After a long time of failing to continue, finally a new post. Hopefully a series of them.
Prototyping
I bring with me something I learned during my university courses: Making a prototype is answering one question. So no matter how aesthatically unpleasant or technically unstable the result is, if it proposed answers to the question asked, then the prototype was a success.
Prototyping is achieving an effect with minimum effort. This is different to a demo, which is meant to go further and present the effect to someone – usually someone who is not in the core dev team. So you might need some more symbols and visual enhancement (as an example).
I struggled with writing this next post, because I really wanted to make an actually working quest in an efficient manner. But to do that you need a good infrastructure and the profiency to create efficiency. This took me some time.
Ocularis Prototype Stories: The Old Friend
Today’s quest is a prototype made with the dialog engine I scripted for the action-adventure Ocularis. It is a story with the same character as the one in the base game – Leonora – but uses a different map and narrative.
The setup is: Leonora is a rogue warrioress who travels from work to work, almost mercenary-like. On her travels she meets Honoratius at a camp and gets a contract when she asks him. Her task is to findan old friend of Honoratius who lived in a manor nearby, but there are enemies all about and he does not dare fight them.
This is how the quest (may) evolve:
Here you can see a playthrough of the prototype, containing the level design, dialogue and quest logic, but e.g. no enemies or advanced lighting.
Feedback Suggestions
- What questions does this prototype answer?
- Where should enemies be placed?
- Is the plot twist understandable?
Conclusion
It is good to be back, to get back on track. The feeling of dread, or, as some call it, the looming shadow of the panic monster have driven me here, but writing this I actually feel the rythm coming back.
Much luck with your projects!
Gregor Sönnichsen 