Applauds

My two cents on doing a Let's Play for Cythera:

First, reading all of the dialogue, while fun and entertaining and awesome, would make the Let's Play take absolutely FOREVER. The point of a Let's Play is not only to show off the game, but to allow the viewer to play through the game quickly (I stress, quickly) without them owning a copy of the game. I hate to be a downer but I just don't think it's realistic. Having the narrator summarize conversations would be a much more efficient use of time - it is a YouTube video after all, the users can pause the video at any time!

Secondly, since Cythera seems to be based around quests, perhaps each section of the Let's Play should be organized by quest. That way a viewer could explore the many different ways that Cythera could be played by playing out the quests in a manner of their choosing (provided that they are told what prerequisites the quests have and whatnot). The only thing about that idea is that if the viewer skips around, then events would happen out of order - people would be in the party at one point, but not at another, and this could lead to confusion.

I have more ideas but it's 2 am and I am quite tired. Just thought I'd throw in a couple ideas while I noticed the topic...

This isn't exactly Cythera 2 or 3, but once I'm done with my current project I'd like to do Cythera X, Ambrosia- and Gandreas-permitting. Essentially this would be a game as close to the original as possible, just running in Mac OS X (and with the engine I'm creating right now, perhaps Linux and Windows support as well). This is still a ways off, but I just thought I'd poke my head in when I saw this topic

Happy birthday Avatara!

May your cake not be a lie!

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I would make sure it looks like this, instead of how you put it, because bots may pick up on it and sign you up for spam. Just FYI.

QUOTE (iKaterei @ Jan 23 2010, 03:05 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Similarly, I'm pondering what would happen if Scry were to encounter a set of duplicates at the same time (I guess right now that's limited to the Katereis or the Rapierians.) Would the presence of two identical copies cloud her future-predicting ability at all?

This. I really like this idea. It would be even cooler if they ran into Scry from opposite sides, so they haven't seen each other yet

QUOTE (iKaterei @ Jan 21 2010, 02:10 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

We need a recording of Avatara saying, 'Talk to the Hand, sista!' Those in favour?

I!!

QUOTE (iKaterei @ Jan 21 2010, 02:10 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Also, I propose that each member of the Hand be referred to as a Finger.

Who gets to be the middle finger?

QUOTE (BreadWorldMercy453 @ Jan 19 2010, 03:55 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Adam- Was it intentional that you left in "man" and later "him" in descriptions of Apis? It is amusing, reminds me of that House Attis servant who's worked for Thuria since he was a man girl..

Erm, editing error... it will be fixed. Odd I didn't catch it. Whoop.

As Andru approached Cademia from the South, his intuition told him something was amiss. He stopped and listened - no animals could be heard - bird or insect or otherwise. Something was amiss. The gently-moaning ocean tide sighed alone, and he shivered suddenly at the thought. He felt ready for anything after the events of the previous day, and he felt happy indeed to even be alive. Not wishing to throw caution to the wind, he drew a maroon cloak over his shoulders and head, hiding his unshaven face. "Lean on this staff a little heaver, and I have a sure disguise," he reassured himself.

Plodding along near the outskirts of the town, he thought it best to move around the side of the town, rather than parading down its main street. He was prepared for the looks he received as a newcomer, the whisperings of the locals to each other when they thought he couldn't hear. As he stumbled his way through some side streets, he caught sight of what appeared to be an odd couple seemingly concerned about another fellow, bent over and conversing with a red wizard hat. He made special note of them in his mind as he passed by, hearing the woman say, " But now it looks like I could well end up running into myself ," or some such nonsense. It didn't make sense at the moment, and Andru took it for the stammering of some village yokel.

I have my own cares to think about , he thought as he passed.

Winding his way to the tavern was slow progress, but he made sure that he was unseen by any of the city guards, a couple of times being forced to double back just as one would round a corner. At long last, he reached the tavern. It was dimly lit and the sound of jovial drunks could not be heard within. Andru slowly made his way to a table under a light, which cast a deep shadow over his facial features. When he was waited upon, he tried to strike up a conversation, but the bartender seemed distracted and said he didn't want to discuss the dark events of the day.

After ordering, Andru surveyed the room. He had expected the tavern, of all places, to be humming with activity, but the few people who were there kept their voices quiet, as if afraid of being overheard. Almost instantly he noticed a strange man in the opposite room, who appeared to be surveying the tavern in a similar manner. Andru decided to avoid eye contact with this man, so he turned his attention to his unique pipe, which he produced from his cloak.

It had ornate carvings similar to those on his staff. He filled his pipe and lit it, and in doing so, the runes glowed faintly. After enjoying his pipe for a little time, three characters he remembered from his trek burst suddenly into the tavern and searched around. They walked over to the man Andru had been watching earlier, and he greeted them as they walked to where he was sitting. I shall have a little chat with this man , Andru thought as he watched them talk. He said something to fluster the woman, and he knew he would discover much from the conspirator. They quickly parted company, and shortly after the man exited the tavern.

Now's my chance to get acquainted with this odd man , mused Andru.

