I've got a game in production called 'Vagabond PI: The Swamp Monster Chronicles.' (Valley Of The Ancients is postponed, I've decided its production will wait until clickteam finishes the Android Exporter) Swamp Monster Chronicles has been in productin for a fair amount of time now, I'd probably say since last November. I'll reveal more details about it in a later blog, but I think the best way to sum up the gameplay would be: Harvest Moon + Animal Crossing + Luigi's Mansion.
Despite having cartoony characters, the game is genuinely creepy. The game is about a homeless detective (hence the name Vagabond PI) who moves into a place called Kudzu Swamp in order to try to solve the mystery of a creature that has been lurking around the area for 3 years now. The area is said to be haunted by a cryptoid simply called the Swamp Monster, a large beast made of mud from the swamp that takes a shape similair to a man.I've been tossing around concepts for the creatures origins, and possible concepts for revising how the Swamp Monster looks. So far I think I'm very adament on the idea of the creatue being made of muck from the swamp. I just don't find near as much…coolness…in the 'Gillman' concept similair to Creature From The Black Lagoon. Currently, the Swamp Monster looks like this,
I think the idea of a creature that could be anywhere where mud is present in the swamp (everywhere), I know would scare the crap out of me.Anyway, the backstory for the creature has been written out already. This includes spoilers for my upcoming game but I doubt anyone will actually remember by the time it is released :PThe story is that the swamp monster was once a human and resident of the swamp. This man, Norman, began a relationship with a woman who lived on the edge of the small town in the swamp, her name was Laertha. Laertha was rumored to be witch and said to have lived for several hundred years. Yet, in all that time love was something she never experienced. But Norman was brash, and soon began to have an affair. When Laertha became aware of this, she placed a curse a curse on him that turned him into mud, yet his soul had been and he soon began to inhabit the body of the swamp monster, under Laertha's control. Anyway, this is the current origin story for the monster of the game. The game's story is about discovering this story and try to lift the curse on Norman's soul.So what do you guys think? Interesting enough?
Yeah MMF2 has variables that pertain to direction and animation. I've tried both the softwares, and when it pertains to 2d stuff, I would say that MMF2 is equally as powerful. It's made by the same company that produced the flash 'The Games Factory 2', that I believe can be found on New Grounds.
But yeah, the swamp monster's origin and backstory is still up in the air. I believe I really want the creature to be Norman because it represents that at one time it was human, which although being a cliche, adds to the creepiness in my opinion. I believe the character Laertha needs to stay too, because I really want something about a mean voo doo lady, but her motives are subject to revision to, like she may be under the orders of such such or such such in human form. But who knows, I'm just gonna see what happens.The cliche part isn't the idea of the monster being a former meatman, what's cliche is the witch being responsible for it by cursing him for betraying her.
I mean, there's ways you could alter that story to make it adequately original, but as it stands it's kinda cookie-cutter and generic.Also who would meet someone named Laertha and not instantly be suspicious that she's a witch? I once knew a girl named Eleanor and I thought she was lying about her age.