A
Avernus
Guest
Game Concept Document
Introduction
SkyLords: Bloodlines is a first-person melee combat modification for the PC using the Half-Life 2 engine that places players into the role of a young Orc struggling for survival and dominance alongside his Clan against opposing Clans and a variety of foes, in a saga set in a world where a never-ending storm surrounds pillars of land that rise out above it, from which the Clans make their homes and build their flying ships to traverse the heavens.
Description
As a Clan-mate upon the only war-worthy ship the Burning Cloud Clan possesses, the prosperity of your Clan depends upon the success of the actions you and your crew embark upon. Two years past, saw the end of a war in which Burning Cloud has lost all of its Holdings, all of its warships, and most of its seasoned warriors. Only the intervention of the other Clans of the Shade Mountain Tribe, held back complete annihilation. Beginning upon the road of recovery, your Clan has invested the last of its resources into this ship, and the outfitting of its crew; a mixture of a core of hardened veterans, and the newly blooded who have come of age to serve.
Peace is not a commodity that your Elders can afford to give you. Burning Cloud has need of new resources from which they can draw upon, and as opportunity presents itself, you’ll be called upon time and again. Competition is fierce in this world, good land is hard to find, and harder to conquer. Metal is needed for the forging of weapons and armour, the wood of trees for the ships that await building, and land for farming and for your Clans herds to graze upon.
Allies can be found amongst the other Clans, but many centuries of separation since the Cataclysm that formed this world have evolved the Clans in different ways; their cultures and even their physical appearance vary widely. The invention of ships that could fly brought the once fragmented Tribe together again, yet not all are friends. The war that very nearly destroyed your own Clan was waged upon you by other Orcs.
~A description of combat: the ships Vengeance and Direholm meet.
The two ships began to close towards each other, Orcs shouting insults across the distance at one another and rallying the moral of their crews with blasts of their horns, drums beating rhythmically in the background. Each SkyLord, piloting his ship, vied for the better position as the ballista upon the opposing ships came into range of one another and loosed the opening volleys of this battle. An Orc, fated not to be long on this world, too slow putting away his horn, found the bolt of a ballista ripping through his chest and carrying him clear across the deck. A mast brought his flight to a sudden end as the bolt stuck home; the unwary Orcs feet dangling just above the deck as his corpse gently swayed against the mast, his blood pooling below.
Close enough now, warriors with their bows ready began to send flight after flight of arrows towards their foes, hoping to find a target for their efforts, and cause those manning the deadly ballista to abandon their posts. Rents in the sails were being torn open on both ships, as archers and those crewing the ballista alike, sought to lessen the speed and maneuverability of their opponents. The SkyLord of the Vengeance, strong with talents in controlling the elements, brought a thin sheen of fire into existence to the side of his ship. The archers taking advantage, fired their arrows through the ephemeral wall causing their arrows to burst into flames before they descended to cause havoc. Small fires sprang into being across the ship, and one of the sails began to smolder before bursting ablaze. Confusion reigned as some sought to quench the fires before they could do more damage. Sensing their advantage the Vengeances SkyLord sought to close the distance quickly, using what power was available to him to conjure up a strong wind to fill his sails for yet more speed. As the ships passed close by each other, a pair of grizzled veterans, no strangers to the dangers of battle, charged across their own deck to launch themselves into the air, shields held close in front of their bodies, their prey already chosen.
Soaring across the void below them, the opposing crew shouted out warnings with fear. Hearing the cry of warning, the beleaguered Direholms SkyLord swerved his ship as best he could in a desperate bid. One of the leaping Orcs suddenly found himself without a place to land as he plummeted down past the hull of his intended target, an anguished scream rising up to the ears of those who still fought for their lives. The other landed squarely within a knot of archers. Weapons still in their sheaths and shields upon their backs, they dropped their bows and sought to arm themselves as the boarder exploded into terrifying action. The impact of his landing on the deck drove his foes outward from him for a second, now he quickly closed the distance, his axe hewing a gory path on the confining deck, spreading panic to all those nearby who were packed in too close together to bring their own shields into play.
The archers on Vengeance found themselves unopposed as they now chose their targets with care, pinning down those who would try to take their boarder in the back and finding unprotected flesh wherever they could. Detaching an Outrigger, the pilot and two archers brought their small craft to bear on the other side of the Direholm from the Vengeance, finding unsuspecting targets who had focused too much of their attention either on the boarder or the warship that were tearing them apart. The ballista of the Vengeance had concentrated on taking apart the hull of Direholm, whose sails were now ablaze unchecked. Too much damage had been absorbed for the Dirmholm to stay aloft any further; bit by bit the stricken ship lost altitude and began a decent towards the storm below, its fate sealed.
