Note: This thread will be updated fairly often as new assets are received, scripts are put in place or made functional, as well as any other additions to the game. I will make comments noting what changes were made to the OP. Thank you for your time reading this thread and I look forward to all your feedback as the game is developed! -Dakota
Synopsis
Out of the Storm is a open world that focuses on staying alive long enough to outlast an unearthly storm that has trapped you out in the wilderness. You play as Val, a young woman who is more accustomed to life in the city than being out in the wilderness. Caught in a storm while traveling between cities she now has to survive a storm that has taken the life of nearly everyone who has faced it. She’s off to a bad start when she falls off a cliff and suffers multiple life threatening injuries. Rescued and nursed back to health by a young boy she now has to keep not only herself alive but the boy who saved her whom is now bedridden after eating a toxic plant. Every minute is a choice between life and death for you and the boy, what actions your perform will very well decide both of your fates.
Who Val was walking into that storm is set in stone, but who she is when she comes out or if she comes out is up to you.
Characters
Valencia (Val): The protagonist of this woman vs nature story. This game serves as a chapter in her background leading up the events of A Shadow’s Tale. During her trip from Urbi Lupi to a small village to the north, she is caught in an unearthly storm. Taking a shortcut off the beaten path she falls off a cliff and is gravely wounded.
Nathaniel (Nathan): A young adolescent who finds Val injured and unconscious near the river. He takes her back to a cabin where he has been living throughout the winter and over the time nurses her back to health. As Val begins to recover though Nathan becomes ill, contracting lathyrism from a diet of wild peas he rapidly becomes crippled as his nervous system shuts down. By the time Val is up and active Nathan is bedridden and unable to move. Turning from savior to a burden he struggles with an inner battle to find a reason to go on.
Novus Anima is a fantasy world set long after the modern world has come to an end. Thrown into a chaotic state the planet nearly wipes the human race out entirely. Thousands of years later mankind's focus on survival has led to the lost memory of what the modern world. Now just remnants of a forgotten world traces of civilization are left scattered throughout this world reclaimed by nature. Though significantly more stable than the planet was during the end of the modern world, the planet is left reshaped both in geography and it's ecosystem. New creatures and races are introduced amongst the old and humanity finds itself struggling as they try to grow back in number to what they once were.
The Region
The forest along the eastern mountains of Novus Anima has never been an easy place to survive. Bitter cold winters, dangerous wildlife, and bandit activity has led to the region staying relatively low in human settlements. Most notably among these settlements is a small city known as Urbi Lupi (aka The City of Wolves). A city given it's name due to the origin of it being a struggle between human and lycan races as they fought an ever changing battle of hunter vs hunted. The forest Val is in during the story of Out of the Storm is a dense one that makes up more than ten percent of the continent's flora. As she grows further away from the city of Urbi Lupi she enters terrain previously only traveled by hunters and bandits. The latter of which being the only ones daring enough to travel during a deadly storm such as the one Val finds herself in for weeks.
The Storm
Unlike storms of the modern world such as hurricanes which only last a few days, super storms are a rare occurrence but not unknown. During these storms people take shelter in their homes within their town or city and travel is certain death. Blizzards come and go daily and you must make sure you are not caught out in one for too long. Temperatures are below freezing during the day and at night they can drop below zero Fahrenheit.
In order to survive you're going to need to stay fed, hydrated, warm, and in good health. In order to do that you'll need to gather edible plants and herbs, hunt down animals, and cut down trees.
You need to know what's going to keep you alive and what's going to kill you. Found a batch of unfamiliar berries? Why don't you study a couple back home before you go shoving them in your mouth and die a painful death. It's not just the animals that you have to worry about in this forest.
The Eastern Mountains have never been a warm place to be, but this storm has escalated that danger escalate to fatal. Be prepared for the storm to change at any moment, some days may be more violent than others. Make sure you have somewhere to take cover when the snow begins to fall and you can't see your hands in front of your face.
If you're hungry, you're weak. If you're cold, you're weak. If you're injured, you're weak. If you're thirsty, you're weak. If you're weak you're sick. If you're sick for long, you're dead. Avoid sickness whenever you can and if you do get sick use some of the forest rare herbs to get back in good health.
There is little you can do or carry with just your hands. Create the tools you need ranging from a knife to a sled, in order to survive.
Screenshots
*Note the first few weeks of development will be spent mostly programming and setting up events to function properly. Much of the art will be placeholders or in the least unpolished assets. Visit the page at least weekly to watch it grow into something beautiful*
The Cabin
Interaction System
Soundcloud.com
Project Timeline
March 14th-April 4th: Develop core mechanics and experiment with basic assets to find proper atmosphere and direction for the game.
April 5th-???: Develop all assets needed to develop a functional game. (This stage varies based on what money I can put towards the project to cover cost of art, animation, music, and sound effects)
???-Late May: Add polish to the environment with additional details such as hand painted shadows, lighting, snow crushing under feet, and so forth. Fine tune mechanics to act smoothly and as needed. Allow people to beta test the game and make necessary changes and fix any remaining bugs.
June: Release game
Personal Goals
- Create an enjoyable game that tells the story of a young woman who faces the impossible and becomes someone she wasn't quite before
- Build up an audience that will continue to support future titles
- Generate assets and create a location that can continue to be used in future titles
- Make enough off sales to make an even more ambitious game
Team
Dakota Barrett - Development
Devon (aka Vlue)- Programming
Elbert Lim- Sprite/Icon Art
Nicola Chasseaud- Environmental Art
Erel Maatita- Concept Art
Saad Ali- Music/SFX
Additional Credits
- Kyle Murray of Meraki Games, for tips and advice
- Donn Manalili of ToMorning Productions, for making the plant spawning system 100x better
- Members and Moderators of the forums for always being there to help each other out
- Friends and family for dealing with me
- My team members who I couldn't be here without
Edited by: LivingDreamEnt
