For our placement year at university, were going to be making a game! (Yay!)
We've got a lot of things already sorted out, but we have an internal dispute about which story is better out of the two options we have narrowed down.
Hence we are going to leave it up to you guys to vote for which one you prefer!
The game will be a 2D Turn based tactical RPG.
Remember it is the background that's important, not the spelling/grammar or the way it's presented
After you have decided which of the two you prefer, please vote at the folling link:
Story Poll
Feel free to leave comments about what you think!
Here are the two stories:
Story 1
(All names are placeholder)
Hominem, the barren desert planet called home by the human race barely able to support her populace. People lack the barest essentials, thirst, hunger and what would be easily treatable sicknesses. It’s not an uncommon sight to see a man dead, killed for the drops in his water skin. In this world only the strong and cunning survive. A latent mutation in the human race has emerged; psionics. It was with the powers brought on by this that an unstable order was finally established, as power hungry Psykers bent people to their will. They formed war bands who eventually became governments.
Then war erupted on a grand scale. Idaria and Athaluen, the two most powerful countries engaged in a bloody war. Idaria with its rich caches of metal and oil fought the war with their devastating machines and tools of war. Attempting to capture the Athaluen’s mountain capital, where the mountains served as a moisture trap which could supply a relatively vast amount of water. Athaluen was no innocent victim; they coveted the resources of Idaria. They fought back just as hard, throwing people some armed with little more than stone spears, wood being much too coveted, against Idaria’s war machines. Athaluen’s Psykers was its main advantage, their numbers, just like every other nations was still less than 5% of the total population; Athaluen had the largest population. This allowed them to drive back Idaria and advance into their territory, eschewing Idaria’s attempts at establishing a treaty of non-aggression.
When Idaria was on the verge of defeat a decision was reached, an operation was launched. An intricate web of tunnels with strategically placed explosives was dug under Athaluen’s unsuspecting mountain capital. The detonation was catastrophic; the mountains fell, but as they did the tectonic plates that formed them were forced apart. The knock-on effect was global, earthquakes and volcanic eruptions of untold magnitudes ravaged the whole planet as the plates bounced off each other throwing up mountains before tearing them down and forming gape directly into the planets mantle.
The remains rest of the countries that had remained neutral, either not wanting to get involved or hoping to conquer the victor and have both resources finally stepped in. A consensus was reached that war was far too costly and could never be allowed to happen again. Any country that declared war or initiated armed conflict with another would find themselves facing the rest of the planet.
Over the next half century humanity was united under one grand banner and what was referred to as a golden age emerged. Vast metropolises, cities under the cover of a glass biosphere to retain moisture, covered the planet connected by raised highways through the barren wastes of desert. Eventually the nations governments were abolished and the human race was united under one banner, that of the United Hominem Government (U.H.G.). The labels of nationality were done away with officially, though the people of Idaria and Athaluen kept onto their hatred for one another. Each generation they passed on their own exaggerated versions of the truth, who would then exaggeratie them to the next.
Peace was maintained in the U.H.G. whose leaders declared itself a utopia. They “removed” anybody who violated the law and covered up those violations. The discord between the former peoples of Idaria and Athaluen still grew, spurned on by either side’s inability to act. Options to do so were very much limited as both sides wilfully segregated, refusing to live near one another. The many other factions that had been incorporated into this united government lived in blissful ignorance of what was always bubbling beneath the surface, they saw only the utopia.
Nearly a century later the U.H.G. has turned its eyes to the stars, the single other planet in their solar system that can support their life. Orbis is a beautiful blue and green planet rich in resources and water. This star-lust was brought on by the revelation that space was a traversable domain. The space program flew forward with unparalleled speed as the whole planet supported it, the current president capitalising on the opportunity to increase his re-election potential. The moment it was possible a single ship was built and launched; First Light. It’s mission to survey the planet and see how feasible colonisation would be. But soon after its launch the political tensions brought on by the start of the election year lead the president into green lighting a second ship. This one entitled Hope, the size of a city and carrying nearly as many people, was launched even before First Light was more then three quarters of the way there, advances in propulsion meant Hope was more than half way when First Light arrived.
