Vermilion. A WIP in the very, very, early stages

I have an idea I’ve been developing (very slowly, especially with finals coming up ^#(^ ), and just wanted to see if anyone would be interested in this sort of thing?

An estranged child of nobility, who harbors a hidden power of some sort, runs a low-key but well regarded detective agency with a colorful cast of street rascals the player can pick up along the way. Jobs vary, from finding evidence of extramarital affairs to tracking down murderers and kidnappers, and are, more often than not, subtly colored by the invisible hands of the supernatural walking among us. I haven’t planned it out exactly yet, but there will likely be some kind of overarching plot that becomes more apparent as the storyline progresses, and the player’s family will likely have a Very Big Hand in some greater scheme. The whole thing would have a very gritty feeling, with pallets heavily dominated by browns and grays, and I’m considering throwing in some vaguely steampunk-esque elements without going all out with the cogs-and-airships-everywhere thing. The “superpower” element doesn’t feature prominently in the story, as the character is desperately trying to hide it and prefers to use revolvers/knives/ironic samurai swords when violence is absolutely necessary, but does have its moments. A majority of the story would take place in the drug flushed, prostitute walking streets of the grimy city underbelly, but will move up to ballrooms and salons as the player confronts his/her family. Historical accuracy not included.

The story would be around PG-13, with the amount of violence varying depending on the player’s passive/aggressive choices, and would feature some (just a few) woo-able NPCs of both genders.

Any thoughts or suggestions?

http://ruthberg.antserve.com/vermilion/web/mygame/index.html

…Honestly, kinda like Vendetta, but I can see ways where you can differentiate.

Sound good. I haven’t really seen Choice Games of the mystery genre (and no, Vendetta doesn’t count).

o:
I’ve actually not played the majority of WIP games in the forums to be honest, but I’ll follow Vendetta to make sure I don’t coincide much. Thanks for the heads up.

I’ve got class in a few, so I’m skimming through, but so far there doesn’t seem to be much in common aside from the back-alleyway setting and occasionally dead people. It’s my fault for being unclear, but Vermilion takes place in something heavily resembling Victorian London.

Vendetta is a somewhat sandbox-type game about making your way in a new, dangerous, yet opportunistic environment. There’s also a subplot about finding out who killed your sister.

Your story sounds like an estranged child of nobility trying to find his way in a new, dangerous, yet opportunistic environment. Sort of the same concept, but you could lean more towards mystery and supernatural.

Yeah, it’s kind of hard to tell where my concept is going from a tiny blurb. Once I get the first chapter out I’ll go over it more carefully to make sure they don’t have too much in common. Thanks again for the heads up.

Sounds nice. I’m supporting you (mentally).

Eh, doesn’t sound a whole lot like Vendetta (at least in story concept), Supernatural Detective story vs Gangster story. Maybe a bit in the way you seem to want to execute it (breaking the plot into more identifiable chunks, but that’s it. Anyways, I’ll be looking forward to what you come up with.

I’m all ears. Uh, eyes.

It’s an intriguing concept and I’ll look forward to it. I wouldn’t actually worry too much about any similarities between our games, to be honest. Although many regular forum peeps will try just about anything once (for which we are all grateful), out there in the big wide world, most people tend to stick with just what they have an interest in–especially if they have to pay 99c (or whatever) for more. The basic setting for our respective games would likely appeal to a 95%+ completely different audience, so my advice would be to go with whatever “feels” right for your game and don’t worry too much about stepping on any toes here–especially mine.

Besides, I have steel toecaps in my boots. :smiley:

Yea, sorry about comparing your game to something else. I know that feels icky.

I really like the synopsis for this game. I like steampunk, I like magic and I love a total disregard for historical accuracy!

Fear not, if your game becomes too similar to Vendetta, I’ll let you know. In the gentlest possible terms, naturally.

Thanks for all the support, guys! :smiley:

@Vendetta, that’s a really good point you make. I’ve spent my fair share of time stressing about whether anyone would be interested in reading what I write instead of actually writing, it’s not a good feeling. I’m just going to indulge myself and do what I like, hopefully people will give it a chance. I should have a very early alpha out in a week or two, we’ll see how it goes from there.

@Neo, no worries! I’m sure you meant well. :slight_smile:

I was very much surprised by all the positive comments for my game, so I would advise you to put something up on the web as soon as you have written it, even if it is only an introduction, so people can see and comment. Most people on this forum are very positive and helpful, and if they don’t like your game or think it is flawed they will try to explain why.

I really enjoy film noir add that with some fantasy, it’s liking your catering sraight to me!

Hey, guys, here’s a very short demo of the beginning of the intro! http://ruthberg.antserve.com/vermilion/web/mygame/index.html

Unfortunately not much happens here, but right now I’m working on the nan part, which will allow you to choose/experience your ability for the first time. :slight_smile:

Looks good so far.

Neat. Can’t wait to see what happens next.

i like it :slight_smile:

I like it