Overview Core Dump - Work In Progress Episode 44 October 2, 1997 : Stick it where the sun don't shine Okay, I will now reveal the opening of the game. Like the awakening of Akin. (BTW: the little white dots in the pictures (left-top) are no error: they represent the busy-o-meter that I use for testing.) You know, this was highly problematic. I was very pleased myself with the way the story began in Akin. Obviously, for Core Dump, something cool was needed but I couldn't think of a good opening. Because in Core Dump the player already knows much about his mission, I couldn't attempt at a same feeling of suspense. I even thought about starting the game with a scene displaying explicit sex (shock factor) but that idea was dropped, mainly because I'm lousy at drawing very realistic humans. Other ideas included: cryogenic cabin (a bit like Akin), a little spaceship on its way to Aleph, an introduction ceremony where Cooper is given a special award for his heroic deeds on the spacestation from Akin (Cooper made up a story about the destruction of that station to cover up the real Akin story). But that was completeley dropped in favour of... The game will now start on the home planet of the Raalin. This opening is set two weeks before the mission. It's still not clear which Raalin will be selected for the mission. Two candidates have survived the selection procedure: Shira and Gen. You play Gen in this final ritual, and have to beat Shira if you want to be selected for the mission. If Shira wins, it's game over. After winning the ritual, Gen will be sent off to Aleph along with Cooper. The setting here is quite cool, as Gen fights his way over a dark planetscape, only lighted by a setting sun. It makes for some atmospheric experiences. The enemies are black too (!). But it's not at all like the Magnar case (case 6) where playing was nigh-on impossible. I've gone out of my way to make this section very playble. Enemies include other Raalin, jumping bat-like creatures, and vicious plants. Go on... Read the previous entry