Hero Design, Character design for the mains Options

[bulmabriefs144]

You make those suggestions so gently there's no real way to get offended. How about, as the name implies, Rose has rose-colored hair?

I'm gonna try another shirt color. I'll just edit here.



Maya? I've seen some actual girls wearing this style (usually for a hike or something), so it should work a little better.

For Rosette... Having her hair entirely pink was a bit extreme, as it turned out. Having pink highlights at the edge was just different enough that it worked. I tried her without glasses and it didn't really work. But I'll show you.



(with)



(without)

The second one doesn't really depict "clumsy and shy" as well.

I was toying with the idea of having Maya be blind (when I was editing the eyes they had a blank white one), and her character's appearance based on her description. In order to avoid plotholes, it would have to be from a recent accident, so she remembers how she looks, in comparison to how she wanted to look. Maybe the game has voice-assisted version, so she can hear and dictate commands, even though she can't quite see. She chose wizard because sitting around suddenly unable to interact with the world without help she feels powerless (especially since she hasn't grown up this way). This might be a layer 3 interpretation though, and might explain how Johnny is in a coma (is that still the idea?) they were in the same accident. If this were the case, the layer 2 version would look like her before the accident, and layer 3 would have her with the long hair.

It would also give an idea how someone from the 3rd layer might still not know fully what's going on, Johnny could be in another part of the hospital and until she actually finds him, she wouldn't know what is going on. It's probably from a concussion, so it could be temporary (having her regain it if/when it's convenient to the plot). This can be done to large extent with sort of a lantern spotlight like in Zelda. Game could end with the virus problem getting solved by its respective programmers, and Maya standing and walking on her own, able to make it Johnny who finally wakes up and talks to her.

This post has been edited by bulmabriefs144: Jul 27 2012, 09:11 AM

[Sparrowsmith]

I think Johnny is the only character who exists in layer 3 and layer 2 physically.
His accident was a long time ago, the same time the virtual world was first created.
He was then plugged into the virtual world, and slowly his psyche began to influence it. Eventually his mind recreated a residual image of himself (Johnny) and a group of friends.

Johnny doesn't know he's in layer 3, he thinks layer 2 is real. All layer 2 characters think they're real unless they're a programmer in layer 3.

So, as far as I'm aware, Johnny is the only character who will 'wake up' in layer 3. The rest of them escape into the security systems as data when layer 2 collapses. Even when Johnny wakes up, he isn't the Johnny that fell asleep. He's a new Johnny, like a faded picture of the old one.
He exists to create a parallel to the rogue program. At the very end, when the program has escaped into layer 3 (as a robot, I believe we agreed on this) Johnny and the program will have a confrontation. Both came from layer 2, but everyone treats Johnny as real, even though he isn't the layer 3 Johnny they used to know, while the rogue program feels real, even though no one else thinks he is.
Johnny has literally lived inside his own mind for years, and feels uncomfortable in the real world. The program was confined to Johnny's world, and now wants freedom and to be 'real'. They're opposites, in the end, and I think it works better if only those two move into a 'real' and physical form.

I also think brunette Maya suits her better. and L1 Rosetta having glasses is good.

[Magical_RuNE_Kni...]

I agree w/ Sparrow... I think I... like the brown hair better. ><
Also, I am not sure about the hair. I was thinking something like this: http://www.wallpapersweb.com/preview/data/...Dears%20Ren.jpg
Like how it flares out. But if that's not something you're psyched about, it's fine not to have it.

I did a new sketch for Maya; so we want her to be a conservative-type, in the real world?

[Show/Hide] .

We can go for the T-shirt if you'd like instead. Although personally, I don't know, I'm not so sure about it either.

[MEands]

Oh dang, I just realized that we totally copied a character from FMA. Coincidentally her name is also Rose, and guess what kind of hair she has.

[Show/Hide] Oh crap

That's really weird but it's not like we actually copied her. We might change the name anyway, just thought this was funny.

