. . . WaywardProphet.com/WD . . .
After the release and eventual termination of my previous project, I was able to sit back and look at my passion for RPG Maker through more relaxed eyes. Prophecy was a terrific project to work on, but for a long while it had felt like a huge weight on my shoulders, as much a heavy burden as it was a fun hobby. So when I opened up the software again, I knew from the start I would be creating a very different sort of game this time around. World's Dawn is that game.
This unconventional title lacks many tropes of the genre (one criticism of PtDK was its overly traditional story and gameplay). In World's Dawn there are no enemies, no battles, no vast kingdoms to explore nor deep-rooted political corruption to uncover. The project yanks the focus away from a linear, frantic melee-filled story, and instead concentrates on aesthetic imagination, addictive, open-ended gameplay, and innovation through dozens of original evented systems.
Inspired by slow-paced games like the Harvest Moon series, World's Dawn will allow players to experience life in a tiny town that hums its rural tune a good ways off the beaten path. If the village is ever to rediscover the life and spirited essence it once held, its newest resident must make it so... through your hands.
One of the major design-related goals of the World's Dawn project is to create a fully realized and highly interactive environment around the player. This undertaking has resulted in the cozy rural hamlet of "Sugar Blossom Village", a town brimming with personality that acts both as the game's setting and home to its charismatic cast of characters.
The residents of Sugar Blossom rely mainly on agriculture and trade for their livelihood. As such, the town contains a few small farmhouses, as well as a variety of craft markets and workshops. Most of the local tenants live in the upper floors of their shops, an idyllic lifestyle that lends itself to the quiet, rustic charm of the community.
The game world is comprised of entirely original graphics, giving the town a look that is both vibrant and visually memorable. Bright, spirited colors bring the world to life and establish an aesthetic style unique to World's Dawn.
The dynamic nature of Sugar Blossom provides perhaps the most interesting aspect of the project; decor and activity within the town vary with special events, turning seasons, and player actions. Meant to be thoroughly traversed and appreciated, the peaceful village even harbors a few fun secrets for those curious enough to ask around and dig a little deeper.
Players of World's Dawn will assume the role of an ambitious youth who, seeking a change of scenery, moves into an old farmhouse in Sugar Blossom Village. Everything about the character, including name, gender, appearance and personality, is decided by the player over the course of the game.
A large chunk of the gameplay involves meeting and forming relationships with the town's small but friendly population. Thirty-two personalities (excluding the player) make up this community, and each one offers a unique look on local life through -- literally -- hundreds of lines of dialogue, as well as special festivals and character-driven events.
As a designer, character development is deeply important to me, and while it would be easy to let Sugar Blossom's residents slip into stereotypical roles, they each harbor quirky personality traits that will only present themselves to players willing to work towards deeper relationships.
Players can also court and marry one of several romantic options for both male and female characters.
Below are a few examples of the visual style World's Dawn will present upon its release. All graphics are entirely original and made custom for this particular project, which will hopefully lend a unique sense of aesthetic style to the project. Keep in mind all screenshots are work in progress...
Bright, original graphics establish a colorful world.
Sugar Blossom Village as it appears in the game.
Weather changes drastically based on time and season.
Before customization, the player's house is rather bare.
A complex relationship system handles character interaction.
Hundreds of collectible items each hold a unique purpose.
Shops in town offer a variety of trinkets, features, and services.
The following videos showcase a few different types of gameplay World's Dawn will include upon release (if you have a Youtube account, comments are welcome!) :
Gameplay Trailer . . .
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AOj7RwuoBVo
"Home Decor" Demo Video . . .
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fi1hRD1huoc
"LockBall" Demo Video . . .
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9rRYztoq6PQ
World's Dawn is planned to contain tons of unique features and systems (many of which are completed already) that will add a substantial amount of spice to the gameplay. The features listed here are just a few that will end up in the final version of the game...
- Original graphics (tile, icon, face...) in a colorful, compelling visual style
- Advanced day / night system, with an interactive environment that changes in accordance with time, season, and special events
- Extremely open-ended gameplay allowing individual players to experience the game whatever way they see fit
- Hundreds upon hundreds of lines of dialogue to establish realistic personality and backstory in the game's characters
- Rewarding relationship (and marriage) system that involves building affection levels with every single villager
- Farming, ranching, fishing, cooking, woodcutting, sport and part-time job systems for earning an income
- Highly customizable options for character and household appearance, as well as the overall direction of the plot
An hour-long "Guided Demo" for World's Dawn was released on November 26, 2010. It offers a taste of several types of gameplay that will feature in the finished project. Click the download link below and be sure to leave your comments.
The full game is expected for release sometime in 2011. Until then, enjoy the demo and keep checking back for more updates!
As of right now, I am using several scripts from this forum and a few other external resources. Expect a lengthy list of credits when the actual game is released!
I would like to thank the wonderful members of the wider RM community who give/have given up their time to provide general help and feedback for aspiring designers like myself... And especially the followers of Prophecy who have offered so much positive support and inspiration over the past year. I hope you will also enjoy this (admittedly different) project.
I am working on World's Dawn at a very casual pace. Although much work has already been put into the project, the sheer scope of the game and the planned features will call for an extremely long development period. The expected release date for the full game is sometime in May 2011, but that could change depending on a number of variables.
I will post a few important updates here if I come across any. Until then, you can check the official website and blog for occasional developmental updates and, most of all, be patient with me...
If you wish to show your support for this project, please take the World's Dawn userbar and spread the word around!
Code:
[url=http://www.arpgmaker.com/threads/71720][img]http://www.waywardprophet.com/wd/images/userbar.png[/img][/url]Thanks for taking the time to read about this new project, and I appreciate any and all feedback you're willing to offer.
