The Girl and the Dragon

Recently I made a post about Little Cat which is a little game I have been working on for a while using a game designer program called RPG Maker VX. I quite enjoyed sharing my project on this blog, so I've decided to share another, this time made with the updated engine, RPG Maker VX Ace - which I have found much more efficient to use. This game is called The Girl and the Dragon and I've been working on this on/off since August, on average about eight/ten hours a month.

This is a character and decision driven RPG game with a firm story that has been pre-planned. The main character, "Aethelinda", is on a quest to free dragons from the 'forbidden realm' in return for gaining the powers and protection of a dragon. All she has to do is destroy fourteen towers that hold up 'heaven', and use her will to open a Timegate. Sounds simple right?

Only the dragon is evil, twisted and sinister, and there is a reason why the dragons are in the forbidden realm.

If they ever returned, all of humanity would be wiped out.

Surely then Aethelinda should not free the dragons then, you say? But if she doesn't, she will be dragged into the 'forbidden realm', lose any powers she once gained and return into Deaf-blindness. Alone. With a bunch of dragons.

Now before I go any further - This isn't in any way suggesting people in real life with Deaf-blindness are inferior. (Helen Keller anyone?) It''s just that everyone in Aethelinda's village suddenly vanished one day, leaving her alone. With no food or water, it was a matter of survival to promise to help the dragons.

This project is a challenge hoping to achieve the following.

• Create a badass main character.
• Include a multitude of major/minor characters with discoverable stories.
• Have a thorough main plot, with minor plots in the background - should the player wish to follow them.
• Include countless options/decisions the player can make, which in turn can change the ending of the game.
• Have cities, towns, countries identifiable by a unique culture. 
• Be a fun game to play.

I enjoy incorporating lots of 'mini-stories' into the game, but this has been very time consuming. I have had to make a 'maker's guide' with all the spoilers in only so I could keep up with all the minor characters and their names. If I ever release this game I'll probably include the guide too.

If you are not familiar with RPG Maker VX Ace, there is already a shop system and an expansive database where one can create items/armours/weapons (etc, etc!) for characters to use/equip in the game. I'm a big database fan, so it's been satisfying avoiding the pre-made data and make my own. I hope to make as much unique content as far as my skills allow. My next aim might be drawing and sharing concept art for my characters - of which I feel are the key stars in the game.

I hope to post about my both my rpgs in the near future.

Stay tuned!

House Viewing

Recently four strangers are viewing the property, loudly. With stamping feet and their camera flash. I am sure they are kind people, but it sickens me.

I hate house viewings.
I think I long for a semi-permenant place to live.

Reflection on the fake interpreter at the Nelson Mandela

Headlines in the UK have recently reported the bizare story of a fake sign language interpreter during the Nelson Mandela memorial.

I feel news has already covered many topics on this recent news. I'm not going to contribute to any speculations on who the interpreter is or anything about the secruity breach.

No, I am more interested in the response by the audience. Here are some facts.

• Despite the news story being relevant to a Deaf community, no subtitles are features on the relevant videos related to articles found on large news sites.
• During a radio interview, the interviewer asked the Deaf community to phone and give their views.
• Sign Interpretation has been given a spotlight. More people have become aware of sign interpreters.

 I feel perhaps, if any good can come of this, there should be a movement to give more access to a minority of people. The Deaf communicate in many different ways. In the UK, there is the technology. Sign interpretation and subtitles should be available for the Deaf.

Little Cat

 

About a year ago I started working on a little side project called 'Little Cat'. This is probably the most quirkiest project I'll be sharing on my blog - but possibly the most interesting for blog readers. Little Cat is a game made with RPG Maker VX, which focuses on a single main character. The idea is that you are thrown in a very perculiar world with no real guide or aid to help you. It is up to you as the player to decide how to play the game and how to progress the levels.