Okay I see what you're saying with the glasses, her face looks kinda empty without them. I like the hair.

I agree that we shouldn't have more than Johnny be in both layers. I think in a way, having too many characters may make the plot twist a lot less impactful.

It seems like we have a solid end for this game, but before we set it in stone, can I just put something out there?

[Show/Hide] Little bit different

Johnny's father is the head of a very high tech "game design" company. He has a very close relationship with his son, he would do anything for him.
As of recently (about the start of the creation of Layer 2), his son fell into a coma. He was devestated and through his sorrow and a slight bit of insanity, created a game to mimic his son's life. This is why the game is so in depth and realistic. The father almost cannot come to the reality that his son is no longer mentally with him.
Layer 2 Johnny has no connection to layer 3 johnny.
After the rogue program escapes into layer 3, L2 Johnny is transferred into L3 Johnny's mind. It is a bit bizzare because L3 Johnny is much more frail.
Basically, Johnny has to fight of the rogue program, force it back into Layer 2, and then delete layer 2 altogether.

This is a bit more of a tragedy than a happy ending, but it's just a thought. Johnny is the only one of his friends left.

I don't even know what I think of this idea, but I'm just putting it out there if you find any interesting parts we could pick out.

Also, what kind of robot is the program going into?

We should make sure the characters don't all have the same hairstyle, it'll be confusing.

[Sparrowsmith]

The robot is something of a loose end, though is it difficult to imagine a lab capable of creating a virtual world couldn't create a robot?
I imagined the labs spanning several stories of a very tall building. The virtual world occupies several stories within the R&D department, but it isn't the only thing there. The R&D department also has other closed projects, or projects in the works. The robot lies in one of these.

The rogue programs journey doesn't mean much if it never gets ahold of a physical body.

As for the end, I'd like it to be bittersweet. The good guys win, but the rogue program is killed, and the rogue program, while dangerous, was just a scared entity who they attacked first, and who never wanted to kill anyone (even though he did destroy thousands if not millions of AI, all of whom could be considered real). Everyone returns to their proper layers, or tries to, because that's where they feel they belong, and the programmers have to deal with the fact that Johnny layer 2 is not Johnny layer 3, and by pretending as much they have endangered many people.
I'm open to the ending being darker, but I think the audience might want something brighter.

[bulmabriefs144]

I dunno, I guess when I made that whole layer 3 thing I was thinking I wanted there to be a whole romantic angle, or at least a friendship one.

I mean, at the end of the day, Johnny has all these friends online, and all these friends in the "real world". It just seems sort of depressing that he hasn't anyone waiting when he wakes up.

Wait, no, more than that. It's a plothole. Not having anyone, be it friends or lovers, to be happy at his coming out of there leaves a huge gap in the story. Sure, a father is fine, but alot of people are so distant with their fathers it doesn't make the same emotional impact. At least someone close to him should be helping the dad with extracting him from the game. The whole point is to leave the audience caring about the characters, and so you don't take the lot of them except one guy and throw 'em in the trash. Now, they may be nearly as hopeless as he is, but having all but one only exist in layer 1/2 is just sorta...

Heck, it needn't be any of these characters. But at least give the guy a gf or something.

And yea, let's keep working on Rosette, or use one of the earlier designs. As for the lab, you guys seen the newest Spiderman? (Remember Oscorp? Not that so much as something really futuristic looking)

And gloomy endings should be saved either for high art, if you really know what you're doing, or for if you screwed up somewhere and didn't get the best ending. Bittersweet is fine, but you'd obviously want to look forward to something for the main character (and maybe those two people trying to get the game), heck probably everyone you'd at least want it to be a fitting end to their story, not just a return to normalcy.

