blueperiod
Member
New Demo: http://www.mediafire.com/download/r326f ... e+Demo.rar
Introduction
LINUS is a project I've been working on for quite a long time. It's a story-driven game focused primarily on drama. My main goal with LINUS is to tell a memorable story. This is mainly because writing and world-building are my favorite aspects of creating games. While the game will feature battles and puzzles, they will be a bit light in number. Thus, I would think that people who prefer more gameplay in their games won't enjoy it as much as people who like to experience a well-told story.
World Overview
The world the story takes place in is both similar to ours yet very different.
The most prominent feature of this world, and perhaps the most mysterious to all of the world's cultures, is the presence of a massive storm which has eternally permeated the western skies for as long as humanity has existed. The storm, known by many names, is an ominous dark mass which has befuddled the human population of the planet for eons. Not one person has ever navigated through it as those foolish enough to attempt it have all lost their lives in the process.
The Storm is looked upon with different perspectives by different cultures. Some believe it to be the place where the dead congregate, while others even go as far as worshiping it as a kind of living deity. Whatever the people believe, no one can fathom what lies beyond the western skies.
The people of the world are a mish-mash of different real-life civilizations and cultures. The range of the world's countries is pretty extensive, with civilizations ranging from ancient Spain to modern-day Africa being used as "inspirational sources". Even though the world is very large, the player won't visit each and every one of these countries (you will hear about and meet characters who hail from these places however). The reason being that the story of LINUS does not involve in any way the saving of the planet, so visiting these places without a good reason is kind of unrealistic.
Instead, the story is centered around the most ancient civilization in the known world: The Empire of Terragama.
The most prominent feature of this world, and perhaps the most mysterious to all of the world's cultures, is the presence of a massive storm which has eternally permeated the western skies for as long as humanity has existed. The storm, known by many names, is an ominous dark mass which has befuddled the human population of the planet for eons. Not one person has ever navigated through it as those foolish enough to attempt it have all lost their lives in the process.
The Storm is looked upon with different perspectives by different cultures. Some believe it to be the place where the dead congregate, while others even go as far as worshiping it as a kind of living deity. Whatever the people believe, no one can fathom what lies beyond the western skies.
The people of the world are a mish-mash of different real-life civilizations and cultures. The range of the world's countries is pretty extensive, with civilizations ranging from ancient Spain to modern-day Africa being used as "inspirational sources". Even though the world is very large, the player won't visit each and every one of these countries (you will hear about and meet characters who hail from these places however). The reason being that the story of LINUS does not involve in any way the saving of the planet, so visiting these places without a good reason is kind of unrealistic.
Instead, the story is centered around the most ancient civilization in the known world: The Empire of Terragama.
Story Overview
The storyline of LINUS centers around the most ancient and wartorn empire of Terragama. The game's story in itself is basically the history of this empire as it intwines around the destiny of one person. That person is the main character, a man by the name of Linus Milhaven.
Linus Milhaven is a man who's life is tied to a cruel and violent legend. The people of Terragama curse his name for the actions he commited during the latter years of his life. His story is one that every soul in Terragama claims to know all too well. It's conclusion brought about the catalyst that has resulted in the dark age the people of the empire currently find themselves in.
Still, despite the terrible crimes which he has commited, not everyone in the empire curses at Linus' memory...
His mother, now an old woman, remembers the bright, loving, and intelligent boy she once called her son. Now in her fading years, Emily Milhaven has set out on a journey to write her son's final remembrance: A biography that will showcase Linus' journey from a bright and promising adolescence to a dark and murderous future.
Linus Milhaven is a man who's life is tied to a cruel and violent legend. The people of Terragama curse his name for the actions he commited during the latter years of his life. His story is one that every soul in Terragama claims to know all too well. It's conclusion brought about the catalyst that has resulted in the dark age the people of the empire currently find themselves in.
Still, despite the terrible crimes which he has commited, not everyone in the empire curses at Linus' memory...
