TGR: OS-TAN Visual Novel 2.0

[Dr. Kraus]

The Great Revival: OS-TAN Visual Novel 2.0

Since the old thread is, well, OLD I decided to make a new thread for this "project" that has had people interested but I haven't seen anything come out of it.

Here is my really crap mock-up demo that is just a tease for what we can really accomplish if we get organized!
https://www.dropbox.com/s/v1070re4qcri6f4/OSTANdemo1.0-all.zip

Screen Shots:




Now that I have the programming skills under my belt to build the VN, all I need are the combined talents of the community!

What we need:
Character Artist/Designer(s)
Responsibilities:    Create character designs and implement them into usable silhouettes

Background Artist(s)
Responsibilities:    Create backgrounds, splash screens and title screens

Writer(s)
Responsibilities:    Compile a compelling story set around the OS-TAN universe

Junior Programmer
Responsibilities:    Well, I can't be around all the time to programme so I need someone who is willing to implement things and compile them while I am unable to do so, also to lessen the burden on me somewhat! You won't be doing most of the work but you will be around to help me when I am in need of it when this shifts into high gear.

This is all I can think of at the current moment so feel free to put your name out there to help out the project!

Update 4/19/2014:
Story outline EDIT (changed starting year because it made no sense with the characters):
You play as a young unnamed computer programme who just graduated from a top class developer in the year 2000.
As you are leaving your apartment on a sunny early morning, a mysterious woman in a suit approaches you and hands you a business card.
Shortly after she leaves another mysterious woman in a white dress approaches you and hands you an invitation card.
The business card is from the country's leading OS company, The Legion of MS.
The starch white invitation card is from Apples, one of the most esteemed OS companies in the country.
Now with the first OS War looming over the horizon, which faction will you choose?

Characters:
Unnamed MC

LMS
3.1-tan
95-tan
98-tan
2k-tan

Apples
MacOS
System 7
System 7.5
OS9
OSX Cheetah

Also, I was planning on having some large battles and each side having a mecha

[Bella]

I'll think about helping once the semester is over, right now I'm too busy with IRL stuff to even think about taking on more responsibilities. x.x

[Dr. Kraus]

Revised game story info/summary:

In the year 2000 a war is being fought between two different factions in the vast land of The United States. The first faction being Apple, a somewhat older computer company that revolutionized how the industry worked in more ways than one and The Legion of MS, a twelve year-old company that had swept up virtually all of the home and business market in just a handful of years. These two have been locked in a viscous war since 1995 when The Legion took on a new heir to the family and ignited the massive military coup which overthrew Apple's reign within the US market. This war will be entering the most trying time for both factions, Apple has been pushed to its final stronghold Cupertino as The Legion amasses its formidable force along the contested border. As a newly published program you are being scouted to become a commander on the battlefield where the final showdown is looking to take place. Will you take a stand against the formidable Legion alongside Apple or look to penetrate the defences of Cupertino and reap glory for The Legion as it shows its dominance? The choice is yours, commander.

[Dr. Kraus]

Current progress: ~10%

Current focus: Apple story(25%), character rendering(5%), first route playable(30%)

Apple Story:

Separated into three separate ACTs, the Apple story is obviously all about their side of the war and how you are to push back the M$ Legion.

ACT 1 -- Introduction to Apple side, Introduction to Apple characters (Madame Mac, Sonata, 7, 7.5, Cheetah), Introduction to 7th JAU (Joint Accelerated Unit), First Battle with MAJOR choice, first debrief with MAJOR choice, ACT 1 "love/lust" counter.

ACT 2 -- Coming Soon.

ACT 3 -- Coming Soon.

If anyone is interested in the current script and would like to read it, you can find it here:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/4d8wizl40frs1qm/storydraft_June27.docx

WARNING!! -- CONTAINS SPOILERS!! -- READ AT OWN RISK --

I'll let you guys in on the "love/lust" counter mechanic when I have it roughed out in a presentable form!

[Krizonar]

Yay for Cheetah acknowledgement!

[Bella]

I'd read it but i don't wanna get spoiler'd. u.u

[Dr. Kraus]

Prologue demo should be put up by END OF NOVEMBER.

Still working on the art and the prologue has been finished for the most part.

Music is 80% done for the prologue.

Confirmed Characters:
MC:
Erwin Michaels, The Commander

Union of Apple:
Madame Mac, The Sadistic Queen of The Battlefield
Sonata, The Motherly Sister
NEEXT, The NEET Scientist
Chee, Garmr The Armored
Sevfi (7.5), The Wolf Empress

Legion of M$:
Dossa (3.1), The Revered
Dei (95), The Feared
Mephi (98), The Intellect
Janus (2k), The Moon
Saseko (XP), Tyr The Armored

[Dr. Kraus]

Really rough version of the prologue demo has been completed and released!

All images and music are currently placeholders for the time being, hopefully the actual character sprites will be finished by the "full" demo release

Story has been changed around from what I used to be, hope you guys like the un-edited writing!

Demo Version: Alpha

[Dr. Kraus]

So was looking over the game and its going alright at the current moment, that ALPHA package if anyone has touched it yet really is a ROUGH ALPHA of what should be a somewhat completed demo by the new year...hopefully.

Though I would like everyone's opinion on if I should scrap this project and re-create it in some other genre format such as RPG, FPS, RTS, or etc.

With the current limitations of Ren'Py I'm strapped for movement of where I can take this game and I feel like the story can be told through another genre with much better presentation than a Visual Novel.

My possible direction would to take it into the simple RTS genre using a more advanced engine such as Unity3, UnRealEngine, or a custom python/C# engine that I would have to build myself.

I'll complete a visual novel version because I've put so much time into developing this with little to no help what so ever at this point, though it will be a linear faction story mostly focused on the Apple faction. Sorry to anyone looking forward to the Microsoft faction but I'm going to have to scrap it for the better story telling of the Apple faction.

I have a possible character designer coming on board with the current team (myself) and he will be a great help for the larger scope of the project.

If anyone wants to step forward and help complete the visual novel project or help with the new project that I'll be starting up (probably RTS) then just leave a response here as to what you could possibly help me with. At this point I'll take whatever help I can get but would defiantly like more help in the art department.

The current website for the project is over at dev7.moe where I've been posting info on the game though most of it, if not all of it, is whatever I've also posted here.

Thanks,
Kraus
Dev7.moe