This post has been edited by bulmabriefs144: Jul 28 2012, 02:20 PM

[MEands]

Maybe the robot was a failed attempt to awaken L3 Johnny. Once they realized the simulator they had created could support Johnny's brain waves they hooked him up to that instead. The rogue program somehow finds a way to correct the robot's programming so that he can use it. (This would also make the L3 Johnny vs program more interesting because the robot is very similar to Johnny)

And I get what you're saying with the not having him have anything to wake up to. Perhaps the layer 3 person who is controlling the layer 2 (was it Kevin?) was Johnny's real life best friend, and is now playing the game to find Johnny, he knows him better than everyone else, so he should be able to realize who Johnny is, even if he is drastically different.

[bulmabriefs144]

Or he's fighting his gf. Either one might be good.

There might also be a twist where depending on how you fight the battle, the end might be radically different (you can do this with variables or a switch). If you outright destroy the virus/rogue, your friend is dead when you wake up, therefore, bittersweet/bad ending. You don't exactly do nothing, but a special attack is available for the battle (Debug or something) after you wait out several turns without damaging. That one activates the special good ending.

I think this is a good plan. Let's make a model for the rogue (and possibly various layer personas). Someone said the layer 2 was like a scrap guy or something, then there's layer 1 (if it's not tied directly to the villain), and maybe some other forms, and finally the true identity in layer 3.

Also, do we want explicitly say at any point during the game, the virus/ rogue prog was the Johnny's close person? Or should we just have it part of the ending, and make people figure out that part by doing it both ways?

[Sparrowsmith]

I dunno, I guess when I made that whole layer 3 thing I was thinking I wanted there to be a whole romantic angle, or at least a friendship one.

I mean, at the end of the day, Johnny has all these friends online, and all these friends in the "real world". It just seems sort of depressing that he hasn't anyone waiting when he wakes up.

Wait, no, more than that. It's a plothole. Not having anyone, be it friends or lovers, to be happy at his coming out of there leaves a huge gap in the story. Sure, a father is fine, but alot of people are so distant with their fathers it doesn't make the same emotional impact. At least someone close to him should be helping the dad with extracting him from the game. The whole point is to leave the audience caring about the characters, and so you don't take the lot of them except one guy and throw 'em in the trash. Now, they may be nearly as hopeless as he is, but having all but one only exist in layer 1/2 is just sorta...

Heck, it needn't be any of these characters. But at least give the guy a gf or something.

And yea, let's keep working on Rosette, or use one of the earlier designs. As for the lab, you guys seen the newest Spiderman? (Remember Oscorp? Not that so much as something really futuristic looking)

And gloomy endings should be saved either for high art, if you really know what you're doing, or for if you screwed up somewhere and didn't get the best ending. Bittersweet is fine, but you'd obviously want to look forward to something for the main character (and maybe those two people trying to get the game), heck probably everyone you'd at least want it to be a fitting end to their story, not just a return to normalcy.

If we do have anyone waiting for him in some way then it would only make it sadder. The Johnny that wakes up in layer 3 is the Johnny from layer 2, not the Johnny that fell into the coma. They are similar, but they don't have the same memories.
Unless he forms a romantic attraction with one of the characters in layer 2 and they actually turn out to be a programmer from layer 3.

In the epilogue it was discussed that Johnny goes back into the game because he doesn't feel at home in layer 3. We kind of want him to be alone, frightened, and confused when he wakes up. No one is waiting for him, no one thought he would wake up. He stumbles alone in the darkness until the programmers can find him. He doesn't care about anyone in layer 3 (unless they were controlling layer 2 characters) because he doesn't know them. What he cares about is his friends, and no one knows where they are (they escaped into the security systems).
Of course, Johnny does know one person in layer 3: The Rogue Program.

Maybe I'm being too harsh on Johnny. I'm not too sure why I just don't want Johnny to have anything for him in layer 3. He can be welcomed by all the programmers he talked to, and his sort-of father, and possible Kevin too, but nothing that would make him stay.

