Sire's Workshop - Concepts

[Sire]

I've had topics elsewhere in the past (mostly Written Works) but since I'll be compiling all of my stuff in one thread, I figured Concepts would be the best fit. This topic will serve as my Serenes Forest hub of my various projects, ranging from written works (short stories, poems) to game concepts. Feedback on any of these things is appreciated!

Everything here will be found on my Google Drive since there is a lot of content, or just use the link in my signature. However, as they are formatted more toward Microsoft Word than Google Docs, the formatting may be messed up on Google Drive. In addition, I have notes in these documents that may be considered spoilers (notably Danganronpa), so be careful when reading. I apologize for any inconvenience this may cause.

So, for some brief introductions...
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Blazing Emblem

Originally meant to be a Fire Emblem fan-game, Blazing Emblem is now trying to be a bit more original so it could eventually be made into an actual game and sold properly. It retains the Fire Emblem style of chapters and characters, but unit classes and equipment are handled differently.

The premise of Blazing Empire is that the Emperor of an Empire has fallen ill. The Protagonist receives a letter from the dying Emperor and goes to see him before getting caught up in a coup. The Protagonist discovers she is the heir to the Empire. She then sets off on a journey to prove her rightful place as Empress while other factions covet the Emperor's throne. She will go around the Empire to discover how exactly the Emperor died, who masterminded the takeover, and eventually bring peace to her beloved Empire.

One of the common tropes in video games is that "The Empire" are typically seen as the bad guys. I wanted to make a "Good Empire" that is being torn apart by civil war due to various kingdoms competing for the Emperor's Throne.

SW - Danganronpa

Essentially a fan-game concept of Danganronpa. While it does take place in the same universe, it does not exactly follow the Danganronpa formula. The basic premise is the same as there are 16 participants are thrown into a killing game, there is the influence of Hope vs Despair, and the existence of Ultimates (or Super Duper High School "x"). However, it deviates as the setting takes place in the United States and not all participants are highschoolers (as this Killing Game takes place on an University Campus).

The story follows a man who works as a custodian at a university. While he is intellectual and has no business being a mere cleaner, he suffers greatly due to the aftermath of the Tragedy and his own deteriorating mental condition. While the university itself managed to steer clear from the madness and despair of the world, a group of hackers accidentally open Pandora's Box when they break through the campus firewall and gain access to the Internet...
When the man returns after his weekend break, he finds the campus to be oddly deserted and eerily quiet. He discovers the effects of the Despair Video, seeing the corpses of students and faculty alike inside the buildings. Before he could escape, he is captured and thrown into the Killing Game alongside 15 other participants. As always, he has to fight for survival and attempt to beat the Killing Game with the other survivors, figure out the mastermind, and uncover the connection between the University and Hope's Peak Academy.

I was on a Danganronpa marathon spree and wanted to do something similar, so I came up with this fan-game concept. I also figured that working on a more text-heavy project would be better for me since I am more proficient at writing (and lack skills for dedicating coding and art).

SW - Fan Ideas

Basically a collection of smaller ideas and projects for various video games. Included here are my Battle for Wesnoth campaign notes, all of my Fire Emblem fan content, some map ideas for Renegade X, and other random things.

There's not much to really discuss here since reading is believing. If you are curious, go check it out!

SW - Vindictus

While named "SW - Vindictus" this is more like Blazing Emblem where I take a game concept and transform it into one of my own. I loved playing Vindictus, but some of the decisions behind it have rubbed me the wrong way and I am not a fan of Nexon NA in general. I remember one time I just wanted to pop back on and read the forums out of curiosity, only to discover they were banning prominent members left and right. I figured if I could make my own Vindictus, maybe I'll enjoy it more!

This title is an Action RPG. At the start there are four characters to choose from, but each character has access to four different specializations that affect how they play. The overall story is similar to the original Vindictus (a tale of prophecy and godhood). It is an online F2P game.

Honestly, so far I have focused more on the gameplay and characters than the story itself.

Other Stuff

There's a ton more stuff currently On Hold or Archived, and I don't plan on writing up an intro for everything. If you want to know more, read up on it or just ask me about it!

Edited May 26, 2018 by Sire

[Dragoncat]

I like Blazing Emblem! Yeah, empires are normally on the villain's side so it's refreshing to see the opposite.

What does SW stand for? Sire's Workshop I assume?

Edited April 30, 2018 by Dragoncat

[Sire]

52 minutes ago, Dragoncat said:

I like Blazing Emblem! Yeah, empires are normally on the villain's side so it's refreshing to see the opposite.

What does SW stand for? Sire's Workshop I assume?

Thanks for the kind words!

SW does stand for Sire's Workshop, yes. I had the name kicking around for years and it stuck.

[Sire]

5-9-2018 Changelog

Spoiler

SW - Danganronpa
- Added an alternative to the "End of the Line" Execution.
- Expanded slightly on the True Ending and added Sequel Notes.
- Updated the Soundtrack List.