Quietly, he left his seat in pursuit. He followed until they drew close to the Two-Tailed Rat Inn, where Andru seized an opportunity. After seeing that the alley that they occupied was empty, he raised the staff above his head, muttered some quiet words, and brought the glowing staff into the ground, sending a shockwave at the unfortunate Forlong, instantly rendering him unconscious. Before Forlong could hit the ground, Andru caught him and carried him off.

Upon entering the inn carrying Forlong, he yelled "Look here, my good lady! My friend here is injured, and he and I are in need of adequate shelter for today." Before the suspicious innkeeper could ask questions, Andru handed her a bag of gold - presumably Forlong's - and the keeper gave them a room near the back of the building without asking questions. As soon as they reached the room, the unfortunate Forlong was promptly bound to a chair and gagged. Andru almost revived him before remembering to remove any weapons off his body - and he found a concealed knife with a hand-crafted handle. He read the runes on the knife, gritted his teeth in anger, and woke Forlong by slapping him with the blade of the knife.

"So, my friend," began Andru, his face and body still fully concealed, "what business have you in this land?"

"I don't know anything you want to know," the quick-thinking Forlong spat out. "You'll get nothing from me."

"Is that so?" asked the interrogator, pulling back his sleeves to reveal scars on his wrists matching the runes contained on the knife.

Forlong gasped, now fearing for his life. "What do you want from me??"

Andru told him straight-forwardly: "Who were you talking to back at the tavern? What is their business in this world?"

Forlong fumbled for an excuse, but panic blocked his ability to come up with a reasonable excuse. He turned his gaze away from Andru to the wooden floor. "I didn't know them. They mistook me for somebody else they --" Andru cut his lie short.

"I don't have time for this," he stated, growling impatiently. He put the flat of the knife under Forlong's chin, pulling Forlong's face to meet his eyes. "I need to know what's going on." As he spoke, he turned the blade enough that it caused Forlong to begin to bleed. Although he didn't show it, Andru was shocked by his sudden barbarity - to take an innocent man, tie him down, and interrogate him as if he were one of them. The thought turned his insides cold. Andru withdrew the knife and changed the subject. "This knife, exquisite craftsmanship. The blade is so sharp, one could skin a rabbit in sec--" This time it was Forlong who cut Andru off.

"I'll tell you what I know, but it isn't much! These people - well their names, their names first." He was really struggling to keep his voice under control. "Katerei, Yoma, and Shan - Shanda-something. Anyways, names aren't important…" Andru paced around Forlong while he told everything he knew. "It's all I know! On my life, it is!"

"Well that might just be on your life, then," Andru said, striking Forlong on the head from behind in such a way as to render him unconscious again. He knew that he didn't have the will to kill this innocent man, but he was willing to scare him witless. He unbound Forlong and lay him on the bed. After replacing Forlong's belongings - all of his valuables but the knife - he slipped out the window and shut it behind him.

Andru wandered the streets, hoping to run into those mysterious travelers again. His search was quick, and not in vain. Rounding a corner, he heard a consoling voice saying, "Take no fault in this Katerei. It must be good fortune we didn't get any closer to Rapierian. Who knows what else he might be armed with?"

Revealing his face and readying his staff in both hands, he rounded the corner, expecting a fight. What am I doing? he screamed inside. Interrogating a man, trying to take on a fight against three people at once... the ocean. All that time on the ocean must have gotten to me. He shook away the thought that he might be going mad. Even as he was thinking this the three companions noticed him and whirled around, weapons drawn. Neither party attacked, which gave Andru time to seek for answers and prove his intentions. "I mean you no harm. I saw you talking to a man in the tavern. I want to help you."

"How do you know about us?" questioned Shanadar.

"Nevermind that. It sounds like you need help, and I'm willing to help you out." Andru looked down for a brief moment. "I've lost everything but my life and my staff. I need a noble cause worth fighting for."

After a small debate between Shanadar, Yomu, and Katerei, they agreed that they could use another man's help, but to keep an eye on this new foreigner. "You can come with us," growled Shanadar, "but don't even think of betraying us."

"So where are we off to?" asked Andru.

Yomu remembered once more Firecat's warning. He chuckled at how foggy his mind had become - things seemed so simple when he had kept to himself. "We're after a very powerful necromancer. You can accompany us, but be ready for the storm to come."

This post has been edited by adam_0 : 19 January 2010 - 10:04 PM

QUOTE (Selax @ Dec 26 2009, 09:48 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I've looked into this and been told that Apollo and Ostendi (the engines offered for a Cythera X port) would both require quite a bit of work be done before either could be used for something like Cythera.

Quite a bit of work will be required anyways, Selax, regardless of whether you start from scratch or pick up an engine*. I am very confident that Apollo would reduce the time needed versus building an engine from scratch, especially considering that you can even modify Apollo for working with Cythera-specific stuff.

Bryce is right, though. You're not going to get anywhere without Ambrosia's (and Glenn's) blessing or approval, so I would bring it up to them before we get too hyped up about this - nothing's going to happen otherwise.

*Of note, if you were able to find an RPG engine it might save you some time over Apollo, but Apollo is better than starting from scratch, to be sure.