Maybe the robot was a failed attempt to awaken L3 Johnny. Once they realized the simulator they had created could support Johnny's brain waves they hooked him up to that instead. The rogue program somehow finds a way to correct the robot's programming so that he can use it. (This would also make the L3 Johnny vs program more interesting because the robot is very similar to Johnny)

And I get what you're saying with the not having him have anything to wake up to. Perhaps the layer 3 person who is controlling the layer 2 (was it Kevin?) was Johnny's real life best friend, and is now playing the game to find Johnny, he knows him better than everyone else, so he should be able to realize who Johnny is, even if he is drastically different.

That would work with Kevin.
The robot being designed for L3 Johnny (or any of the L2 AI really) is a plausible explanation for it.


I'm wondering whether we're going to include the humor we had in the first drafts of the story. It seems we've definitely gotten darker and darker. Has anyone get any thoughts on this?

[bulmabriefs144]

Yea, I dunno why either.

If he can get his memories back at the story's end, I dunno why he couldn't have it both ways, have a gf/friend in the final layer, and friends to visit in the other layers. (Of course, since both are in layer 2, he's likely to stay there over with his dad)

Bad ending could be alot like this, he doesn't really remember anyone, so he instead goes back into the 2nd layer, this time free to leave whenever he wants. Not that there's much waiting for him in this ending.

Unless he forms a romantic attraction with one of the characters in layer 2 and they actually turn out to be a programmer from layer 3.

Let's go with it. It would work for the whole trying to get him out thing (the driving point of the plot), and it might work for the ending (I say might, because given the nature of online stuff that cute girl might turn out to be someone really nerdy that he doesn't feel the same way about).

A bit of humor goes a long way. I typically aren't in favor of dark endings, unless they are way over the top dark (world ends and everyone dies), and it heavily depends on the type of show. For something like Gilgamesh, it worked, because the thing started out dark (with this girl and her brother orphaned in the rain, and her almost getting molested). For this thing, it starts out like an RPG, so unless we want a Rayearth style shock ending (even then, there was a better finale) it doesn't really warrant that. That said, if you outright die on the final boss, this could be a third ending.

This is not to say we can't have an ending with a bit of what tvtropes calls FridgeHorror but the overall impression an audience wants is to like the ending.

This post has been edited by bulmabriefs144: Jul 29 2012, 04:40 AM

[MEands]

Maybe I'm being too harsh on Johnny. I'm not too sure why I just don't want Johnny to have anything for him in layer 3. He can be welcomed by all the programmers he talked to, and his sort-of father, and possible Kevin too, but nothing that would make him stay.

Yeah, I kinda like the idea of Layer 3 being the good world, although completely unreal, it's the safe world, it's home.

I'm wondering whether we're going to include the humor we had in the first drafts of the story. It seems we've definitely gotten darker and darker. Has anyone get any thoughts on this?

I think at first it was, "Yay! Let's all put in our ideas and make a fun game!" and now it's evolved into, "Oh my gosh, I think we can design a really great game." Perhaps we should bring some of the humor back in layer 1, it seems like the most viable layer to just place things in.

If he can get his memories back at the story's end, I dunno why he couldn't have it both ways, have a gf/friend in the final layer, and friends to visit in the other layers. (Of course, since both are in layer 2, he's likely to stay there over with his dad)

The problem with getting his memories back is kinda the same problem with most kids shows. No matter what happened in the show, no matter how much damage the main villain did, everything gets fixed at the end. I feel like this kinda downplays the seriousness of the conflict, also it totally just wipes out Layer 2 Johnny, which the players will have probably gotten attatched to.
On this topic...anyone else unsatisfied with Legend of Korra?

Bad ending could be alot like this, he doesn't really remember anyone, so he instead goes back into the 2nd layer, this time free to leave whenever he wants. Not that there's much waiting for him in this ending.

Unless he forms a romantic attraction with one of the characters in layer 2 and they actually turn out to be a programmer from layer 3.

