Xeno-biology (part 5)

My point is that our expectations for life may easily be shattered if we are ever able to venture out of our own solar system. Though life in the Solar Echoes universe is based on our current understanding, there are a few lifeforms in the game that fall outside our normal understanding. Living, crystalline aliens or extra-dimensional, phantom-like beings of energy are two examples of life in Solar Echoes that is not carbon-based. The xeno-biologist in the Solar Echoes visual novel game has an important role for the humans in better understanding the alien life that the protagonist is encountering. While xeno-biology is not exactly a great career option today, if we manage to travel to the stars in the future, it may become a very sought-after specialty; especially if we do find alien ecosystems on distant planets, or even sentient alien beings!

Xeno-biology (part 4)

We are still making new scientific discoveries all the time, and sometimes find that our conclusions about something are wrong. New studies into the brain of the octopus, for instance, have shown unusual biological mechanisms at work that are unexpected, such as an ability to edit proteins at the synapse and spontaneously generate more complexity. Why then, if we do not fully understand all the biological mechanisms at work on our own planet, do we assume that we can understand what works on an entirely different planet? Should we assume that all life is carbon-based? Silicon-based life might also be possible, considering the similarities to carbon at the atomic level. There might even be other atomic structures out in space that we are entirely unfamiliar with, with elements entirely different from those that we have on earth. Although we certainly are able to recognize the components we are familiar with here on earth when observing the universe while using telescopes and other equipment, would we really be able to recognize and properly analyze something different if we came across it?

Xeno-biology (part 3)

There is one theory that explains the apparent absence of alien life out there in the universe, but this theory is based on our assumptions about what is necessary for life to exist. The theory states that, considering the volatile process a planet must undergo in order for it to become habitable, it is unlikely that microbes and other lifeforms could have existed long enough—or be plentiful enough—that they could help balance the process. Life on a planet actually regulates greenhouse gases such as water and carbon dioxide, but without it, surface temperatures would be too volatile to support life for very long because most early planetary environments are unstable. Sudden and erratic heating and cooling on young planets would make it difficult for early life to survive and flourish. This delicate window of time is just one of the many factors that makes life on another planet very, very unlikely, even if they have habitable environments. If we operate with this understanding, then we narrow our search options by our assumptions. A xeno-biologist, however, may shatter that paradigm...

Xeno-biology (part 2)

One assumption that we humans have about life is that it must exist where water is available. We even have classified a range of space in a solar system that we consider a “habitable zone,” which is an area around a star where a planetary surface can support liquid water under certain atmospheric pressure. When we scan the cosmos for potential life, we bring our bias with us and only consider planets that fall inside this zone as capable of supporting life. Yet the very premise of xeno-biology is the consideration of life beyond the parameters we know, so why are we limiting ourselves to this perspective? The answer is that it is the most likely place to start—we must start with what is most familiar and, from our experience, the most plausible. If a planet does not have water, then we move on to consider other, more likely candidates for life. Considering the enormous number of planets out there in the cosmos, it makes perfect sense to do this. But...what if we are missing something?

Xeno-biology (part 1)

In the visual novel game that I'm writing, based on the Solar Echoes universe, one of the characters is a xeno-biologist. What is xeno-biology? It is the study of organisms that don't involve our standard DNA, RNA, 20-amino acid system. This involves any life with a genetic code and biochemistry different from what we are accustomed to on Earth. I've written this character into the game because visual novels involve information delivered primarily through character conversations, not through narrative exposition. The xeno-biologist gives me the opportunity to articulate to the player information that would otherwise be missed. We assume in a visual novel that, because it's visual, descriptive text is less necessary, and while that is somewhat true, visual novels typically involve static graphical images with a minimal amount of animation. Having a xeno-biologist in the game opens up natural conversations with descriptive text about each of the aliens. However, it also challenges me to try to look at things from the perspective of a xeno-biologist, and as I've been writing, I've had some interesting thoughts regarding our assumptions about life...

