Help on making an Opening

[Ganstaquay5000]

It's been over 2 years since I've been working on the storyline for my game. Database, scripts, game scripts, music, resources, everything is done and it's finally time for me to start making the game. However I don't know what to do with my opening. I'm not sure how I should start the game off. Is there any kinds of tutorials to help me develope a good opening for my game.

 

[Jason]

Have the screen black, and have text appear in the middle saying a bit of the storyline, then make the black fade off onto the map, and start a cutscene.

That always looks good.

 

[Ganstaquay5000]

Have the screen black, and have text appear in the middle saying a bit of the storyline, then make the black fade off onto the map, and start a cutscene.

That always looks good.

Yeah, I've thought of that but that seems a little bit typical... Anything unique I can do with my opening?

 

[Jason]

Have the screen black, and have text appear in the middle saying a bit of the storyline, then make the black fade off onto the map, and start a cutscene.

That always looks good.

Yeah, I've thought of that but that seems a little bit typical... Anything unique I can do with my opening?

Hmm, well I guess you could RickRoll everyone who plays your game ? that would be unique, lol.

Hmm...

You ever played Chrono Cross ? if you have you'll know what I mean by this, if not, read anyways;

When you start the game, you're in the middle of like a dungeon (Haven't played for a while but I remember some of it), with 2 people in your party, and these 2 people are randomised from all the playable characters, by this I mean, if you play this first part, turn off the PS1, and replay it, you'll more than likely end up with 2 new people than you had before, and when you get to the end of this dungeon (And had a few fights), you wake up and as typical as ever, some dude/dudette is stood over you telling you to wake up, except WAIT, this DOESN'T happen, I think he wakes up and looks at the sea like a total nesbitt, lol.

I'll have to find an ISO of that game, it was amazing, (In no way is it related to Chrono Trigger)

 

[Ganstaquay5000]

Have the screen black, and have text appear in the middle saying a bit of the storyline, then make the black fade off onto the map, and start a cutscene.

That always looks good.

Yeah, I've thought of that but that seems a little bit typical... Anything unique I can do with my opening?

Hmm, well I guess you could RickRoll everyone who plays your game ? that would be unique, lol.

Hmm...

You ever played Chrono Cross ? if you have you'll know what I mean by this, if not, read anyways;

When you start the game, you're in the middle of like a dungeon (Haven't played for a while but I remember some of it), with 2 people in your party, and these 2 people are randomised from all the playable characters, by this I mean, if you play this first part, turn off the PS1, and replay it, you'll more than likely end up with 2 new people than you had before, and when you get to the end of this dungeon (And had a few fights), you wake up and as typical as ever, some dude/dudette is stood over you telling you to wake up, except WAIT, this DOESN'T happen, I think he wakes up and looks at the sea like a total nesbitt, lol.

I'll have to find an ISO of that game, it was amazing, (In no way is it related to Chrono Trigger)

I guess that could work except for the whole random party members thing. Chrono Cross had so many different party members and I'm only using 8.... But I'll keep waiting for more suggestions... Thanks!

 

[Glitchfinder]

You know, I personally liked the beginning of DragonWarrior III. (DragonQuest III in some cases) It was meant to help determine your character's personality, but it broke up the standard intro pattern of the series. It was basically this:

You are on a mountain (Or something, I'm not sure exactly what it can be called) and a voice speaks to you and tells you to answer some questions truthfully. Then, it goes through an interesting question tree (with a random beginning question where each answer prompts another question) and, at the end, your answers determine a small scenario. For example, in one of them you are a monster, and you come out of a well in a town. You can let yourself be killed by the townspeople, kill some of them, or kill all of them. If you kill only some people, you actually get labeled with the "careless" nature, because you didn't finish the job. (I don't remember what the other natures were, although they actually did include lewd for some reason) There were a couple of other scenarios, like one where you can follow someone's request to push a boulder to them, and your nature is decided by whether you do it one time, several times, or just ignore the person. The other one I remember is where you are in a performance hall, and a guy asks you to ask the performer if she will stay engaged to him now that she's famous. The outcomes for that were if you 1: left without asking, 2: lied and said she said yes, or 3: told the truth and crushed his heart. The funny thing was, all of the scanarios seemed to have three outcomes. Of course, it then went through the standard story spiel, with the waking up included. If I remember correctly, the natures were to determine specific interactions with other characters in the game. (For example, I remember one time where the main character was the lewd nature, and an NPC of the opposite gender said something to the effect of "Thanks for asking, but I'm taken". Or something like that)

 

[Davey]

I'd suggest playing other rmxp games and looking at how they made their opening. :smile:

 

[Mr_Smith]

If you copy things from other games, its not orriginal anymore. Im sure that if you already worked for 2 years on your game, you should also come up with your own orriginal opening.