Let's go with it. It would work for the whole trying to get him out thing (the driving point of the plot), and it might work for the ending (I say might, because given the nature of online stuff that cute girl might turn out to be someone really nerdy that he doesn't feel the same way about).

Oh dang, that's harsh. XD It's realistic, but that's gotta be a bummer.

A bit of humor goes a long way. I typically aren't in favor of dark endings, unless they are way over the top dark (world ends and everyone dies), and it heavily depends on the type of show. For something like Gilgamesh, it worked, because the thing started out dark (with this girl and her brother orphaned in the rain, and her almost getting molested). For this thing, it starts out like an RPG, so unless we want a Rayearth style shock ending (even then, there was a better finale) it doesn't really warrant that. That said, if you outright die on the final boss, this could be a third ending.

I'm still not sure how I feel about alternate endings, especially with a game this complicated.
It's not really a dark ending, just an ending with realization that things aren't what they seem. Sort of a sadness, but also an acceptance.

[bulmabriefs144]

I disagree that a happy ending is "everything gets fixed at the end." I also disagree with the idea that a downer ending is necessarily better or more developed. (A crummy ending where nobody gets anything they want is just as shallow)

I liked Legend of Korra's ending. Maybe that's why I'm so at odds with you on this. Also, there's supposed to be at least another season (with rumors of up to 52 eps) so I think her troubles are a few more.

Real life is a tradeoff. People at the top, might have a "happy ending" economically, and a seemingly happy marriage, but both are actually teetering on the edge, and the person is filled with loneliness. Perhaps they are a great guy and well-loved and this is how they're remembered, but they sacrificed career for happiness, and died essentially penniless. I'll give you ending examples from my game (spoilering now):

[Show/Hide] Endings

1. The hero kills the villain, and unable to take the guilt, goes crazy, kills her entire party, and hangs them as scarecrows to keep the voices out. This is generally a bad ending, but it's sort of funny, in a dark humor way.
2. The hero saves the villain, awakening in the process their true nature, and effectively being God. She and her immediate family are effectively immortal, and it ends with a date with her husband. This ending is good, but it's implied she now has an added chore of running the universe. There's also two extremely frightening bits of FridgeHorror, the villain is still around, and given her rather odd personality and extreme moods (see above for how wrong that can go) would you really want someone like that running the universe?
3. She just walks away. The villain either lives or dies, it's not said, though strongly implied that since the villain was dying from a spear running through him, it's liable to be a long slow painful death. She and her husband and child live out their days, the daughter gets married, and the hero and her husband die of old age. They have this afterlife thing, that pretty much just looks like their yard and house for all eternity. Happily ever after? Except, the daughter's going to her own afterlife and never visits, and neither do the friends from the journey. Thankfully they can leave for reincarnation land if they get bored, which they just might.

Perhaps either the glitch gets fixed or it doesn't, depending on how you end. If it doesn't the character finds himself happier in layer 2, while all but ignoring his newly met father. But as a result of the "fix", while before he could actually directly immerse himself in layer two, the protections now prevent this. He can spend time with his new layer 3 family/friends, but let's say that the closest he can actually come to his layer 2 friends is on the computer.

A kid's happy ending is everything is perfect (only it's not, as there are hidden flaws in any setup). An adult's involves a tradeoff, one thing "less important" for the "more important" thing, though both are based on priorities. So our audience might actually like the 2nd best ending better than the supposed best one. Which is the whole point of multiple endings.

Also, you have no idea how easy it is to make a multiple ending battle. It's just a Victory/Defeat (No Escape) battle with a switch branch tacked on, and the all you do is teleport to one of three different screens (one for defeat, one for victory if GoodEnding is ON, one for victory else). Have a few subscreens, whenever the scenery changes. The switch is turned on if you do some special action during the last battle or do nothing for a bunch of turns or whatever we decide. If it were a long ending (involving a fully playable epilogue and separate game file), yes, but considering everything a simple ending epilogue is fine.