His mother, now an old woman, remembers the bright, loving, and intelligent boy she once called her son. Now in her fading years, Emily Milhaven has set out on a journey to write her son's final remembrance: A biography that will showcase Linus' journey from a bright and promising adolescence to a dark and murderous future.
Terragama Overview
The Empire of Terragama is an ancient, spiritual civilization not unlike the old empires of our own ancient world. It is the oldest empire in humankind, said to be founded man thousands of years ago. It is located on the westernmost continent of the known world. This continent is the largest landmass, and is the closest to the mythical storm which darkens the skies over the western sea. Because of their close presence to the storm, the people of this land have worshiped it since the founding of their empire.
Terragama is divided into nine vastly different kingdoms, while an emperor/empress typically rules over all. The nine kingdoms each have different laws and customs, but all swear fealty and obey the kingdom of Lorimaris, which is the historical home of the empress/emperor.
For many of the Empire's kingdoms, a strict class system dominates daily life. At the bottom of this social pyramid are slaves brought in from underdeveloped countries to serve as labor for the typical Terragaman family. Slightly above the slaves are the people known as Wards, a modern-day term used for the men and women hailing from the kingdoms which revolted against Lorimaris in a civil war that took place 15 years ago. Wards have very few rights, are not allowed to own land, and are treated with a general scorn for their part in rebelling against Lorimaris during the civil war.
Above the lower echelons of the class pyramid are the regular folks. Farmers, artisans, vendors, soldiers, and the like are grouped into this tier. They make up most of the Terragaman population.
High above every other class are the Great Houses-- ancient, powerful families who hold considerable influence over every facet of Terragaman society. The Great Houses are all at least a thousand years old, and are considered the nobility of the empire. Terragama is a culture which values tradition and the "old ways" above all else, thus those who are descended from "ancient blood" are held in high esteem. Politics, the economy, and most areas of government are dominated by the Great Houses. They serve as the leaders of the Terragaman people.
As powerful as the Great Houses are, none compare to the two most powerful and ancient families of Terragama. The first being House Lunet, also known as the "The First Family". They are the sovereign dynasty who have ruled the mighty kingdom of Lorimaris and therefore the entire Empire for thousands of years.
The second such family is House Milhaven, a dynasty of warriors as old as House Lunet itself. The members of the Milhaven family hold the most exteemed rank of commanders of Lorimaris' all-powerful army, a group of highly trained knights known as The Spire. They have served as
House Lunet's champions ever since the founding of the empire.
Terragama is divided into nine vastly different kingdoms, while an emperor/empress typically rules over all. The nine kingdoms each have different laws and customs, but all swear fealty and obey the kingdom of Lorimaris, which is the historical home of the empress/emperor.
For many of the Empire's kingdoms, a strict class system dominates daily life. At the bottom of this social pyramid are slaves brought in from underdeveloped countries to serve as labor for the typical Terragaman family. Slightly above the slaves are the people known as Wards, a modern-day term used for the men and women hailing from the kingdoms which revolted against Lorimaris in a civil war that took place 15 years ago. Wards have very few rights, are not allowed to own land, and are treated with a general scorn for their part in rebelling against Lorimaris during the civil war.
Above the lower echelons of the class pyramid are the regular folks. Farmers, artisans, vendors, soldiers, and the like are grouped into this tier. They make up most of the Terragaman population.
High above every other class are the Great Houses-- ancient, powerful families who hold considerable influence over every facet of Terragaman society. The Great Houses are all at least a thousand years old, and are considered the nobility of the empire. Terragama is a culture which values tradition and the "old ways" above all else, thus those who are descended from "ancient blood" are held in high esteem. Politics, the economy, and most areas of government are dominated by the Great Houses. They serve as the leaders of the Terragaman people.
As powerful as the Great Houses are, none compare to the two most powerful and ancient families of Terragama. The first being House Lunet, also known as the "The First Family". They are the sovereign dynasty who have ruled the mighty kingdom of Lorimaris and therefore the entire Empire for thousands of years.