SW - Vindictus
- Added missions to Dead Man's Cove.

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Currently I'm a bit torn on whether to focus my efforts on the Vindictus-like title or trying to sit down and start writing some of the script for the Danganronpa fan-game. I find working on the Vindictus title to be a little easier since it focuses more on game mechanics instead of storytelling, but I want to flesh out the Danganronpa project a bit more.

Alternatively, maybe I should dust off my Battle for Wesnoth campaign Red Winter since I can actually make real progress with that and show results. It is one project I can actually "finish" in terms of gameplay and story, and if I sat down and properly worked on it I may be done in a week or two. However, I'm discouraged from working on it because I like to have all the pieces together before fully committing to a project, and I am lacking art assets. (Portraits for characters, custom animated sprites, as well as artwork for chapter introductions.) The lack of drive and motivation does not help any either.

Edited May 26, 2018 by Sire

[Sire]

Necropost, this topic will rarely, if ever, be regularly updated...

Today's post is what I managed to write for SF's Write Your Butt Off Competition (Topic: Mercy). Since that particular round is now over and that I'll probably never get around to finishing the piece, I figured I'll post what I have here.

The story itself is in the spoiler below. 

= = = = = Serenes Forest - Write Your Butt Off Competition (Topic: Mercy) || Incomplete Submission = = = = = = = = = =

Spoiler

Author’s Note: The events in this tale happen before RWBY Season 1, Episode 1. The author has only finished Season 3 and the original source material branches off of the end of Season 2, so there may be inconsistencies with actual canon.

For the original source material, check out the link below to Google Drive. It also has notes for the unfinished chapters, as well revising the story to fit with anime canon (up to the end of Season 3). It’s not an amazing story, but hopefully it is an enjoyable read despite remaining incomplete.

Link: https://drive.google.com/open?id=11Xz_AvtZ_NdofbMT0iQVuikBM7ZpIUTF

Needless to say, this story is based off the franchise RWBY by Rooster Teeth and the late Monty Oum. Knowledge of said franchise and its setting would be helpful. However, RWBY characters are not in the spotlight as this story focuses more on original characters but in the RWBY setting.

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            Rain pours down from above, pelting the grieving man in full plate. On the grave lay his armet helm, as well as a bouquet of pink roses. Black as night, his armor focused on function over form, but it did have a golden trim for decoration. A claymore rested on the ground beside him, with its only defining feature being a subline sapphire embedded into the hilt.
            Still kneeling beside the grave, the knight reached into a pouch he always carried at his side. He pulled out a simple cupcake which was immediately soaked with the torrent of rain.

            Forcing a smile, he spoke, “Hey guys. Guess what day it is today? It’s my birthday.”
            He falters for a bit, but continues on, “Remember? We ended up getting cupcakes each year because Inigo couldn’t find a proper cake one time. That little thing became our tradition.”

            The young man reaches into his pouch once again to pull out a birthday candle. He places it on top of the now mushy cupcake, and resumes speaking.

            “We would have philosophical discussions over our food. Late at night, sometimes you guys would ask for story time while I would protest…”
            A tear falls amongst the raindrops.
            “We were going to be the best team ever. Team MAIL, delivering on promises and kicking Grimm butt. I still can’t believe Lucas came up with that one. Even Aiden was caught off guard and was laughing at the ridiculous idea…”
            He pauses for a moment, and then changes his tone.
            “Why did you guys want to participate in the Grimm Slayer bracket? We won our first match and tossed that away just to join in on the experiment. Sure, hunters don’t fight each other and are meant to take down the Grimm. Sure, there would be less competition due to it being a last minute addition. All of this for a stupid trophy…”

            Setting aside the soaked cupcake, a trophy is procured out of the pouch. It is the first place prize for the Grimm Slayer bracket of the Vytal Tournament. The knight places the trophy on the grave.

            “Yeah, we got first place. Just… Just like you guys said we would. We got first place…”
            Tears sudden join with the torrential downpour.
            “Why didn’t you guys listen to me? If you wanted glory, we could have won through the normal brackets. Why did it have to be a Memoria? No one even hunted anything close to that. We could have just hunted a Telvoro instead. Maybe taken on a nest of giant Nevermores or a Primeval Beowulf. Why did it have to be a Memoria?...”
            Desperation seeps into his voice. An onlooker raises a brow, but remains silent.
            “Why didn’t you wait? I said I was coming. I don’t care about the trophy! I never cared about the trophy! I just wanted to be with you guys. Best team, remember? Team MAIL, delivering on prom-“

            The man broke completely. He collapsed off to the side to a fetal position, knocking over the trophy into the mud. He wailed in the pouring rain.
            The onlooker pulled out his Scroll and made a couple motions with it before putting it away. The observer remained silent and still.