-----------

Urrgh, we're back off-topic. We need to come up with more hero sketches and keep some of this stuff just on file.

This post has been edited by bulmabriefs144: Jul 29 2012, 05:04 PM

[MEands]

Yeah I see what you mean actually. In my opinion I'd rather have L3 Johnny not regain his memories though. The game is more about layer 2 johnny, which is kinda johnny, but more of a reflection of what he wishes to be.

Back on topic. Have we designed anything for Johnny yet? I'll come up with something, give me about 30 minutes.

EDIT: Alright, these are some random things I came up with.

Layer 1 Johnny  l1j.tiff ( 22.49K ) Number of downloads: 14

Layer 2 Johnny  l2j.tiff ( 22.77K ) Number of downloads: 14

Layer 3 Johnny  l3j.tiff ( 19.69K ) Number of downloads: 12


sorry, for some reason this formatted weird

This post has been edited by MEands: Jul 29 2012, 10:21 PM

[Sparrowsmith]

Yea, I dunno why either.

If he can get his memories back at the story's end, I dunno why he couldn't have it both ways, have a gf/friend in the final layer, and friends to visit in the other layers. (Of course, since both are in layer 2, he's likely to stay there over with his dad)

Bad ending could be alot like this, he doesn't really remember anyone, so he instead goes back into the 2nd layer, this time free to leave whenever he wants. Not that there's much waiting for him in this ending.

Unless he forms a romantic attraction with one of the characters in layer 2 and they actually turn out to be a programmer from layer 3.

Let's go with it. It would work for the whole trying to get him out thing (the driving point of the plot), and it might work for the ending (I say might, because given the nature of online stuff that cute girl might turn out to be someone really nerdy that he doesn't feel the same way about).

A bit of humor goes a long way. I typically aren't in favor of dark endings, unless they are way over the top dark (world ends and everyone dies), and it heavily depends on the type of show. For something like Gilgamesh, it worked, because the thing started out dark (with this girl and her brother orphaned in the rain, and her almost getting molested). For this thing, it starts out like an RPG, so unless we want a Rayearth style shock ending (even then, there was a better finale) it doesn't really warrant that. That said, if you outright die on the final boss, this could be a third ending.

This is not to say we can't have an ending with a bit of what tvtropes calls FridgeHorror but the overall impression an audience wants is to like the ending.

There's a lot of Fridge Horror implied within the game already.
An incredibly skilled company has spent years designing a fully functioning virtual reality that is completely immersive and has lifelike AI built in, this world is also somewhat capable of housing those in comas, and certainly capable of giving the paralyzed a new lease on life. But what starts all the trouble?
They're worried that people will plug into the world and start killing the AI.
When the Rogue Program destroys the virtual town, our heroes just manage to escape, but all the other AI die.
And lets not forget Matryoshka, the seemingly omnipotent entity that contains and consumes the universes within itself.
And finally, when Johnny reaches the 'real' world, he finds it so uncompelling that he spends most of the rest of his life hiding back in layer 2.

So the ending might seem happy for our layer 2 heroes, as they all return back to where they once came from, but the bad stuff:
A world full of people who want to escape to somewhere else.
Said people are also dehumanized and can't be trusted not to be violent.
Several thousand lifelike beings are killed and only the layer 2 heroes will give a damn, layer 3 saw those AI as simpler.
The universe is being consumed by a being that exists on a 'more real' plain of existence.
Layer 3 is so dark and miserable that Johnny would rather live in layer 2, but he can't anymore because he has a body (well, he could hook himself up to machines again, but he knows he doesn't belong anywhere now).
Oh, and all the characters in layer 2 have to live with the knowledge that nothing they do is 'real' and that they're one powercut away from mysteriously no longer existing, oh wait no! There's backup copies, so they've potentially died several times before and after the events of the game and just been 'rebooted' into not remembering.

