff, but...i don't know... btw, his name's thursday cause i named him after a really good band... -the smurf -how did i get so many responses in such a short time...?
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Post by The Smurf on Mar 20, 2005 11:02:11 GMT -5
btw i'm also looking for ideas for a better title.
since i expanded my game to include the return of Genesis "Dark Angel" just doesn't seem to work anymore.
-not that it ever did...
-the smurf
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Post by Neo Samurai on Mar 20, 2005 16:50:25 GMT -5
I don't think it's a bad idea to have a lot of detail about a legend or so, but try not to use every detail of it in your game. The great thing about having a lot of material is you can keep some of it and cut out other parts of it to make a great story. However, making it where "first, this happens, and then, this happens and then..." seems unrealistic. I think, everytime you get an idea for a story, write it down somewhere. Then, once you have enough on the paper, ask yourself "Now, what can I do with all of this?" You could find yourself creating something great. Your story can turn out great if you pull it off correctly. If you'd like to create this all in the Intro Scene, check out Ves' Guarantees. His advice on creating an Intro Scene is very helpful. Anyway, welcome to the board! Edit: Oh yeah, and for help with cliches, go here. The Grand List of Cliches has many cliches from many popular RPGs.
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Post by Deleted on Mar 20, 2005 17:08:11 GMT -5
Me- "And, with the title, I would say make it somehow related to one or more major themes/messages/meanings/morals of the game. You can also make it have a literal meaning to the game. This is what I've done with Paladin. This leaves the player with a lasting reminder of what you wanted them to get from the game. (so in other words just wait till later in your game development to name it)"
Dungeon Warden- "Here is the information for major characters (taken from "The Dungeon Master's Design kit")
Game Abilities: The characters in game profile (HP, MP, Level, etc.) This includes any special abilities or attacks the character has.
Epithets: the title or descriptive name of the character. Lord William the dragon slayer is a more inpressive name then Bill. Make sure all major characters have a name that complements there importance.
Appearence: Pick a model and use colors that make the character stand out from the rest.
Mannerisms: You are some what limited to text, SFX and VFX in this area, but some interesting manerisms can make a character stand out.
Personality/Motives: Why does the character act and react the way he does? What reason does he have for doing what he does? No one does things just because they're evil or good. They need a reason to justify their own actions even if those reasons seem strange to others.
Responces to key Stimuli: here is where you move your character from the ordinary to the extraordinary. What party actions will anger the character? What actions will cause him to suddenly befriend the characters? For example, if the character is an orphan he might look more favorably on an orphan in the party.
Exploitable traits/ weaknesses: Does the character have a weakness to gambling that a villian or the party can take advantage of? Does the girl have a weakness to stuffed teddybears? Like the stimuli above, make the character special in some way.
Background/history: Where does the character come from? What life events led him on the path he now travels?
Typical tactics: not in combat, but in life. How does the character deal with stress? With people/ places he doesn't like? Those he does like? Where does he spend most of his time? If a villian, what is his modus operandi?
Minor characters are similar to major characters, only they don't need as much detail. Game stats (which could just be an event with pages), appearence, and personality would be all you need for most minor characters."
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Post by The Smurf on Mar 20, 2005 18:13:23 GMT -5
hmm... i've already gone a good 1/3 to 1/2 into my game, so i'll base the new story around that and go from there. i'll have to give that more thought. as for characters, using what i've already come up with and expanding on it should suffice for now. thanx to everyone for their harsh criticisms! thanx for the support and ideas. i'll get right to work on that!
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Post by Neo Samurai on Mar 20, 2005 18:23:57 GMT -5
Wait... Don't just scrap away your story idea. Keep it somewhere for reference. If you're seriously that far into development, I suggest you modify some stuff. Trust me, having to create a whole new story idea is gonna suck. Like, for example, instead of having the village elders of the island selecting a random kid from the island, try this (don't know if this has been done before). Let's say the military has to go stop the threat. His father could be one of those in the military. Let's say what's going down is real dangerous. The main character is real close to his father. Of course, he isn't gonna be very happy about his father risking his neck, so he could follow him, and try to stop the whole threat himself. I know that may sound ridiculous for one person to try to stop such a threat, but perhaps the main character is someone who doesn't think things out enough and just jumps and does something. This could be a great weakness for him if he's put on the spot. Just an idea. Good luck.
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Post by The Smurf on Mar 20, 2005 19:37:09 GMT -5
i wasn't planning on throwing it away, i was planning on altering it.
that's a great idea, by the way. Maybe his best friend is serving in the military, military is investigating this dark sorcerer, main character doesn't want him to die at the hands of the sorcerer so he collects the keys to the castle to try and save his friend.
maybe a twist could be his friend (and the whole military) is working for the "bad side" or in my case the angelic army.
just a thought
-the smurf
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Post by The Smurf on Mar 20, 2005 19:58:41 GMT -5
ok i got something!
Thursday (main character) had a really good friend. This friend joined the island's military. An evil sorcerer appeared, so the army goes to check it out. The sorcerer defeats the entire army, so Thursday's friend is killed.
Thursday is so mad he wants to destroy all evil to avenge his friend's death. Here's your quest. after you defeat the sorcerer, other people recognize your skill and ask you to aid them with their monster problems, which continues the quest until the one responsible for sending all of this evil down to the land is defeated.
the only thing i can't figure out is why Thursday and his posse is able to beat the sorcerer when the entire army couldn't...maybe he, like the champion from the legend, has some relation to a god...anybody is free to help me out with this dilemma...
-the smurf
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