The planet-fall was broadcast live, minus the 3 minute travel time delay, to the entire population of Hominem. The first images were of an idyllic oasis with lush, vibrant flora of every colour. For one moment the entire human race forgot themselves and united in unmitigated joy.
Then it happened all at once, the planets indigenous life, animals that appeared monstrous struck hard and fast against the awestruck humans. The images of paradise turned into a bloodbath and the global euphoria melted away. The President attempted salvage the situation with his speech “Hope will continue” as Hope reached the point of no return. When hope did arrive they were ready, the initial engagement saw the prepared humans establishing a foothold and the city of Triumph was built. Humanity fought for every square inch it could wrest from the wildlife but eventually the colonies were growing steadily.
A decade after planet-fall life is more comfortable, technologies and tactics have been developed to reduce the threat of the indigenous wildlife. Though scientists were noticing how entire species seemed to be appearing and disappearing rapidly, theorising that perhaps they were not the only one adapting.
Story starts at this point, the following paragraphs explain events that happen during/after the start of the game
Then it happened, the Idarian and Athaluen colonies that had segregated on this planet as they were at home declared war upon one another. Nobody knows which side started it, but without the iron fist of law enforcement that kept them in check on Hominem and that the monsters no longer posed a tangible threat; there was no deterrent. One thing is clear though, neither side is willing to back down; a century and a half of post-war hatred has erupted.
This open warfare is covered up back in Hominem but the cover up can only last so long, one day people will find out and then what will happen? Will this be the spark that ignites the powder keg still building up on Hominem? Which faction will you fight for? Or will you create your own faction? What effect could this have on the planet?
Story 2
Hominem, a world made of social perfection through just and moral government, chooses to better mankind by colonising a distant planet with a near religious significance, Orbis.
In a place where there is no crime, no open disagreement, no talking back to those who rule with a technologically advanced iron fist they label “Mankind’s best interests” where any man or woman who disagrees, is outcast from society, thrown into a twisted desert world.
But it wasn’t always like this, long ago the human race was divided. Not on a desert world but on a lush and friendly environment where plant life and animals were present. But war changed everything. Being advanced in their ways, one faction sort to cripple the other with a machine able to conduct grand scale terraforming on Hominem. Unforeseeable consequences occurred, not only had the weapon changed a part of the world to desert, all of Hominem was changed into a dead sea of sand.
Panic ridden, all factions sort peace and safety, praying never to see anything like this ever again. The men who planned and launched this death machine were imprisoned and removed form society. Others were let free in condition that they form together to become one government under Hominem. Alas, peace was restored.
Century’s passed, with greater technology and social awareness, a near Utopia formed. No one wants to see another war, not when all around them they see empty, useless sand hosting nothing more than vicious creatures.
As with all things, Utopia is starting to fall. The people who work for all others are no longer being treated equal, the rich and wealthy are rising. Levels of corruption are at boiling point, people are learning and questioning their world governments motives. Outcasts are rebelling in towns and city’s, men who have long since hated those responsible for destroying their world are becoming leaders against the government.
Now such people are planning against the government, with their own motives and interests. It’s only a matter of time before Hominem is not the garden of Eden it once was.
All men are created equal, but not all men are afraid of their creators. Such people have their own agendas in a planet where government control is light years away, where resources are high, where profit can be made. Those who suffer from greed, envy, hate, all vow to take this holy land for themselves.
In an era of an unstable world government, opposing sides will form, beliefs that stood strong since the dawn of time will face judgement, Hominem stands or falls this day, men of conviction rule each faction. It’s the player who makes the decision. But will they be enough to change Hominems dark fate? Can Orbis break mankind free from it’s oppressive ruler? Can Orbis truly be the people’s salvation?
If only they knew the horrors that Orbis holds deep within…
Edited by subwayheaven, 21 April 2012 - 05:57 PM.
what would your undiluted story be? I'm not a fan of the "and the nations all decided to be friendly so that no war would happen again"; it doesn't seem to believeable. It may be better if there was always conflict bubbling under the surface (perhaps a religious difference, if you made religion a very significant part of the world's culture).
