The Last Bible

Welcome to the World in 2095

Production Officially begins today,July 2nd 2008. Things have been pretty hectic with the Battle System, not in terms of playability and features, but in terms of style.

My current challenge is the selection of a Battle Theme, which has taken close to an Hour. Nothing sounds great, nothing fits, but I've been trying out various styles, and I will find one that best suits the pace of battle and the flow.


Character Development

So far I have set target dates for the game, releasing only the First 3 Chapters which form the distant Beta. With this I have began the development of the first 5 Characters met in the game. I think this is the first time I have sat down on my Laptop and written, personalities out, written out past occurrences for these characters, and honestly I really like it.

The game does not initially focus on one Character directly. Each Character will get their own lime light within an introduction. The Three Beginning Chapters serve as an introduction in to the Protagonist Ashley Lacure, a young Combatant who is completely indifferent about war and faith. Developing Ashley has been the single most difficult task I have ever had as a Game Developer, mainly because I don't want him to fit a stereotype. I want him to in some ways be his own man, his own self, but mirror the youth in our Time Period. Ashley is complexed, he is not one sided, sometimes he is Brave, Scared, Smart, Stupid, a Hero and the Villain. His personality can be initially viewed as Plain. He doesn't care about war, he doesn't care about many of his friends, and he talks to himself a lot. He is a character that I believe will be influenced by the events that come to past the most, future is his fear, however one must play more and more Chapters involving Ashley before they figure this out.

The second character I have developed is Alexander Ellowsworth. This guy can be seen as a bit of an Antagonist as he is initially met during Ashley's Chapter. Handsome, Intelligent, Wealthy, and Loved by the public, Alexander should be the hero of the story, in fact he believes he is a Messiah of sorts. The guy suffers from an Ego problem, however it is not blown up to the point of complete disgust. When met, Alexander is a silent calculating young man. He spends most of his time thinking about his Mission, Objectives, and Skills. And it is not until he sees Jonas, another Character, in an argument which disrupts Alexander's train of though, that Alexander snaps back at him. To summarize his personality think of a Perfect Person who is terribly flawed, perfect to the public, but flawed internally. Both Alexander and Ashley are two character whom I believe will draw Players to the game.


A World Without Villains?

No, The Last Bible is the sort of story that questions a Player's mind set. What is right, what is wrong, who is evil, who is good. Of course you like to think you as "Good", but say you attack a Turkish Camp in Area 32 killing off "The Enemy" in order to obtain a Idol. Now lets say 30 Chapters down the road, you begin to play as a new group of Characters, and the actions of one group affects the reactions of another group. That is what you will find in The Last Bible. Odds are multiple endings will be present, but perhaps these Endings may simply form with the Completion of Tasks. Lets say you have played through 12 Chapters, and unlocked a new Personal Story Arc which you can do. In doing the Arc you enter a new Storyline, with new Objective, and such. This Storyline becomes the new "Game" so to speak. Perhaps you abandon the straight path set forth in the game, and adopt a new Path. And at its end, your game may end, while your friend is on Chapter 35 getting ready to beat "The Last Boss", I want Players to see multiple doors, multiple consequences, and play through the game many times, to unlock new elements and storylines.


A Manga-esque Layout

Most Manga feature several characters, which interact with one another, I want this game to be such. I want it to focus on many characters at a time rather than just one. You may play for one Character for 3 Chapter and the next Chapter will begin through the eyes of another Character, on the same team as your character. One system I am creating is the Drifter System, in which the Player is an Essence. Basically you drift around, and control Characters, however this is done through contact with other Characters. Say you play as Bob for an entire Chapter, and constantly talk to Susan, constantly heal Susan, constantly use Susan in battle, and see her in events, Susan will become the new Lead in the next Chapter. Not everything worked out yet, but I know of liked how Gundam Seed alternated between Kira and Athran, that's what I really want to do.