LonelyBond #33 - Let's Review The Finished Story!!
Hello everyone! I did it! I finished writing the story for LonelyBond!!!
...'s first chapter :D
It took a lot of time, a testament to that fact is that blog post titles 'Rewrite' I've written 7 WEEKS AGO.
That's like... way too many weeks. I did not expect it to take this long, but considering what I ended up doing for this rewrite - I think it was worth it.
So let's review - what did I manage to do in this time period?
Let's start with a synopsis of what the story of LonelyBond is:
You are a new student in a mysterious school.
It's only your first day, and yet you find yourself involved with a wacky teacher, a group of bullies and getting scolded by the principal. That alone would overwhelm anyone, so the last thing you needed was an unexplained dream that gives you super powers.
It seems like there is even more than meets the eye.
Join the school's "Legends Club" and investigate the 7 legends to prove that there is nothing to be afraid of... hopefully.
Before the rewrite I had the general idea for the story, and even some 'main events' planned out.
I also had an already completed first chapter in the prototype I've sent out. It was pretty much completed since the second prototype that got sent out back in Week 11!
But, as I've said, the story needed a major restructure. So I've wiped out the story from the prototype, and asked myself how to do it better.
My focus for the first chapter was on 3 major points:
Making it about the player - you should be able to make meaningful choices (where to go, what to do, how to respond to your situation, and sometimes - how you influence the bigger story).
Create a deeper connection between the player and his 'core group of characters' (giving your 'best friend' a bigger spotlight, and building his and other surrounding characters in interesting and compelling ways).
Giving you bits and pieces of the bigger mysteries (how to best pique your interest when you still don't care all that much for the world / it's characters).
But than a few hurdles came in my way. In creating a first chapter that answers to all these three major points, I'd have to already know how the ENTIRE STORY works. That means I can't cheat myself:
I have to have all the 7 school mysteries planned out.
I have to know the structure of the entire story (both chronologically, and from the player's perspective).
I have to know my characters.
That whole ordeal sent me to create not the story of the first chapter, but the entire story of the game. Oh, and to deepen and understand every major character in my story.
That is some tall order, so it took time, but I've pretty much got it now, so these past two weeks I was able to refine the details of the first chapter of LonelyBond - and I think it was worth all this hard work.
Time will tell if you all agree with me as well :)
See you next week!