This is not a story-driven game.
Then again, neither was Bad Dudes for the original Nintendo. What's important is to provide some context for the player's actions. With some older games, many elements of the story had to be brought by the imagination of the players.
The "problem" with this type of arcade-level story is that it is inadequate for me on a personal level. I want compelling stories in games. I think the best games I've ever played have depth of lore and true value to exploration and discovery. So I wanted to at least include open-ended elements in this game's design where the player could imagine where the game would take them.
So we typecast the player as a StarJacker -- the title of the game -- conjuring up 1980s retro-futurist glory (with main title art in the works). We put the player in the direct controller position, so he/she is not telling another character to move, but they themselves are operating the cockpit controls. We also create a vague understanding that there is some type of larger conflict surrounding the player, and we invite the player to work on behalf of The Cause.
The idea of a Privateer -- that is, a government-sanctioned thief -- is an ethical grey zone. The entire concept of theft is normally distasteful to people, but when players are role-playing or stealing on behalf of a Greater Good, the bitter pill can be swallowed. We don't care to name The Cause or its proposed morality. The player is free to believe that Their Cause is just, regardless of having to spell out the exact tenants to which The Cause adheres.
This allows us to say the player is stealing back ships, rather than just stealing them willy-nilly. The narrative structure also supports the game mechanic, because the player is constantly employed to retrieve numerous war assets. Before, it could have been perceived as a type of space Grand Theft Auto, without all the other aspects of GTA...
But because theft is always a moral choice, we wanted to at least give the player an explicit choice at the end of each level. They could keep, sell, or donate the ship. By keeping the ship, the player retains a visual trophy of the ship in their hanger. If they sell the ship, the implication is that they found the highest bidder to benefit from the hijack. If the player donates the ship, the "main story" is supported in that you have donated the spacecraft to the deserving members of The Cause.
As of now, these choices bear no impact on how the game plays out. However, the decision calculus can be made much more interesting with the future addition of story mechanics. For example, an in-game shop that allows for the purchase of advantages with the proceeds from ship sales. Or, having high numbers of followers as a result of your charitable donation could confer benefits when working in the otherwise-hostile galaxy.
Ideally, the different types of ships would have their own lore. They would belong to different shipbuilders and their start-up switch sequences would be familiar, but different. I'd love for the type of ship to give the player a hint as to what is likely to be required in the upcoming puzzle. Plenty of design room to explore here...
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| Yes, obviously |
The "problem" with this type of arcade-level story is that it is inadequate for me on a personal level. I want compelling stories in games. I think the best games I've ever played have depth of lore and true value to exploration and discovery. So I wanted to at least include open-ended elements in this game's design where the player could imagine where the game would take them.
So we typecast the player as a StarJacker -- the title of the game -- conjuring up 1980s retro-futurist glory (with main title art in the works). We put the player in the direct controller position, so he/she is not telling another character to move, but they themselves are operating the cockpit controls. We also create a vague understanding that there is some type of larger conflict surrounding the player, and we invite the player to work on behalf of The Cause.
The idea of a Privateer -- that is, a government-sanctioned thief -- is an ethical grey zone. The entire concept of theft is normally distasteful to people, but when players are role-playing or stealing on behalf of a Greater Good, the bitter pill can be swallowed. We don't care to name The Cause or its proposed morality. The player is free to believe that Their Cause is just, regardless of having to spell out the exact tenants to which The Cause adheres.
This allows us to say the player is stealing back ships, rather than just stealing them willy-nilly. The narrative structure also supports the game mechanic, because the player is constantly employed to retrieve numerous war assets. Before, it could have been perceived as a type of space Grand Theft Auto, without all the other aspects of GTA...
But because theft is always a moral choice, we wanted to at least give the player an explicit choice at the end of each level. They could keep, sell, or donate the ship. By keeping the ship, the player retains a visual trophy of the ship in their hanger. If they sell the ship, the implication is that they found the highest bidder to benefit from the hijack. If the player donates the ship, the "main story" is supported in that you have donated the spacecraft to the deserving members of The Cause.
As of now, these choices bear no impact on how the game plays out. However, the decision calculus can be made much more interesting with the future addition of story mechanics. For example, an in-game shop that allows for the purchase of advantages with the proceeds from ship sales. Or, having high numbers of followers as a result of your charitable donation could confer benefits when working in the otherwise-hostile galaxy.
Ideally, the different types of ships would have their own lore. They would belong to different shipbuilders and their start-up switch sequences would be familiar, but different. I'd love for the type of ship to give the player a hint as to what is likely to be required in the upcoming puzzle. Plenty of design room to explore here...
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