Is a Technocracy in our Future? (part 5)

There are only a few small things the citizens under a growing technocracy can do, if they are concerned and want to resist the technocrats. They can call their elected representatives in government and ask them to support government intervention--there are several instances in American history where monopolies have been broken up by the government to allow fair competition and consumer choice. As long as a representative government still exists, the technocrats can be resisted. On an individual level, a citizen can choose to stop using the programs and platforms forced on them by the tech giants. Although the alternatives might not be as robust, they are still sufficient. Protective software can be enabled on computers that prevents the programs of the tech giants from running (many of them operating without your knowledge or approval), preventing their access to your data and internet activity. Supporting other companies instead of the technocratic tech giants may be a small act, but it's a start. If you want to begin your own resistance, search engines like DuckDuckGo and script blockers like NoScript are a good start.

Is a Technocracy in our Future? (part 4)

The big problem with a technocracy is that the citizens did not elect the technocrats as their rulers--the technocrats appointed themselves for that position. Because they are not elected, they do not answer to their "constituents" and they don't care what they think. The tech giants in a technocracy answer to their investors, which could be foreign countries that don't have the people's rights and freedoms in mind at all, and who might even be pushing their own agenda through the technocrats. Citizens cannot vote for or against a technocracy every four years, because the technocrats have no "term limit." When they monopolize through mandating their presence on phones and computers, even forcing updates with unwanted additions to their software or changing their policies, the citizens can't escape, unless they decide against using technology entirely. In a modern society, such a move is incredibly impractical and difficult to sustain. Are the people powerless, then?

Is a Technocracy in our Future? (part 3)

If you're still able to read this, then it isn't too late—robots, Artificial Intelligence, and the technocrats haven't yet taken complete hold! But in all seriousness, many of the characteristics of a technocracy have become evident in present-day society. Our culture has been developing towards a technocracy for years already, and some could argue it even began with the advent of the internet itself. We keep our smartphones with us everywhere we go, including our bedside tables, so we are constantly plugged in to the internet, subject to those who mold and shape the internet for us. The tech giants influence our search results, display what they think we want to read (and what they want us to read), and they monitor our social media posts. Some have questioned the ever-increasing amount of influence and power of certain big-tech companies in this country, and across the world. Considering that the most popular landscape humanity enjoys occupying is the internet, it makes sense that corporations would aggressively invest in something so profitable. But the massive success of some companies has given rise to the technocrat. While they police and monitor us, though, who polices and monitors them?

Is a Technocracy in our Future? (part 2)

Whether we like or dislike our elected leaders and representatives, they are the result of our democratic system. The protected rights we have that are set forth by the constitution and other founding documents are the gifts of our republic. But in a technocracy, the technical elite would make the decisions—not us. In a technocracy, people heading gigantic tech corporations would be deciding what we are allowed to know, and what we should never know. They would be deciding who should be punished and who should be allowed to act freely. They would be monitoring us and policing us, sometimes overtly, and sometimes from the shadows. In a technocracy, information would be controlled by the technical elite, and we would be fed only what they wanted us to think. In a technocratic future, maybe even the cars we drive would be monitored and controlled ostensibly through AI programs--programs designed by the technical elite. The technocrats might listen in on our conversations through various technological means, track our movements and purchases, and archive everything we do online. If any of this sounds familiar, then it's possible a technocracy is already rising...

Is a Technocracy in our Future? (part 1)

My posts this week are not politically motivated: today, a technocracy is still considered a science fiction term for a type of government based on technology. I am discussing technocracy because it is the fictional form of government that the Solar Echoes aliens, the Erwani, are using, and as I have read more about this fictional form of government, I began to wonder if we may already have a technocracy forming here in America. A technocracy is a government where the decision-making officials are those that are members of a powerful technical elite. Technical experts would make decisions instead of elected representatives, and these experts or professionals would perform individual government functions and design the laws. A technocracy shares similarities with a meritocracy, which is a form of government where the most capable and skilled people are in charge. Is it possible, then, that with the technological developments we see happening today, we may someday become a technocracy? Why would we ever allow ourselves to be governed by technical experts instead of by elected officials? The answer might not be science fiction...