At the beginning Little Cat was meant to be a simple demonstration on what is possible to achieve with the most basic knowledge of 'eventing' - making events and switches for the player to interact with or to happen when triggered and/or automatically. Some of my friends were interested in the program, and I thought, well, I'll make a rounded easy to play demo.

One year later.

I enjoy making Little Cat because the world is weird. There are some common features in the game which the player will learn and make use with caution. Little Cat is a puzzle/exploration rpg with combat scenes. There is a story to the game, but it's up to the player to find out.

Little Cat also relies on the player's interest to be adventurous. There are currently different paths one can choose, and different type of dungeons to explore. Events on map are numerous if one is curious and perhaps brave enough to find out. Players would be recommended to save regularly.

At the moment the maps are very simple, but because of the level of interaction the player has with their environment, I'm not too concerned. I'm hoping for an overall 'artistic', 'themed' look. Something that will make me think "Yes, this map is in the style of Little Cat."

If players do not mind strange and random events and want an unusual game to pass the time, I will be posting about a demo soon.

While the maps, writing, and custom graphics are made by myself, the music is imported from other sources. Nevertheless, the file shouldn't reach any significant size.

Stay tuned!

Reflection

I'm meant to be somewhere else.
Instead I flick through old photos and videos and procrastinate from a potentially fun and happy evening.
I can see why others may define this as a potential logic fail. Nevertheless.

Some good things and some bad things have happened - things I should remember. I hope to update my blog more frequently with these things as best I can. I also just found my photos from my Hungarian holiday so finally I'll be able to make some decent posts about the country.

I wanted to write this post more than anything, to remind myself to update this blog more.

I am so tired.

I shall rest next week.

Nightmares

I can make decisions in my dreams and have varying degrees of weariness.

Still doesn't mean I am nightmare free.

Recently I had a dream about meeting two old friends who were giving me a lift in Bath. They took me away from a house party so we could "talk", and I remember not wanting to but I was too curious to see what they would say. Their hair was shockingly much longer. Not much happened, I woke myself up because it became too uncomfortable.

Despite more aggressive and violent dreams I've known myself to have, this was probably one of the worse for a while.

Adventure and Storytelling

So I've been travelling again recently which as usual has been a mix of exhaustion and adventure. On my travels home last Friday I received an "energy stone" and met kind (and possibly rather bored) travellers on an equally long journey as mine. I also weaved through many footballers, drunks and the usual busy Londoner through the tubes and towards the next station. I am to travel again actually - I should start packing now because I am to leave at quarter to nine and it is eight already. For some reason my heart feels light. If I were to breath in deep I feel it would lift upwards to my throat. Perhaps it's too soon to go back, or perhaps I know I'm too tired to be sane for their adventure.
I should get home about hmm, ten past two in the morning?
Recently I have interviewed a very nice man for my dissertation on religion, with other interviews booked ahead in time. Work is generally going fine, though I need to focus on my Japanese essay.
I'm thinking of a few things.
Firstly the need to become a storyteller. I have a very close brother and a cousin who is practically a sister that I see often when I am home. We were telling stories in the dark which made me realise - I didn't have any.
I used to know of a man who would be able to improvise off the bat and would probably comment on the lack of need for a 'prepared story'. I can improvise a plot, but never a story. A story needs adventure! Pace! Drama! Something I stumble on without a framework in place. So! I've decided to write some for the future. You never know when telling a good story will be handy.
My other thoughts are thinking of December. Christmas is coming soon, but I am not yet ready to acknowledge it nor dedicate any time. (Though watch out Noble House, I shall swarm it with decorations in due course!) For me, Christmas is not merely a period of "joy" but it is also the peek of frustrated, angry crowds, panic and stress. Kitchen staff get swamped by orders and work hours becoming even more demanding. I've noticed the cars in the road become more impatient too, and dare I mention the beginning of third year deadlines?
Oh boy.
I guess there's mixed feelings, but while I'm nervous about my travel home I look forward to the future.