Mastery Journal

“This is the end!  Hold your breath and count to ten!” -Adele

So, this month, we had the chance to get into a sneak peak on how writers come up with games and are exposed to other writers that write the cutscenes for them.  I wasn’t sure what hurt most: my headache at coming up with an idea or the anxiety of what could possibly be written for the cutscene I proposed.  Regardless, it was a fun experience that I hope to repeat in the future when I finally get to writing games in the industry.

Genre

Action-Adventure; Survival Third-Person Shooter

Concept

·      God of Love is the enemy – When talking about immortal beings, it’s usually the bloodiest of the pantheon that becomes the enemy. However, in this case, how violent can the most passionate and romantic immortal in the Roman pantheon be?

·      Monsters & People – Though set in modern times, there a few who are in on the secret.  This people can be allies, neutrals, or enemies, it’s up to the player to discover that.  In some cases, they may be monsters disguised as people.  After all, the God of Love isn’t the only one involved in this situation.

·      Roman & Greek parallels – The Roman myths are parallels of the Greek pantheon.  Therefore, many of the stories brought up and alluded, while using the Roman names, are actually of Greek origin.  Some characters remain with their Greek name, however, as the Romans didn’t change all of their names.

Play Mechanic

Puzzles riddled in an open-world.  Open-world is applied into the temples as well.

 Plot Summary

Ambrosia Kearny was in a sabbatical year when she learned that the Roman gods existed, and that she’d inadvertently angered one of them.  The one she angered: Cupid, God of Love.  He was losing his honor by not managing to get her to fall in love with someone, and it was now personal.  What’s more, Minerva, the Goddess of Wisdom and War, now believes that humanity is beyond salvation thanks to Ambrosia’s disbelief in love.  This will lead to Cupid having to put aside his personal agenda on hold and for him and Ambrosia to battle Minerva for the world’s survival.

 Platforms

Switch, PS4, Xbox, PC

 Target Audience

Young Adults

 Competition

Tomb Raider, Uncharted, No Man’s Sky, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild

  ITEMS AND EQUIPMENT

 Key Item 1: Moon Crossbow

Short Description: “Like your own crossbow, it shoots two arrows at a time, but this one is blessed by Diana, the Goddess of the Hunt. Shoot when you must and aim true.”

 Function: While able to rely on other weapons and Ambrosia’s crossbow, it shoots two silver arrows at a time.  Because it can shoot silver arrows, it can harm mortals, monsters, and deities alike.  It also provides camouflage for its user, but only under moonlight.

 Appearance: It’s about the size of an average shotgun and even has the resemblance of one.  It has an antique feel to it, made with wood and metal, but modern to include a scope and laser to aim.  All of this to keep it from curious eyes of those who don’t know the truth of the Roman gods.  Under moonlight, we see its true appearance: made of almond wood and moonstone.

 Lore: Ancient scroll found in the Catacombs of the Stars – “The Sun stole the Moon’s only love.  It is then that the Moon took her love and placed him among the stars.  She hoped love for others would prosper and made a crossbow.  It will be shot one day, in defense for love.  Two silver arrows to the heart.”

 Key Item 2: Mercury’s Winged Sandals

Short Description: “The very winged sandals that Mercury uses to travel and deliver messages among the gods.  You must return it to him before he discovers that it’s been stolen.  Arcus trusts that you deliver it to Mercury in top conditions.”

 Function: While able to be used by Ambrosia before returning it to Mercury, it makes Ambrosia run much faster and for about a minute, grants the ability to run in the air. They’re also a sort of compass, the wing fluttering when something important is near or if there’s a nearby threat, fluttering faster the closer either of these happen.

 Appearance: Leather Roman-styled sandals, very well-kept.  The wings only appear when someone is using them.  The wings are white and are proportioned to the sandals, a set of wings per sandal.

 Lore: Arcus to Ambrosia: “Mercury and I, while messenger rivals, are close friends when one of us is too busy.  I only caught this thief just barely in time in my rivals.  Without his sandals, Mercury is powerless and won’t be able to not just travel, but leave certain places, such as the Underworld.  Such is the strength in them.  Careful in your journey, girl.  Many will greed for them.”

  CHARACTER PROFILES

Player Character Profile: Ambrosia Kearney

Purpose: Full-time bar owner, half-time cheerleader, Ambrosia Kearny has seen enough from life to believe that love doesn’t exist but is now forced to choose between her beliefs and the world’s salvation.

 Lore: Vesta to Cupid: “You’ve met your match, Cupid.  And I warn you, stop this madness.  It’s gone long enough all these years.  I have seen enough of her torment to understand why she has lost her faith in love.  And yes, she may be reckless, a smart mouth to bring her trouble, and her curious desire to ignore her inheritance, but she’s more.  She’s clever, quick on her feet, and is just as hellbent as you to fight you back.  She won’t let you win.  She has not lost anything in her life save her faith in love.  Nothing at all.  What makes you think she will lose to you, despite being a god?”