The second such family is House Milhaven, a dynasty of warriors as old as House Lunet itself. The members of the Milhaven family hold the most exteemed rank of commanders of Lorimaris' all-powerful army, a group of highly trained knights known as The Spire. They have served as
House Lunet's champions ever since the founding of the empire.
Cast
Linus Milhaven
Age: Starts the story at age 9.
Birthdate: 3rd of Mistfall, 1900
Birthplace: Belen, Lorimaris
The first born son to Teign and Emily Milhaven. A sullen yet likeable child who spent most of his childhood in the reknowned Etonmarch Military School. He is a caring and highly intelligent boy who has trouble coming to grips with the future that the empire has planned for him. From an early age, he has been groomed to follow in his father's footsteps as the strong and capable leader of the Spire, Lorimaris' powerful military. His purpose, as it was ingrained into him, is to serve the sovereige Lunet family as their champion and protector. Linus however, dreams of a life filled with less responsibility. What he wants most in this world, is the freedom to live the type of live he envisions for himself.
Teign Milhaven
Age: 41
Birthdate: 13th of Moonrise, 1868
Birthplace: Belen, Lorimaris
The legendary knight who brought peace to the warring empire during the Reunion War. He is the father of the three current-generation Milhaven brothers: Leigh, Linus, and Ariston.
He was born in Lorimaris, during the apex of the century-long civil war which had seen the once peaceful empire torn asunder by malevolent kings and their power struggles. Lorimaris, the former ruling kingdom of Terragama, had been reduced to the level of it's peer kingdoms due to the poor kingship of it's sovereign, Tiberius Lunet. King Tiberius, who was a weak-willed and some would say cowardly individual in comparison to his ancestors, forbid Lorimaris' intervention during the war. No matter how many deaths arose from the war between the eight kingdoms, Tiberius would not relent in his isolationist ideals. However, it was the king's children who inherited the traditional House Lunet cunning, and plotted to overtake the empire and restore it to the prosperity it enjoyed when it was under their family's rule. All it took was time, as the twin sisters Athelia and Amadea were the inheritors of the Lorimaran throne.
Teign, a member of House Milhaven (House Lunet's traditional champions), grew up with the royal Lunet children, and became quiet close to the twin sisters. Athelia, a little girl who by the age of nine already possessed the dangerous natural gifts of her family, was smitten with the young Milhaven boy, who loved her in return. As the two of them grew to become lovers in their teenaged years, King Tiberius' health deteriorated, and the Lunet sisters became the ruling monarchs of Lorimaris.
By the time the Lunet sisters waged their war against the eight kingdoms, Teign had grown into a powerful and feared knight. He took leadership of the Spire, the great army of men loyal only to House Milhaven, and waged the sisters' campaign to reclaim their family's empire. One by one, the eight kingdoms fell to his sword, and four years since the campaign began the empire finally returned to it's rightful place under House Lunet's rule.
The campaign however, was not a victory for Teign. During those four years, he was subject to terrible experiences which took a heavy toll on his emotional and physical state. On more than one occassion, he was forced into murdering children who were conscripted by enemy monarchs. This caused the stirring of a dark hurt within him, as he and Athelia's son Leigh was but a child during the campaign. Thus, he voiced his displeasure with Athelia during the war's end, and was in turn called a coward and weakling by the woman he had so loved.
By the time he had remarried and his second son Linus was born, Teign was a shadow of his former self. Despite only being 41 years of age, the war had aged him terribly. His skills in the ways of war have faded considerably, and though he still acts as the acting commander of the Spire, many wonder if he still has it in him to lead the empire's army.
Age: Starts the story at age 9.
Birthdate: 3rd of Mistfall, 1900
Birthplace: Belen, Lorimaris
The first born son to Teign and Emily Milhaven. A sullen yet likeable child who spent most of his childhood in the reknowned Etonmarch Military School. He is a caring and highly intelligent boy who has trouble coming to grips with the future that the empire has planned for him. From an early age, he has been groomed to follow in his father's footsteps as the strong and capable leader of the Spire, Lorimaris' powerful military. His purpose, as it was ingrained into him, is to serve the sovereige Lunet family as their champion and protector. Linus however, dreams of a life filled with less responsibility. What he wants most in this world, is the freedom to live the type of live he envisions for himself.
