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Note: It appears that I've created an anti-gun future sci-fi setting. This creates an interesting take, akin to Star Wars (though that has many guns, too). I wanted to avoid guns because it makes the player too weak, and becomes silly trying to stop endless sci-fi bullets/lasers, etc. with Magic. It can create some interesting gameplay and narrative, but I don't want guns (at least, only a few at most). Maybe the setting didn't invent guns, or moved away from them for whatever reason. Just know that, although the image only shows swords for the space marines, demon-like aliens, and Balthazar model option, there will be other Weapons to choose from as the player, and certain enemies will have other weapons, too. :)

New comment on Item for GeekList "Origins 2026 Virtual Flea Market-Mark it "sold" you got this!"
Posted: Sun, 19 Apr 10:50:44

by nerdy_guy_1980

I'd like to buy this please. $35 will be fine

Pre-dev #7: The Fifth Element (1997) + Tomb Raider...
Posted: Sun, 19 Apr 10:39:46

by M Charles

'Ello, M. Charles here.

PART 14: WELCOME TO THE HOUSE OF THE GATHERING

I believe I mentioned The Fifth Element (1997) before. It's one of my favourite films (that and Batman Forever (1995)). In trying to answer a question by Tim Cain, of Fallout: 'is it easy to explain?' He was talking about video game RPGs, but it readily applies to board games in general. 'Is your setting evocative?' That was his last question.

The Fifth Element (1997) solved practically every problem, and even opened a few doors, including sci-fi power-armour or machine enemies, along with a deeper narrative on both sides (player-character and the world/enemies). I could justify everything easier, as well. And I believe everything is more coherent, in terms of the disconnect between Middle Ages theme and future/sci-fi.

I spent some time thinking about how to properly integrate, nest, deepen, blend, and justify everything, including the possibility of a mixed tone, and robots and superhuman sci-fi enemies. I realised that The Fifth Element solved practically every solution in one fell swoop (great idiom, by the way -- thanks Shakespeare).

It was that or a nightmare/Sandbox sort of direction, but that's already been done and is innately not as serious or flexible, in terms of narrative and mechanical depth.

It's very simple, now -- male Tomb Raider in a Fifth Element-like far future.

Forget about the post-apoc vision idea from before, and move away from Labyrinth (1986) a little. Everything is a little more serious, though still 'style over substance'. Note that I've not fully figured out everything shown in the image. I don't know what's staying, and I don't know their exact roles, nature, or mechanics. But I feel like we're getting there.

The Order of the House of the Gathering (The House of the Gathering for short) is the religious (quasi-Catholic) order of the human player-character, Balthazar. He protects the Earth and humans, and fights demons and space marines deep in the Iron Labyrinth (i.e. dungeon). Set in the year 2200 AD. The members of the House of the Gathering are called Alchemists and Summoners, or more formerly, Alchemist-Priests or Summoner-Priests. This depends on their general class: Summoners focus on Elemental Magic, where Alchemists focus on melee/combat (including rogue, in terms of player gameplay). They're narrative and soft gameplay categories, since Red Delve will not feature strict classes due to the deck constructor nature of the game (i.e. you can build any class pre-game, and switch classes in-run).

I'm also wondering about adding some moral choices for Balthazar (i.e. the player). Just how good or evil is Balthazar, and how does his story unfold; where does he end up? What is the House of the Gathering actually trying to accomplish? Very interesting questions.

Note that I have no idea how the 'sword vs. power-armour' is going to work. Maybe the player can only use the Sword against demons, and must use Elements/Magic and other Weapons against the armoured sci-fi enemies. I'll go with the tightest narrative answer coupled with whatever works best, mechanically, and gives the most player freedom and clarity. Before, I said that I disliked the idea of a sword vs. machine situation. But now we have an innately sardonic, over-the-top Tomb Raider/Fifth Element setting, I like the idea.

One fellow mentioned that he would love robots/machines in Poll #2. Well, this is exactly why taking feedback is important. Rumination. I believe we're in a much better position, now. The door to this direction was sealed shut a few days ago. Always leave yourself the bravery -- and tenacity -- to open a sealed door, if you're convinced it'll ultimately create a superior product. At the very least, there's no harm in testing it out at that stage.

And I'm kicking myself, as they say, that I didn't think of this instantly. But, again, that door was sealed off. In hindsight, it was possibly a mistake (if we stick with this direction), but I didn't know that at the time, and didn't know how to fully commit to a future setting given the Middle Ages nature of the player-character. I was also trying to enforce the usage of the Gloomhaven map for tracking purposes. That map now makes no sense, unless we invent a reason. For example, maybe it's the ancient map that has been passed down through the generations, and now Balthazar -- or, the player -- owns it. That sounds like a decent narrative device to me.

But that's how this process goes, at least for me. Maybe you think it's easy, and maybe it's easy for you. And it seems so simple now, looking back, but it took me about 4 weeks to get here. And all I had to think on day one was -- 'male Tomb Raider in Fifth Element'. That's actually a pretty clear mash-up of Zathura, The Fifth Element, Tomb Raider, and Star Wars. One reason it likely didn't enter my mind that is two-fold: first, I wasn't thinking so literally, and was actually aiming to avoid just creating a Luke Skywalker/Indiana Jones type situation. And secondly, I was trying to avoid Indiana Jones and things like Tomb Raider at all costs due to the association with Spelunky, Tomb Raider proper, Zelda, and more. (This explains why I tried to explain open-mindedness in earlier logs. But it's not possible to check every possible direction on day one, or know exactly where you should end up.) Nonetheless, it was important not to directly copy Tomb Raider or adhere to The Fifth Element too closely, which is what would have happened if I came at it from a direct route.

I have a few other ideas, as well, and a few new mechanics in mind. Evidently, it's no longer as Labyrinth-like, DOOM-like, or Soulslike. But it has a few parts or fragments from each, in addition to other sources, thereby creating a new whole. I'll talk about the other core mechanics next time, along with the polished narrative/setting.

P.S. I think we've found the tagline for the game, too -- welcome to the House of the Gathering. :)

New comment on Blog Post Happy Birthday PghArch!
Posted: Sun, 19 Apr 10:37:41

by Lux_Bux