Dragon Quest XI Review (part 6)

In RPG's, one of the big problems for me is that I can't get to them every single day. Depending on my work schedule and family, I might go for days before I can sit down and play again. Because of this, it is very important to me that an RPG have a quest system that lets me know what's next and what my goals are. DQXI does a great job at this! Every time I load up my game, there is a little summary I can read about recent events, keeping me up to date and immersing me in the story immediately before the game even starts! I can also select a party member to talk with individually, and that party member will mention our goals. Plus, when I pull up the map, there is a little text window where it gives me a short explanation about where I need to head to next. Other elements if DQXI I enjoy include amazing character and monster animation (the monsters are quite hilarious!), the ability to run, and the option to call my horse on most overland maps and ride quickly to my next destination. I only have a few minor complaints about the game—one is that each character has limited inventory space and I need to spend time sorting things once in a while, but so far, it seems my item bag and equipment bag might have unlimited space? It also would have been nice to have the option to group select items, rather than having to do one at a time, going through a couple different menu confirmations to get things where I want them. One last, minor complaint is save points—I've never liked this system and prefer a “save anywhere” feature because of the randomness of my personal lifestyle. Save points are fairly frequent and well-placed throughout DQXI, though, so I can't complain too much. Those are my only complaints, though! I haven't mentioned other aspects of the game like the fun skill system, the crafting system, Pep Powers, and much more, but suffice it to say that I felt like almost every aspect of this game far exceeded my expectations and really put DQXI among the best RPG's I've ever played!

Dragon Quest XI Review (part 5)

The gameplay of an RPG can really kill a great game for me. I have a number of games in my library that make me cringe with guilt and frustration because, though I really like the games, there is some element in the gameplay that ruins it enough for me to put the game down. For example, when it first released, Bethesda's Skyrim was amazing, but after putting many long hours into the game, I just couldn't tolerate the long load times anymore, moving between indoor and outdoor environments. Thankfully, Skyrim VR on the PS4 is much better and load times are fast, but the point is, things like that can ruin a game for me. I remember Dragon Quest VIII, and it had an element of gameplay that nearly killed the game for me, and that was the frequent, invisible, unavoidable random encounters. This is a staple of older RPG's, but I've always hated it, because I don't want to be in battle every 10 seconds of movement—I want to advance the story and not feel punished for exploring! Thankfully, Dragon Quest XI has done away with the random, unavoidable encounters, and instead there are little animated monsters that move around the landscape. You can run past them if you choose, and though you may occasionally get “caught” by a monster, most encounters are totally by choice. Like DQVIII, DQXI encounters are amazingly fun and bursting with character. The battle system has an added option to allow you to move your character around, and even though it is only aesthetic and has no bearing on the fight, it's a nice touch. I would have liked to see a monster/character order indicated so I can better strategize during battle, but in a way, the lack of it creates more tension: will I have time to heal my character before he/she is attacked again?! There are a few more nice elements of gameplay I'd like to mention...

 

 

Dragon Quest XI Review (part 4)

The story, characters, and gameplay of an RPG are really the factors that make or break a game for me. If the story is predictable or the characters are all stereotypical cliches, I end up focusing on other aspects of the game to find redeeming value. But DQXI delivers on every level, and the story and characters exceed expectations just like every other aspect of the game. I've played a LOT of RPG's, trust me, but even when I was only 10 hours into the game I was already surprised by some unusual twists and turns in the plot and character behavior. The story is engaging in an unpretentious way—it has a quality to it that feels like it was taken straight out of a classic, time-tested fairy tale. Although there are certainly a few elements that you'll be familiar with, it feels like a new story is being told and this is one of the reasons the game keeps me going: I can't wait to find out what happens next! The characters in DQXI are likeable and fun. For example, I found myself wishing I had an adventurous friend like Erik to hang out with in real life—someone curious to see what might be up on that roof or behind that locked door, and daring enough to figure out a way to discover the truth. Each character has his or her own, distinct personality, and the dynamic of the party changes with each new addition to the group. I almost feel like I have a group of online friends waiting on standby to continue adventuring with me! But how is the gameplay in DQXI...?