Yeah, this shit is actually so full of Fridge Horror that you could have a midnight buffet of horror.
But then also, three worlds have been saved, and two of those worlds can be programmed to be perfect, so it's not all bad...


Anyway, I definitely think Johnny (and all L2 characters) should befriend some of the programmers during their journey, and possibly even form romantic attractions to some effect either within layers or across them, but I don't want those relationships to trivialize the plot.
"Oh hey Johnny! You're having an existential crisis over what is real, and your friends are all potentially dead, and there's still a rogue program out to destroy the universe... But your friend/girlfriend who you don't remember ever meeting and have only ever talked to via an ingame avatar is here and would like to talk to you!"

You're right though, there should be people he can talk to that he kind of knows (via the game) and I'm not picking on that, I just don't want to ignore the plot when that happens.
I mean, I'd very much like to see Johnny and Kevin meet in person for the first time (if Kevin does work with the programmers) and be all chill. And for five minutes they can pretend that all of this crazy stuff hasn't just happened to them.
But then we'll be right back into the thick of it.


Also, those Johnny's are looking pretty good. I especially like L3 Johnny.

[bulmabriefs144]

So the ending might seem happy for our layer 2 heroes, as they all return back to where they once came from, but the bad stuff:
A world full of people who want to escape to somewhere else.
Said people are also dehumanized and can't be trusted not to be violent.
Several thousand lifelike beings are killed and only the layer 2 heroes will give a damn, layer 3 saw those AI as simpler.
The universe is being consumed by a being that exists on a 'more real' plain of existence.
Layer 3 is so dark and miserable that Johnny would rather live in layer 2, but he can't anymore because he has a body (well, he could hook himself up to machines again, but he knows he doesn't belong anywhere now).
Oh, and all the characters in layer 2 have to live with the knowledge that nothing they do is 'real' and that they're one powercut away from mysteriously no longer existing, oh wait no! There's backup copies, so they've potentially died several times before and after the events of the game and just been 'rebooted' into not remembering.

Yeah, this shit is actually so full of Fridge Horror that you could have a midnight buffet of horror.
But then also, three worlds have been saved, and two of those worlds can be programmed to be perfect, so it's not all bad...

Anyway, I definitely think Johnny (and all L2 characters) should befriend some of the programmers during their journey, and possibly even form romantic attractions to some effect either within layers or across them, but I don't want those relationships to trivialize the plot.
"Oh hey Johnny! You're having an existential crisis over what is real, and your friends are all potentially dead, and there's still a rogue program out to destroy the universe... But your friend/girlfriend who you don't remember ever meeting and have only ever talked to via an ingame avatar is here and would like to talk to you!"

You're right though, there should be people he can talk to that he kind of knows (via the game) and I'm not picking on that, I just don't want to ignore the plot when that happens.

Oooooh. Which is why we should definitely give him a gf from layer 1/2. "Am I supposed to know you?" And he tries to escape from her too. Or better yet, if he does know her from the game, both of them are so out of touch with existence on layer 3 and such nerds that after everything's at peace all they can think to do is go online. And yes, now I think I agree with the assessment that he more or less shouldn't regain his memory and have a scummy opinion of layer 3.

Liking those pictures.

[Sparrowsmith]

I can get on board with that.
The question is, who would she be? Did she know Johnny before the event that put him in a coma? If so, what was their relation? To be in layer 3 she would have to originate from layer 3, but which layer does she first contact Johnny in?
And how does she tie into the plot?

We could probably make her a programmer from layer 3.
Hell, they don't all have to be programmers. She could be an artist, or handle sound effects, or work with the machines that plug you in. If she's a key character I'd like to have her developed as much as possible.