 Appearance: In her mid-20’s, Ambrosia is 5’ 6” with loose teased raven-black hair and blonde highlights.  Her skin is too tanned and has a birthmark the shape of a butterfly to the right of her collarbone.  She has gray eyes as well.  Trademark outfit includes a black and pink varsity jacket, green tee, jeans, and red sneakers.

 Barks

·   Tagline/Idle Bark: “If I’d known this temple was going to stink, I would’ve stayed at my bar during the Super Bowl.”

·   Alert: “It’s getting cold.  Something’s coming.”

·   Success Bark: “And they say cheerleaders only do pretty.”

·   Failure Bark: “I knew I should’ve been a spoiled brat.”

  Character Profile: Cupid

Purpose: The manifestation of the most sought feeling in the world, the Roman god of Love, Cupid, has had his challenges in the past, but is finally put to the test when he tries to make Ambrosia fall in love with someone, to the point he gives up his traditional weapons for something more modern.

 Lore: Venus to Ambrosia: “Cupid, my son.  He’s gone through a lot, and I’m partly to blame. He hoped others would find what he lost. He left behind his mischief and gave himself a mission to give everyone, mortals and immortals alike, love.  Not just the love of a lifetime, but a love that transcends lifetimes.  He is, after all, the God of Love in all its forms: families, siblings, friendship, and of course, romance.  Do not be too harsh, child, even if he is obsessed with handing you a piece of happiness from life.  Not even us gods are perfect.”

 Appearance: Though it depends what character looks at him in cutscenes, Cupid usually takes on the look of a late-20’s men with coffee roasted skin, probably 5’ 11”.  His outfits are between a varsity college-look to a business man.  No matter his look, he’ll always have his iconic angel wings, twice as large as him.

  LEVELS AND LOCATIONS

Description of the World: The worlds of Tomb Raider and the Legend of Zelda meet.  It’s huge and open to discover, starting from any point the player desires. It also includes several temples (levels,) that are to be discovered and explored to move the story forward, some of which to be explored first before moving forward.  The vastness of the world includes beaches, plains, forests, and mountains, with the occasional small town, and a city.

 Major Location 1: Catacombs of the Stars, secret temple built in Diana’s name.  It’s hidden in the most remote part of Tuscany.  It’s seemingly small from the outside as one small shrine, but is larger, three stories underground of giant pillars, statues, and coffins of fallen people, in this case, Diana’s beloved hunters.  At its deepest part is the honorary resting place of Orion.

 Short Description: “The final resting place of the bodies of Diana’s hunters, and her only love, Orion.  Only monsters and deities know the exact location…”  

 Appearance: Like in ancient times, the catacombs are made out of limestone and marble, though has several special places made of silver and moonstone, in honor of Diana.  Its outer building is small, a shrine of pillars, similar to a pavilion.  The main building, which is underground, is a maze-like temple with massive eroded pillars, statues of the most important hunters from Diana’s company, and scrolls that are in a good enough condition to be read, but most torn or simply gone.  There are also steles and ancient torches.  The deepest and main room holds a statue and stele for Orion.  All ceilings are decorated with constellations, assuming representations of the deceased hunters, and of course Orion.

 Contents: Most commonly populated with rats and roaches, among other similar rodents in the main shrine.  Further in, it’s littered with Chimeras and Cyclopes as the most common enemies.  Add on the certain traps that the player would be informed about prior to entering the temple, placed to catch anyone that might want to desecrate the catacombs by the very hunters themselves.  The gorgon, Medusa, would be our boss level.  The catacombs are a “level,” one of five of the main storyline.

 Significance: It is littered with plenty of traps, that overcome, exposes the puzzles the player must decipher to open up the ways further into the catacombs.  The boss is Medusa, who by revealing who sent her there, reveals the greater antagonist of the story.

 Lore: Arachne to Ambrosia: “I see you’ve gotten the crossbow from the moon.  Good for you. I heard that the catacombs were dark and quite gruesome, even for my own kind.  But I’m only here to tell you that the catacombs hold more secrets than just that weapon.  As far as I’m concerned, Diana wasn’t the only one to lose a love.  The reason she’s friends with Cupid is because he too lost a love.  Oh, you thought Psyche still lived?  She’s the reason he’s enraged with you.  For the same reason Diana made the crossbow, the same reason he’s obsessed with shooting at you.  I never quite knew how Psyche died, but if you’d like to know more, return to the Catacombs of the Stars.  Somewhere inside is a hidden passage to Cupid’s Temple.  Morbidly, there lies Psyche’s remains.  I hope it may serve you on your journey further on.”