Noghal - Dark Elysium - Game Design Document

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Squarefox
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Noghal - Dark Elysium - Game Design Document

Post by Squarefox »

Hello Irrlicht community!

I want to share a game design document with you.
I am working on the game since 1997 now.

The name of the game is "Noghal - Dark Elysium".
It`s an action adventure role playing game which a deep story, spanning hundred thousands of years.
The setting is science fantasy, a mixture between science fiction and fantasy.
Basically you can say, that the technology in the game is powered by magic.

To summarize the story idea shortly: the fantasy planet of Noghal is invaded by aliens.
But there are still many mysteries to discover.
A battle between technology and fantasy and between light and darkness is the result of the invasion.

If you are interested, you can find the game design document here:
http://noghal.squarefox.net

Kind regards,
Squarefox
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Re: Noghal - Dark Elysium - Game Design Document

Post by CuteAlien »

Document looks nice. Lot of good world building in there (check out https://www.reddit.com/r/worldbuilding). Game design somewhat fuzzy. You pass on quests and missions to the AI programmer? As AI programmer I wouldn't really know how write bots for a whole Kingdom and mix that with a half-dynamic story. It's something everyone dreams off, but no one figured it out so far (except in anime series about games where it just works). If I had to approach that I'd do either a linear system or start really small. Linear: Do usual rpg-quests/missions, then start thinking about points to add any dynamic decisions. Kinda like everyone :-) But that's hard to do even as human - it's not going to be easier for a programmer to teach this to bots. It's proven way to end up with a nice RPG, so consider it at least :-) Second approach with starting small. Maybe write a AI system for a single family (make it a royal family living in a castle if you want). Once you figure that out go on to a street (aka The Sims). Then to a village (like "Die Siedler" or "Cultures"). Then write something like dwarf fortress. But you need a very dedicated AI programmer who can push that forward - you are breaching into new AI territory there. And I don't have a real clue how to mix that with a story.
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Re: Noghal - Dark Elysium - Game Design Document

Post by DebugBSD »

Squarefox wrote:Hello Irrlicht community!

I want to share a game design document with you.
I am working on the game since 1997 now.

The name of the game is "Noghal - Dark Elysium".
It`s an action adventure role playing game which a deep story, spanning hundred thousands of years.
The setting is science fantasy, a mixture between science fiction and fantasy.
Basically you can say, that the technology in the game is powered by magic.

To summarize the story idea shortly: the fantasy planet of Noghal is invaded by aliens.
But there are still many mysteries to discover.
A battle between technology and fantasy and between light and darkness is the result of the invasion.

If you are interested, you can find the game design document here:
http://noghal.squarefox.net

Kind regards,
Squarefox
Hi Squarefox!

I've seen the Game Design Document and I have to say that I liked it. It seems to be a kind of MMORPG or sth like that. I would like to ask you if you are still developing the game or is just a concept?

Have a nice day!
Guille
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Re: Noghal - Dark Elysium - Game Design Document

Post by Squarefox »

Hello Guille,

thanks you for reading the document and the feedback!
It's supposed to be not an MMORPG, but an action-adventure role-playing-game.
It would be playable in single-player as also in multi-player with 3-4 other players.

It's not in development anymore, because I don't have the time, money and people to make a final game out of it.
It was once in development with about 5 people team size (but we would have needed more), but more than
a techdemo, a trailer and some documents were not finished.
We were in lack of money and that's why the project was cancelled.
I worked alone on it for some time afterwards, but now not anymore.

I hope that answers you questions!

Kind regards,
Squarefox
francisbaud
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Re: Noghal - Dark Elysium - Game Design Document

Post by francisbaud »

I like the idea of mixing technology and magic in a role-playing game. I'm a big fan of MMORPG so practically every RPG I see I'd like to turn it into a MMO he he. So you guys have been working on this since 1997, it's been a long time. If you really like this game I wish that you'll be able to continue working on it until you're satisfied!
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Re: Noghal - Dark Elysium - Game Design Document

Post by Squarefox »

Hello Francis,

thanks for your input! Making this an MMORPG would require quite some redesign of the gameflow, although it would be possible.
Working on this anymore will probably not happen, since we are all in full-time jobs now.
I am currently trying my luck in making this a TV series - there is a contest where you can send in the synopsis of the story and if you win they will assist you to write a pilot episode.
I don't think that this will happen, but who knows?

Kind regards,
Squarefox
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Re: Noghal - Dark Elysium - Game Design Document

Post by Squarefox »

Hello,

I did not won the contest, but I want to share the TV series idea with you. Here it is:

Noghal: Forgotten Mysteries

Logline:
A party of heroes from a magical fantasy planet rallies together, after hostile ancient beings land with their spaceships on their world.
Now the heroes have to stop these ancients from summoning the gods of darkness from a long-forgotten relict.

Synopsis:

"Ever burning battles between light and shadow,
Crafted into two stones - Lo’Gaan and Run’Noor,
One should not exist without the other -
It is the balance, which holds the universe together
And the knowledge which leads to ultimate destiny -
Light and shadow in balance."

