-My take for a RoN game-

Started by Leon101, Thu 09/04/2009 18:52:13

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Leon101

Okay, so I haven't made a single game using AGS, and for awhile I thought I never would  :( . However, I was looking over this RoN universe sort of thing, and thought that it was for me.  ;D

Plus, it's just a really interesting game world. So, I got to thinking on it, and came up with an idea for a RoN game. So, I went to the site and looked at what to do first, when making a new RoN game, and it said this:

"The first item on your agenda is to go to the plot forum on the message boards."

Here I am, and I see no plot forum... unless it used to be located somewhere else. So I decided to make this new thread explaining my idea, so as to not screw up.

-Start Plot-

Larry Laffer, the famous lounge lizard of Al Lowe's LSL fame, has been pretty bummed out as of late. He hasn't been in any recent LSL games, with the exception of his cameo apparences in MCL and BOB... it looks like he has gone with the wind. Pity. It's the fault of Sierra owning Larry, and the whole Adventure genre dropping out of commercial fame, that has lead to his recent downfall.

Fortuanately, after a few drinks at Lefty's, he finds out about a strange town, located "nowhere specifically" called: Reality-on-the-Norm. When he finds out that the town is looking for more citizens, to star in upcoming adventure games based in or around RoN. Larry gets excited (maybe a bit too much, good thing he's wearing a white leisure suit) and sets out for the town, to sign up as new character. Giving him a purpose in life again.

Little does he know, strange things await him.

-End Plot-

So that's the deal. Any questions, suggestions and what not?

DeviantGent

Firstly, hi there and welcome to the RON project! In response to your observation, yes, that whole 'plot forum' thing referred to our old forums back when RON was hosted on the Underdogs. It's a little dated now, as plots/graphics/games/projects/everything else are now blended together on one subforum. Still, you've posted in the right place, so don't worry there.

With regards to your plot idea, I think in recent years the admins and makers have been slightly weary about giving characters from established properties major prominence in RON games, due to the whole copyright debacle. And considering that the Leisure Suit Larry franchise is still a current property that's being used, I would advise against using him for fear of the rightsholders sending C&D's your way. However, there's nothing stopping you from making your own washed-up-former-playboy character and turning him loose in the town, since there aren't any characters of that nature created for the project already. It depends on how much of the unalterable gameplay/plot hinges on the main character being Larry specifically.

Anyway, I'm sure there'll be others weighing in with their thoughts, so let me just wish you luck with your project, and I look forward to seeing what ye come up with. :D
The Deviant Gent
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Mr Flibble

I think there may be "4th wall" issues here too, the characters in RoN don't consider themselves stars of adventure games. Breaking the 4th wall (ie. when characters acknowledge they are a work of fiction) should only be done sparingly, I think a game centred on it would wear out the joke.

An alternative would be 'Larry is bored with his millionaire playboy lifestyle and feel there is nothing more to accomplish, so he goes to RON to start again from the bottom up' or similar, which maintains the same themes but avoids breaking the player's suspension of disbelief.
Ah! There is no emoticon for what I'm feeling!

Ghost

Wouldn't it be easier to create an original character with a Larry Laffer-like personality? The ability to add to the cast is the strongest point I see in the whole RON universe- it's probably easier for a newcomer to make his own character and include the established cast as NPCs.

A wannabe macho man sounds fun enough, and god knows Larry could play his part, so why not give RON his "own" original playboy-who-can't?

Leon101

#4
Well, I wanted Larry, because I like Larry Laffer, and I hate how he has been pushed aside. Also, about the whole fourth wall thing, yeah I understand what you mean, even though I never intended that part to be a joke.

Hmm, copyright. How about, I make Larry be temporary. Yeah, where he gets out of his town and visits places, and of course RoN will be next on his list. So my story would be a stand alone non-cannon game, and Larry won't become a major character that stays. I have two characters of my own I plan on adding anyhow.

This is why I decided to post about it first.  ;)

JimmyShelter

Quote from: leon101 on Fri 10/04/2009 07:43:51
Hmm, copyright. How about, I make Larry be temporary.

Temporary or not, using someone elses character without their permission still violates their copyright.

Akatosh


Leon101

Quote from: JimmyShelter on Fri 10/04/2009 08:17:44
Quote from: leon101 on Fri 10/04/2009 07:43:51
Hmm, copyright. How about, I make Larry be temporary.

Temporary or not, using someone elses character without their permission still violates their copyright.

What about Keen? Someone put him in RoN.

Renegade Implementor

The problem with using characters from other series is that the game becomes focused on them, with the RoN characters having bit parts in their own universe.  Such games never really do justice to either party.  RoN shouldn't be used as a halfway house for neglected adventure game characters.  There is also the issue of copyright as has been mentioned before.

It sounds to me that you'd perhaps find more enjoyment making a LSL fan homage/game rather than trying to shoehorn the LSL and RoN universes together.

While there have been previous games that have used copyrighted characters in the past, it's my understanding that those previous games were submitted without prior knowledge of which copyrighted characters were being used, however you'd have to direct the question of why they'd allow a game with a copyrighted character to be submitted to the person in charge at the time.  In other words: The current administration will not be held accountable for decisions made by previous administrations.  ;)

Leon101

Alright, never mind then.  :=

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