The brave boarder, hearing the shouts of encouragement from his crew-mates upon the Outrigger who had positioned themselves nearby, managed to brake away from combat and once again hurled himself through open skies, to this time find safety.
Key Features
- Taking the next logical progression of HL2’s squad system to incorporate robust game play possibilities.
- Episodic releases, comprised of multiple Chapters each; giving clear target goals in the games development and building a library of assets to draw upon as the story expands.
- Robust melee combat, using ‘realistic’ fantasy physics.
- Magic system based upon elemental powers; with a focus on amplifying the feel of the games unique environment.
- Player equipment availability based upon Clan resources acquired, and/or location.
- Flora and fauna that have a logical basis (evolved into what they are for good reason)
Genre
Ok, let me try to take a shot at this for fun. A First-Person, Melee Combat, Fantasy RPG.
Right then, that is the short of it, but it likely raises some questions. Please feel free to ask, I will likely have the answers already, a lot of thought has gone into this project. At this point, some may already be wondering 'what is the website address?'. We don't have one right now, and for good reason. There is only one type of position that we are 'officially' opening up to the public at this time, and until there is sufficient visual material to present to the public, there will be no public website to view.
Concept Artists. Later on, we'll be seeking out talented individuals for a variety of positions. The reason we are only going for concept artists at this time is due to one main factor. Everything starts with the concepts..... everything.
What are we looking for in concept artists? Talent, pure and simple talent. We want to do the best job we can for this mod, because we sincerely believe it deserves nothing less. What we offer is challenging, and extremely rewarding. There are multiple Clans, a variety of foes, styles of architecture for each Clan that will lend them their individual qualities.
In case you wonder if such a project would ever get released, there is a simple answer. Episodic content. The first episode is the one that will take the longest to achieve. I hope to see many questions, I hope to see enthusiasm.
Please email [email protected] if you are interested in becoming a concept artist for this wonderful project. If you have skills in a different area, but simply feel that you just can't wait for those positions to be announced... hehe, well go ahead and fire me an email just in case we do have something for you. If an example of your work, or a link to your gallery can be attached to any email sent, it would be very much appreciated.
~Av.
Introduction
SkyLords: Bloodlines is a first-person melee combat modification for the PC using the Half-Life 2 engine that places players into the role of a young Orc struggling for survival and dominance alongside his Clan against opposing Clans and a variety of foes, in a saga set in a world where a never-ending storm surrounds pillars of land that rise out above it, from which the Clans make their homes and build their flying ships to traverse the heavens.
Description
As a Clan-mate upon the only war-worthy ship the Burning Cloud Clan possesses, the prosperity of your Clan depends upon the success of the actions you and your crew embark upon. Two years past, saw the end of a war in which Burning Cloud has lost all of its Holdings, all of its warships, and most of its seasoned warriors. Only the intervention of the other Clans of the Shade Mountain Tribe, held back complete annihilation. Beginning upon the road of recovery, your Clan has invested the last of its resources into this ship, and the outfitting of its crew; a mixture of a core of hardened veterans, and the newly blooded who have come of age to serve.
Peace is not a commodity that your Elders can afford to give you. Burning Cloud has need of new resources from which they can draw upon, and as opportunity presents itself, you’ll be called upon time and again. Competition is fierce in this world, good land is hard to find, and harder to conquer. Metal is needed for the forging of weapons and armour, the wood of trees for the ships that await building, and land for farming and for your Clans herds to graze upon.
Allies can be found amongst the other Clans, but many centuries of separation since the Cataclysm that formed this world have evolved the Clans in different ways; their cultures and even their physical appearance vary widely. The invention of ships that could fly brought the once fragmented Tribe together again, yet not all are friends. The war that very nearly destroyed your own Clan was waged upon you by other Orcs.
~A description of combat: the ships Vengeance and Direholm meet.
The two ships began to close towards each other, Orcs shouting insults across the distance at one another and rallying the moral of their crews with blasts of their horns, drums beating rhythmically in the background. Each SkyLord, piloting his ship, vied for the better position as the ballista upon the opposing ships came into range of one another and loosed the opening volleys of this battle. An Orc, fated not to be long on this world, too slow putting away his horn, found the bolt of a ballista ripping through his chest and carrying him clear across the deck. A mast brought his flight to a sudden end as the bolt stuck home; the unwary Orcs feet dangling just above the deck as his corpse gently swayed against the mast, his blood pooling below.