 

[Zakkeh]

Make it around a plot, for example (this is my game)

Title: Alone
Plot: Rowan (main) had his best friend taken by Zlarick (villain) so he goes on a quest, blah blah blah..
to save Bliss (His friend)
Start;
1) Childhood, playing with Bliss,
2) Again, but there older, Storm starts as there walking home, Cutscene Zlarick Pwns you and takes bliss
3) Knight runs in, i turned opacity on and off as he ran and tele'd him back and forth to make a really confusing sort of vision as if your mind is stuck on repeat and its skipping.
4) Static, as static clears Rowan is now old and half way through a mission, finish the mission than start on the plot, with a few extra's in the middle.

- Zakkeh.

 

[hiromomiji]

Hi!!Ummm...I do like the idea of glitch ,maybe if Gansta tries making something like that and find a way to break the waking up scene-cliché or something by making it a spell test from his main character trainer,or something...how about that idea?I don't know how to make a scene like that,I kinda suck in events and such,but I like sharing creativity ^^!
so...was I at least a bit of a help --?
Of course,the opening always depends on the kind of game Gansta really has in mind :blank:

 

[Avgen]

Everything black and quite... And then the black fades away and you start playing, then after a while (when you maybe passed 1 or 2 maps or so), the cutscene begins.

Hope u understand what i mean :P Otherwise you'll have to w8 until i release my game xD

 

[Gen0cide_]

Anyone ever play wild arms? I think the idea of originals intro was awesome. The game starts with you in a dungeon, you fight through this dungeon and catch a DiD (damsel in etc) on the way, you then fight a boss and take her back to the castle. Thinking that that's part one of the game done, your gobsmacked when at the end of the kings praise and shit, the credits rool for the intro duction of the game and you realise that whole bit was just the intro to your travels with that DiD.

Loved it, but you probably can't take it word for word. At least make your intro long and interactive. That would be great. I look forward to playing your game.

 

[blakependragon]

my advice is to figure out your story first. the intro custscene may seem like the begining, but it really can't be made without knowing your story. so get your story worked out, then it will be easier. or post an update with your story in it, and maybe we can help.

i've changed my intro 3 times, not the entire thing, but tweaks to make it better.

 

[Cryranos]

Try putting the player in the middle of the action/drama, whichever is more appropriate. Slow beginnings are all right sometimes, but if the rest of the game is also slow, you might need a hook of some sort. If you have a slow beginning, there better be good character/plot development, otherwise the point of a slow intro is moot.

I'll have to find an ISO of that game, it was amazing, (In no way is it related to Chrono Trigger)

Chrono Cross!? It was the sequel.

 

[Jason]

No, it isn't a sequel, it uses the same idea and concept, and was by the same company, but it is NOT a sequel, I don't care what anyone says, with a sequel, the story carries on... the story of Chrono does NOT carry on throughout Chrono Cross, you play as an entirely new character with his own story, therefore, in my eyes, not a sequel.

 

[Cryranos]

Same world. Takes place after Chrono Trigger, one of the remakes calls Chrono Trigger the prequel to Chrono Cross. The final boss is pretty much the same entity in both games. It is both sequel and spiritual successor.

But that's not particularly relevant to the topic at hand.

Back on topic: Try to introduce as many of the important characters within the first hour. In Final Fantasy X, you had met all seven player characters before the game really begins, even if they fall out of relevance until later. Make sure the player has some idea of the characters' goals. Allude to as much as possible. There should be some things that don't make sense until later on in the game. Never have every question answered at any point (except the end).

Spoiler: High School Reading List Examples!

Don't be like Gaston Leroux (Phantom of the Opera). In the preface, he basically summarizes the entire book in three paragraphs, telling exactly what happens as a result of Erik's, the Persian's, Christine's, and Raul's actions. Although he pulled it off well, making you want to read how it happened, I doubt that anyone could pull it off as well.

Harper Lee does better with this in her novel, saying that there was an accident in which Jem's arm was severely broken. She alludes to several events in the book, with the main character arguing with her brother about where to start.

In A Separate Peace, the main character refers to the tree and staircase as places of great tragedy to start out his introspective into his past and good and evil.

Read a book. uch: They have to have good introductions, otherwise nobody would bother reading them in the first place.

These three all have darker overtones (well Phantom is more of a comedy/mystery/romance with horror elements), and could help you improve your story as a whole.