            “Why did you guys have to die? Why? Why!... I didn’t want this. I never wanted this. Why did you do this to me? Why did you leave me? I should’ve been there! I should’ve-“

            The shattered soul was interrupted by the onlooker, “Marcus, our ride is nearing us. Come with me. We shall head to Beacon for your rest and recovery.”
            The crying man continued in his grief, but said nothing further. The observer spoke some more.
“ Do not blame yourself for their actions. What happened is regrettable and it will leave a scar, but it will heal with time. Come now, my boy. The Shining Beacon awaits.”

            Moments passed, and the tears ceased. Forcing himself up, the knight grabbed his helm and sword, leaving behind the trophy and the cake.
            With slow, heavy steps, he made his way to the onlooker. The onlooker was a middle-aged man, with shaded glass spectacles. He wore an outfit that had black and green colors. The man was Ozpin.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

            Ozpin took Marcus to the designated pickup site. The boy wanted to see his friends one last time before heading to Beacon, but circumstances made it difficult for him to visit. He wondered if Marcus would ever be able to fully recover, but he was willing to try to salvage the man’s soul.
            No one should have experienced what Marcus had to go through. There were no documented accounts of any hunters slaying a Memoria, or the aftereffects that its death will cause. Everyone demonized the boy, even though he has done nothing wrong.
            As the two make their way to the rendezvous, the grave and its offerings remained. The trophy remained in the mud, with a small puddle forming in the cup. The pink rose bouquet was ruined by the downpour, with some loose petals clinging on to what remains of the cupcake and its candle.

            Engraved on the tombstone is the following….

Taken from us at a young age,
may Aiden, Inigo, and Lucus find
peace after being brutally murdered. 

A curse upon their killer,
Marcus Calibur.
May he rot and suffer for all eternity.

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Serenes Forest - Reader Notes:

The central idea would be that of "mercy killing," as Marcus ended up having to kill his own team members after they were influenced by the Memoria. Despite Marcus apparently "doing the right thing," the perception of a man who kills his own team members demonizes him. (This fact is not really emphasized in the original source material. In short, strangers hate him, while those who knew Marcus know the truth of the matter.) Ozpin's "mercy" to Marcus can also be considered, as he takes Marcus in because no one else wants him.

As for what would have happened next, the scene would transition to a flashback where Team MAIL just finished up one of their hunts. They are resting in a western-theme town, and the team themselves at at the tavern. Aiden and Inigo begin to get a bit rowdy, while Marcus looks on with worry. Lucas then pulls Marcus aside and both walk to the outskirts of town. They end up at the top of a waterfall, with a beautiful view of the surrounding terrain.

Lucas explains that killing a Memoria unleashes a massive amount of negative energy, enough to influence or "possess" nearby hosts upon its death. As Marcus was preoccupied elsewhere, only the three members were affected by the Memoria's demise. Lucas has been fighting off the "urges" as much as he could while trying to learn what he could about it. He asks Marcus to free them of their suffering, before jumping off the cliff. (Lucas killed himself so Marcus did not have to.) Shocked by the revelation and his friend's suicide, he stays there for a few moments before making his way back to town and the tavern, where things have gotten worse.

Inigo has begun physically harassing the women of the tavern, with the main one being a fellow huntress the team had encountered during the Vytal Tournament ("Biker Girl"). Marcus tries to intervene. Eventually Inigo and Marcus end up fighting, with the result ending in Inigo's demise. Inigo, in his maddened state, somehow managed to kill himself while fighting Marcus. (This was an environmental kill. Marcus did not directly kill Inigo even though they were fighting. Think Clayton's death from Disney's Tarzan.)

Before Marcus can process what was going on, Aiden appears and denounces him. He tells Marcus how much he hated him (and so on and so forth) while the two fought in the streets. The Townspeople witness the battle, terrified of the hunters fighting each other. (It is a smaller town, so they do not have Hunters of their own. They have to ask for help.) As before, the end result is Aiden's death. Aiden charged at Marcus and ended up impaling himself on the knight's sword. (Again, Marcus did not consciously kill him as he was just trying to defend himself. To an onlooker though...)

Terrified and paranoid, one of the citizens shout that the man (Marcus) is a monster. Paranoia sweeps the town and they also begin demonizing the knight. The huntress ("Biker Girl") shows up and tells Marcus to get out of there. He complies, and ends up at the waterfall where Lucas had thrown himself off not so long ago.

Marcus suffers a breakdown from everything that happened. He considers following Lucas down the cliffside, but before he can do so other hunters appear (members of the "Biker Girl" team), and stop him. The scene ends as local "law enforcement" arrive to analyze the situation.

After the flashback, they may have been another jump to the present with Marcus and Ozpin on the dropship. As for what is discussed and shown, I don't know as I didn't plan this far. However, this would have been the final scene of the story.
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No idea how attached the theme of Mercy is to this overall piece, but that is how it would've went. Also, as the story is rather dark, I'm not sure if it would have been eligible anyways.

If you made it this far, thank you for reading through the story and the notes! (Unless you just scrolled down here. Thanks anyway, and have a good day!)