Close enough now, warriors with their bows ready began to send flight after flight of arrows towards their foes, hoping to find a target for their efforts, and cause those manning the deadly ballista to abandon their posts. Rents in the sails were being torn open on both ships, as archers and those crewing the ballista alike, sought to lessen the speed and maneuverability of their opponents. The SkyLord of the Vengeance, strong with talents in controlling the elements, brought a thin sheen of fire into existence to the side of his ship. The archers taking advantage, fired their arrows through the ephemeral wall causing their arrows to burst into flames before they descended to cause havoc. Small fires sprang into being across the ship, and one of the sails began to smolder before bursting ablaze. Confusion reigned as some sought to quench the fires before they could do more damage. Sensing their advantage the Vengeances SkyLord sought to close the distance quickly, using what power was available to him to conjure up a strong wind to fill his sails for yet more speed. As the ships passed close by each other, a pair of grizzled veterans, no strangers to the dangers of battle, charged across their own deck to launch themselves into the air, shields held close in front of their bodies, their prey already chosen.
Soaring across the void below them, the opposing crew shouted out warnings with fear. Hearing the cry of warning, the beleaguered Direholms SkyLord swerved his ship as best he could in a desperate bid. One of the leaping Orcs suddenly found himself without a place to land as he plummeted down past the hull of his intended target, an anguished scream rising up to the ears of those who still fought for their lives. The other landed squarely within a knot of archers. Weapons still in their sheaths and shields upon their backs, they dropped their bows and sought to arm themselves as the boarder exploded into terrifying action. The impact of his landing on the deck drove his foes outward from him for a second, now he quickly closed the distance, his axe hewing a gory path on the confining deck, spreading panic to all those nearby who were packed in too close together to bring their own shields into play.
The archers on Vengeance found themselves unopposed as they now chose their targets with care, pinning down those who would try to take their boarder in the back and finding unprotected flesh wherever they could. Detaching an Outrigger, the pilot and two archers brought their small craft to bear on the other side of the Direholm from the Vengeance, finding unsuspecting targets who had focused too much of their attention either on the boarder or the warship that were tearing them apart. The ballista of the Vengeance had concentrated on taking apart the hull of Direholm, whose sails were now ablaze unchecked. Too much damage had been absorbed for the Dirmholm to stay aloft any further; bit by bit the stricken ship lost altitude and began a decent towards the storm below, its fate sealed.
The brave boarder, hearing the shouts of encouragement from his crew-mates upon the Outrigger who had positioned themselves nearby, managed to brake away from combat and once again hurled himself through open skies, to this time find safety.
Key Features
- Taking the next logical progression of HL2’s squad system to incorporate robust game play possibilities.
- Episodic releases, comprised of multiple Chapters each; giving clear target goals in the games development and building a library of assets to draw upon as the story expands.
- Robust melee combat, using ‘realistic’ fantasy physics.
- Magic system based upon elemental powers; with a focus on amplifying the feel of the games unique environment.
- Player equipment availability based upon Clan resources acquired, and/or location.
- Flora and fauna that have a logical basis (evolved into what they are for good reason)
Genre
Ok, let me try to take a shot at this for fun. A First-Person, Melee Combat, Fantasy RPG.
Right then, that is the short of it, but it likely raises some questions. Please feel free to ask, I will likely have the answers already, a lot of thought has gone into this project. At this point, some may already be wondering 'what is the website address?'. We don't have one right now, and for good reason. There is only one type of position that we are 'officially' opening up to the public at this time, and until there is sufficient visual material to present to the public, there will be no public website to view.
Concept Artists. Later on, we'll be seeking out talented individuals for a variety of positions. The reason we are only going for concept artists at this time is due to one main factor. Everything starts with the concepts..... everything.
What are we looking for in concept artists? Talent, pure and simple talent. We want to do the best job we can for this mod, because we sincerely believe it deserves nothing less. What we offer is challenging, and extremely rewarding. There are multiple Clans, a variety of foes, styles of architecture for each Clan that will lend them their individual qualities.
In case you wonder if such a project would ever get released, there is a simple answer. Episodic content. The first episode is the one that will take the longest to achieve. I hope to see many questions, I hope to see enthusiasm.
Please email [email protected] if you are interested in becoming a concept artist for this wonderful project. If you have skills in a different area, but simply feel that you just can't wait for those positions to be announced... hehe, well go ahead and fire me an email just in case we do have something for you. If an example of your work, or a link to your gallery can be attached to any email sent, it would be very much appreciated.
~Av.
*throws bone*