Pilot Episode:
A fleet of starships flies through space. On board of the starships, the Tar’Gon’La matriarch Sha’Lei’Tar takes a bath. A Tar’Gon’La officer arrives and says to her, that the planet Noghal was found again. The matriarch comes to the ship bridge and orders the crew, that they have to warp to Noghal with the whole fleet. The fleet enters the warp and reappears in the orbit of Noghal. They land in the Desert of the Damned on the continent Zraa.
After the starships have landed, countless war machines and Tar’Gon’La soldiers come out of the ships.

In a snowy steppe, a figure walks through the snow and ice - it is the Tar’Gon’Re leader Su’Rei’Tem. He talks to himself, that his brothers and sisters chose the wrong path. Then he hears thunder from the sky and sees the Tar’Gon’La ships as they arrive. He says, that now, after such a long time, the day of decision finally will come.

Also in the snow, a lizard-like Krunark hunter - Tro’Lark - is hunting an ice bear with spear and shield. He is close to the bear and wants to land the final blow, as there is thunder in the sky. The ice bear steps back and flees. Tro’Lark watches to the sky and sees the ships arrive. He looks into the sky and asks himself, what this could be, and runs back to his village. There the other Krunark also look into the sky and wonder about these ships. Some of them assume, that gods have arrived.

After some weeks in the Krunark village, the astonishment has come to an end. Then there is another thunder in the air, and smaller ships and flying drones arrive at the village. Tar’Gon’La exit the ships and take position everywhere in the village. The leader of them raises his voice and yells, that they are gods, which the Krunark have to follow. Some Krunark knee down in front of the Tar’Gon’La, others stay skeptical and keep standing.
So also the wife of Tro’Lark. She responds to the Tar’Gon’La, that they are not their gods because she had a dark vision about them. Other Krunark agree and ask the Tar’Gon’La to leave their village. The Tar’Gon’La draw their weapons and open fire. They kill some of the Krunark, among them Tro’Laks wife and his children, that are beside her. Tro’Lak falls into a rage and attacks the Tar’Gon’La. Others follow him and they manage to drive
them off their village.

Tro’Lak buries his wife and his children with tears in his eyes. He knees before their graves and cuts himself with his sacred storm ax in his hand. As the blood runs from his hand and drops onto the graves, he swears bloody revenge.

After some weeks, a sailing ship arrived. An elven woman and a plant-like Xylanth come from board and request an audience with the leaders of the Krunark. Tro’Lak takes also part in it. The elf and the Xylanth tell that the main continent Grandaar is under attack by these strangers and that they request help. Tro’Lak and some other Krunark grab their war equipment and sail with the ship to Grandaar.

Episode 2:
Tro’Lak, the elven archeress Jule Eversun, and the Xylanth druid Xergon Blarkwood are getting to know each other better. They arrive at Grandaar and continue their journey to Malron, the capital city of the humans. Together they manage to help to end the siege and talk to the human king. He requests them to investigate more about the Tar’Gon’La. The human paladin Jara Brightsword joins their party.

Episode 3:
The heroes investigate Tar’Gon’La activity in the Dragontooth Mountains. Inside them, they are countless old machines that are similar to those of the Tar’Gon’La. They have a vision, where they see that the Tar’Gon’La and Tar’Gon’Re decided to leave the planet a hundred thousand years ago. Sha’Lei’Tar and Su’Rei’Tem were once in love with each other but were driven apart by this decision. As the vision ends, both of them arrive, and
Su’Rei’Tem saves the heroes from getting killed by Sha’Lei’Tar.

Episode 4:
The heroes awake in a Xylanth grove on Xyr, where they were teleported by Su’Rei’Tem. They have a vision, about an old temple in the Snow Mountains where they will get answers. They gather some Xylanths and make their way to Lork, where the dwarves need help against the Tar’Gon’La.

Episode 5:
The heroes manage to free Lork together with the dwarves. The dwarves get their fleet ready to sail to Grandaar and help to defeat the Tar’Gon’La forces there. The heroes join their fleet and sail to Grandaar.

Episode 6:
The heroes continue their journey to the Snow Mountains. There they enter the ancient temple of Re’Lak. A goddess tells them about the Run’Noor - stone of evil - and the Lo’Gaan - stone of good. The Tar’Gon’La left the planet to find the Run’Noor and after they succeeded they returned to summon the gods of darkness.

Episode 7:
The heroes walk deeper into the temple and find the Lo’Gaan. As they touch it they get empowered with its energy, Su’Rei’Tem walks out of the shadow and tells them the story of the exodus of the Tar’Gon’La and Tar’Gon’Re. He says that he still wants to save Sha’Lei’Tar and disappears again.

Episode 8:
The heroes continue their journey to the south and gather more and more allies. They decide to take the battle to Zraa, where the Tar’Gon’La landed. They find a friendly dragon, who takes them there.

Episode 9:
The heroes fight their way through Zraa to the city of the dead. More and more allied armies arrive at Zraa and prepare the final battle.

Episode 10:
The final battle takes part. The armies of the Noghal alliance defeat the Tar’Gon’La. The heroes ban the Run’Noor with the power of the Lo’Gaan. Su’Rei’Tem manages to free Sha’Lei’Tar from the dark influence.

Pictures:

Image
Cover Screen with Heroes (although wrong sub-title)

Image
Geographic Map

Image
Politic Map

Image
Tar’Gon’La

Image
Main Heroe


Greetings,
Squarefox
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