I'm thinking that, possibly, if no one minds me making up some history, this could have happened:
Early after Kevin found Johnny, he wasn't sure who Johnny was, but wanted to keep an eye on him. Back then, the virtual reality was a bit more dangerous. The focus was on realism, which meant that crime, accidents, danger, were all very much possible. Kevin was worried that something could happen, so he'd plug into the game and try to keep Johnny out of trouble. One night he'd had enough, and went to see the lead programmer to make the world safer, but he needed someone to watch Johnny. He asked one of his colleagues and she eventually accepted, but only because Kevin said this Johnny was similar to their Johnny (at this point they don't know that Johnny was hooked up to the game). While watching Johnny through the monitors, she eventually got curious and plugged in to meet him in person. The two of them got along really well, but she knew that she shouldn't get too attached, after all, he's just a virtual construct. Still, every now and then she'd try and visit him.

During the course of the game they can get closer, but this is how we're introduced to them. They're acquaintances who see each other every now and again and get along well. She may also have a L1 character.

[MEands]

Wait, when Kevin said to play for him was this girl playing as Kevin? That's confusing.

Should we have this many people be in all three layers? I'm afraid it's going to become really confusing.

Also, the Johnny sprites, L2 looks like egoraptor XD
So if you've noticed, what I tried to do with it is have the Layer 1 sprite be somewhat similar to the layer 3 johnny. It's Johnny's subconciouos way of trying to remind himself who he is.

[Sparrowsmith]

No, Kevin just told her to watch (I.E through a monitor of some kind) but then she got curious and plugged herself in with her own avatar so that she could meet in person.

I think if we pace the characters out slow enough, it'll be fine to have lots of them.

[bulmabriefs144]

I can get on board with that.
The question is, who would she be? Did she know Johnny before the event that put him in a coma? If so, what was their relation? To be in layer 3 she would have to originate from layer 3, but which layer does she first contact Johnny in?
And how does she tie into the plot?

In order to fully connect with the plot, she'd have to be one of the main heroes in Layer 1. Probably either of the girls (or possibly "Kevin"). Really vague I know, but let's rule out the two who haven't got the game in the start. It might be good to keep it vague, revealing that there is a 3rd layer character that's been playing the game but keeping it unknown until the final (it would give us more time to puzzle it out)

For alot of this, we'd have to figure out what the original accident was that put him in the coma. She's sort of trying to secretly pull him out of it, which would be basically her plot, but she's acting like she's involved in the party's quest. Ummm, I don't know what you mean relation, they're bf/gf. Let's say she sought him out after about a year of searching layer 2.

I think only one person besides Johnny is in layer 3, unless Kevin is too. (In the case of Kevin being the gf, we have an even weirder problem since he problem has no feelings beyond friendship for that person)

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Okay, it looks like you got the Kevin thing fixed another way though, so let's go with that instead.

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K, let's see, for the main characters... We need Kevin and Eddy (layer 1 & 2), and the layer 3 friends/gf. That and the dad, but I think we got him earlier.

Then there's some more programmers and NPCs but they aren't heroes.

This post has been edited by bulmabriefs144: Jul 31 2012, 04:26 PM

[Magical_RuNE_Kni...]

I'm not very good at doing fantasy-aimed outfits. x_x So I brainstormed something for the 2nd layers.

These are ideas I came up for Kevin? I think I really like thinking outside of the box or something.
The first one is personally my favourite-- I like how he's a different and represents an ethnicity, I think it represents our community well.
I also like how he has a mohawk and a tattoo lol.

[Show/Hide] .

This is what I thought of for Eddy. :

[Show/Hide] .

He's supposed to be a bit more weighted/ heavy-built, and I guess you could think of him as the misfit of the family? I also like how it contributes to the variety of people in the community, as well as online.


EDIT: Arg, I remembered what I wanted to say! I like the father sprite. You're doing a good job at it; I'm guessing you're pretty thrilled about this project. The only thing I'm not sure about though is the jacket he has on; maybe it can be long-sleeved? 'o'

This post has been edited by Magical_RuNE_Knight2001: Jul 31 2012, 07:03 PM