Intent 1b – KeeganE

This is a modified intent from my previous idea, which was much more broad then I had intended. My new intent is a video-game, created in the game-development software RPGmaker, a nested-code based engine which supports isometric and 2D-based role-playing-games. I believe that one of the more powerful aspects of video-games as a media is it ultimately has the ability to force people to confront surreal, frightening, or existential ideas in a compelling and immersive fashion. The level of depth a story can create allows me convey important thoughts and ideas which other mediums may not be able to support. My intent is to bring forward uncomfortable subject matters (current events, existentialism, power-structures) into my video game, which will be called Songbird. The title itself is an embedded metaphor which will be a congruent theme throughout the game.

My approach is to unify the resources of four, relatively easy to learn applications all geared towards the development of a fully-fledged game. None of the examples depicted below represent the game I intend to create, but are prototype games to build experience on the application itself. The applications are:

RPG Maker VX Ace (The Engine)

This application is an incredibly intuitive and well-managed system which I believe has a gradual enough learning-curve to allow me to master the application extremely rapidly.

Asperite (Sprite and Art-Generation)

Asperite gives me the opportunity to easily manage the animation of pixel-art which will account for the majority of my art style. The ability to export the sprites and backgrounds in a specific format allows me to import them directly into RPGmaker.

BFXR (Sound Effect Generation)

BFXR is a simple application used to generate particular notes or sounds to format sound effects, such as interactions, attack noises, jumping, etc.

Bosca Ceoil (Music-Generation)

All background, combat, and title music will be created within Bosca Ceoil, which is a fairly easy to use piece of software. Lacking particular talent in the musical area, I am hoping to have a close friend help me develop the game’s soundtrack.

Currently, the applications I have already purchased are self-sustainable, and no further money needs to be spent, unless I plan on purchasing engine-expansions in the future. I do not plan on spending more than another $100 on this project, as the idea is to gain experience in enough applications to create something original.

My main inspiration is the game “Lisa,” the trailer below shows fairly well what the game is about. The ability to capture these ideas in this satirical way has proven to be very effective with Lisa, and I’m hoping to replicate this effectiveness in my own game with ideas which vary from the experiences presented in Lisa.

The art styles and surreal feeling of the game ‘OFF’ have also presented me with a great deal of inspiration. The aesthetic style of ‘OFF’ is incredibly unsettling, and manages to capture a further level of depth to the story with its somewhat disturbing enemies.

Credits:

Tanay Chouhan – Music Development

Keegan Ennis – Everything but music because he is musically impaired