Ron-DemoQuest Question/Connection?

Started by RickJ, Tue 20/10/2009 01:38:25

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RickJ

We had some discussion about combining DemoQuest resource with RoN  many months ago and identified a number of reasons to not do so.   I have been thinking, which in my case is usually dangerous, about an alternative idea that may avoid the problems  associated with an outright combination and would perhaps find more acceptance.  So let me explain what I have in mind.

As you may or may not know we invented a story line (somewhat twisted) to have some fun and explain some of the elements of DemoQuest that have appeared/evolved over the years.   We had the idea that the main character is writing a paper on "Lucid Dreaming" or some other meta-physical subject for University.  She is working into the wee hours of the morning and falls asleep.  Then a thunder storm rolls in and a huge bolt of lighting strikes just outside her window.   She awakens to find herself on the street in DemoQuest.   Her goal is to find out where she is and how to get back home.

In the end she is able to return to her room but her experience leeds her to question her own reality; Which is the dream world and which is the real world and is there such a thing as the real world.  A student being transported to another world/existence seems to be the sort of thing you would expect to happen in the RoN.

Anyway my humble idea/suggestion is this:  What do you think if student's university was in fact Reality university?  DemoQuest would in fact be starting in RoN and would end up finishing there.  So when someone finished DemoQuest they would have their first exposure to RoN.  There wouldn't be any problems harmonising background artistic styles or any of those sorts of problems.  It would have virtually no effect on the RoN cannon, except perhaps to suggest the existence of parrallel universises, alternate realities, etc.  Perhaps something like that could explain how Davy can be both dead and alive.

I was thinking that this connection would be an opportunity to introduce RoN to new comers and that I would be able to contribute some resources to RoN such as rooms at the University, etc.    Anyway, I would like to do some more work on DemoQuest this winter and  would like to know what you guys think about this little idea I had.  

P.S.  I have the feeling that the clock is ticking on DemoQuest and that it will at some point be replaced with something more modern and brief.   I'd like to do something with the classic DemoQuest, before then, to preserve it's legacy.  Making it into a playable and enjoyable game would be my contribution to that end.




Shane 'ProgZmax' Stevens

I think it's a fine idea, Rick, but instead of using all the aging DemoQuest assets why not use the new RoN UI and the graphics pack to reskin it?  Or is that your plan already?

RickJ

I would be open to using anything deemed appropriate from the RON resources.  I did however, want to try to attempt explaining things in the old world such as what is actually inside of Dar's place, the futuristic city, etc, etc.   When we had a team working on it we had a knack of being able to twist just about any idea around so that it would fit in somehow.  So, yeah,  I'm open minded about any kind of ideas.

I haven't looked at any of the new RON resources yet to be honest.   I would hate to just pitch the graphics Holisterman did on the UI and not use them at all.  But what if we were able to reskin the GUI in-game.   Someone could give the player a graphics pack at some point in the game and perhaps upgrading the GUI is one of the puzzles? 

You know we could also use the Mini-Game module to hst the RON GUUI in the hall ofThe idea being play DemoQuest learn something about RON. 

In addition to any brainstorming ideas anyone may have, I could also use some advice/discussion  about the RON specifications and how to modify the DemoQuest assets to be compatible.  I'm thinking about color depth, pallette, character sizes, etc.  I'm willing to do all the grunt work but I can use some advice as to what ought to be done and how it to do it.

Renegade Implementor

In terms of story-explanation, I like the idea of alternate realities/dimensional travel as it's fairly straightforward in terms of plot explanation.  Given the rather skewed way things work in the RoN universe, it's relatively easy to come up with an explanation as to how the PC ended up in the Demo Quest world.  Such as: an experiment in a science lab goes wrong and the end result travels to the PC's room and transports them to the DQ world,sort of like electrical arc jumping.

In terms of the new style characters, etc.  The Krysis style sprites are on average between 62 and 97 pixels for the tallest characters.  ProgZmax's sprites are larger starting in the 90 range and go into the 100's in terms of height (the tallest so far being 106).

The Krysis-style backgrounds are scaled accordingly to the Krysis-style sprites.

RickJ

#4
Palettes
Do the Khrisis and Classic sprites use the same palette?  Are there any other palette or color considerations?

Usage of RON Characters in  the DQ World
Is there any objection to Ron characters appearing in the DQ world?  Is there a need or desire to make variations for DQ?  For example, in the movie "The Wizzard of OZ" the characters Dorothy meets in OZ are inspired by people she knows from her real world in Kansas.   I guess what I am suggesting is that perhaps some of the RON characters could be patrons in Dar's Girls or workers in the Games Factory.  If need be I could paint them new clothes, give them a hard hat, or make some other change.   Just like in TWO where the Lion, Tinman, and Scarecrow are in real life the farm hands that work for Dorothy's parents, RON characters in the DQ world would play a different role than in the RON world.   

Demo Cycle
This is a side issue but is there any interest in adding a RON location/level to the DemoCycle  mini game?  I have already made it fairly easy to add levels.  We would just have to work out where on the DemoCycle Route Map RON would appear and what the city scape would look like.  At some point I would like to rework the code into reusable modules and adding a level or two could be just the incentive to get me going on the task.  I'd also like to, if possible/practical, improve the the game play a bit.  Perhaps enhance the roadway animation to allow twists and turns, allow more objects along the roadway, and possibly even try to use the 3D module for this purpose.

Reality University
What's the scoop on Reality University?  Is there much known about it?  Where is it located?  What games has it appeared in?  Is there any description or documentation about it.  Which characters are involved there;  students, professors,  administrators, others?  What backgrounds exist?

Whacky Idea?
What about starting in the Classic RON world and ending in the Khrisis RON world?  I could use the old cliche explanation of the timeline being slightly changed or parallel universe thingy where this one is almost but not quite the same as the first one?  It could be an explanation of why there are two different style of RON sprites.  This doesn't matter to the DQ world  but it's something that could be added if it helps explain the RON world.  Just let me know what the preference is.   

Scarab

#5
Quote from: RickJ on Sun 25/10/2009 04:18:59
It could be an explanation of why there are two different style of RON sprites.  This doesn't matter to the DQ world  but it's something that could be added if it helps explain the RON world.

Is there really any need to explain any discrepancies between the two styles?
Surely this is not detracting from the experience for anyone.

For instance, if an actor on a TV show is replaced, there is never an explanation as to why the character  looks different all of a sudden, as the viewer will just see right through that and see that it is because of technical reasons, and not narrative reasons. The viewer just suspends their disbelief and accepts that this is the new representation if the same character.

I do, however, like your Wizard of OZ style cameo appearance suggestion.

Peace,
Scarab


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