Teign Milhaven
Age: 41
Birthdate: 13th of Moonrise, 1868
Birthplace: Belen, Lorimaris
The legendary knight who brought peace to the warring empire during the Reunion War. He is the father of the three current-generation Milhaven brothers: Leigh, Linus, and Ariston.
He was born in Lorimaris, during the apex of the century-long civil war which had seen the once peaceful empire torn asunder by malevolent kings and their power struggles. Lorimaris, the former ruling kingdom of Terragama, had been reduced to the level of it's peer kingdoms due to the poor kingship of it's sovereign, Tiberius Lunet. King Tiberius, who was a weak-willed and some would say cowardly individual in comparison to his ancestors, forbid Lorimaris' intervention during the war. No matter how many deaths arose from the war between the eight kingdoms, Tiberius would not relent in his isolationist ideals. However, it was the king's children who inherited the traditional House Lunet cunning, and plotted to overtake the empire and restore it to the prosperity it enjoyed when it was under their family's rule. All it took was time, as the twin sisters Athelia and Amadea were the inheritors of the Lorimaran throne.
Teign, a member of House Milhaven (House Lunet's traditional champions), grew up with the royal Lunet children, and became quiet close to the twin sisters. Athelia, a little girl who by the age of nine already possessed the dangerous natural gifts of her family, was smitten with the young Milhaven boy, who loved her in return. As the two of them grew to become lovers in their teenaged years, King Tiberius' health deteriorated, and the Lunet sisters became the ruling monarchs of Lorimaris.
By the time the Lunet sisters waged their war against the eight kingdoms, Teign had grown into a powerful and feared knight. He took leadership of the Spire, the great army of men loyal only to House Milhaven, and waged the sisters' campaign to reclaim their family's empire. One by one, the eight kingdoms fell to his sword, and four years since the campaign began the empire finally returned to it's rightful place under House Lunet's rule.
The campaign however, was not a victory for Teign. During those four years, he was subject to terrible experiences which took a heavy toll on his emotional and physical state. On more than one occassion, he was forced into murdering children who were conscripted by enemy monarchs. This caused the stirring of a dark hurt within him, as he and Athelia's son Leigh was but a child during the campaign. Thus, he voiced his displeasure with Athelia during the war's end, and was in turn called a coward and weakling by the woman he had so loved.
By the time he had remarried and his second son Linus was born, Teign was a shadow of his former self. Despite only being 41 years of age, the war had aged him terribly. His skills in the ways of war have faded considerably, and though he still acts as the acting commander of the Spire, many wonder if he still has it in him to lead the empire's army.
Screenshots
Prologue
Chapter I
Chapter I
Video
Chapter 1 : The Lake Cavern
Here's a little video I put together. It's a short preview of one of the dungeons in Chapter 1. The music in the video is a first-draft of one of the songs Joerao composed for the game's soundtrack. I think it sounds pretty good, even in it's early state.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gJj_tdt_EiM
Chapter I : Memories
Another video featuring Joerao's composed music.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VwFeg5AKkWk
Here's a little video I put together. It's a short preview of one of the dungeons in Chapter 1. The music in the video is a first-draft of one of the songs Joerao composed for the game's soundtrack. I think it sounds pretty good, even in it's early state.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gJj_tdt_EiM
Chapter I : Memories
Another video featuring Joerao's composed music.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VwFeg5AKkWk
[url="http://www.mediafire.com/download/r326fb3sf0b74fr/Linus+Prologue+Demo.rar[/url]
Features
- Sideviewbattle system.
- A realistic, dramatic storyline with a large cast of nuanced characters.
- Lengthy and involved optional sidequests which enhance the storyline of the main plot.
-----