Dragon Quest XI Review (part 3)

The sound effects in DQ were fantastic. I don't normally take much note of sound effects, because they are usually the type of standard effects you would expect in any game. However, the sound effects in DQ further enhance the cartoon-like fantasy nature of the game, appropriately exaggerated just the right amount. The swipe of a sword felt a little bigger than you'd expect, and the swoosh of a boomerang gave it a bold presence. The sound effects even drew my eyes more quickly to the action, such as a moment when my character blocked an incoming attack with his shield—the “Konk!” sound caused me to notice his successful deflection and made me want to see it again just because it all felt so cool. The sounds of the monsters were equally exaggerated and very distinct. Whether it was the sound of electronics and grinding gears in a robotic chicken, the hollow, echoing laughter of evil clouds, or the deep, bellowing thumps of enemy taiko-like drummers, everything felt fun with distinct presence and personality. The background music also has lots of character, and familiar DQ orchestral themes returned along with some themes that were very effective for establishing and enhancing the mood for a scene. The voice-acting was excellent and embellished the text with character and nuance far beyond the written word. People from different towns and status levels in society even had different accents and expressions, which further enhanced their fun caricatures. The sound design of DQXI made the game even more enjoyable!

Dragon Quest XI Review (part 2)

Dragon Quest XI: Echoes of an Elusive Age is a beautiful game, and when I say that, I mean it is gorgeous to look at. The cel-shaded art style immediately places everything in an almost fairy-tale, fantasy setting. The colors are bright and bold, but the textures and lighting feel oddly realistic. Although the characters and monsters all have a cartoonish, anime-inspired feel to them, this approach only served to enhance the immersive quality of the fantasy game even further. I'll be honest, I spent a lot of time just exploring, walking inside each house, looking behind bushes and trees, and even climbing onto roofs for a better view of the village. The game rewards exploration, too—I found little items scattered about that would later help me on my journey. But visually, this game enthralled and immersed me. There was so much attention to detail, and even though some areas had no purpose at all, every last corner was rendered with care as if the artists felt their portfolios depended on it. Everything was so artistically consistent, too, that I really felt transported into another world and I readily handed over my suspension of disbelief, ready to buy myself a plot of land in this world where I could someday retire. The User Interface had a familiar style from previous games, and the items and equipment all felt like they fit nicely in the game, with fun names such as Buzzberries, Antidotal Herb, or Wakerobin. The ambiance was further defined by the sound and voice acting...

Dragon Quest XI Review (part 1)

There are NO SPOILERS in this review.

It's been a while since I've written a video game review because of two reasons: 1, I don't have that much time to play video games these days and 2, there haven't been many games that have impressed me enough to write a review, though a recent exception is Ana Ribeiro's VR game, Pixel Ripped 1989. I love Pixel Ripped, and if you missed my review, you can find out why I liked it so much, here: http://solarechoesrpg.blogspot.com/2018/08/game-review-pixel-ripped-1989-vr.html

If you've been following my posts over the years, though, you'll know that I've always been on a personal quest to find an RPG that captures me like they used to, decades ago. I'm talking about the kind of RPG that I totally lose myself in, where I fall in love with the characters, play longer than I should because I'm so engaged with the story, and enjoy it all the way to very end. The truth is, I rarely encounter RPG video games like that anymore, and it's been a while since I liked something enough to solve it. I often lose interest along the way for various reasons, such as annoying load times, lack of a clear quest system so I forget where I left off, arrival at an impasse because I either didn't level up enough or just plain couldn't figure out what to do next, etc. Over a decade ago on the PS2 I played and solved Dragon Quest VIII; I loved the game, despite the FREQUENT random encounters that constantly interrupted my travels. With the recent release of Dragon Quest XI, I decided to try the series again, and wow, I think I've found another gem!

Combat in a Visual Novel (part 5)

A non-choice in a VN is where it doesn’t matter if you pick A or B; you still end up at point C. There might have been some interesting flavor inserted along the way before point C, depending on whether you picked A or B, but if there are too many of these types of fake “choices” in the game, the player will just feel like they are reading a kinetic novel. Kinetic novels are different from visual novels in that they are entirely linear, with no branching paths available. If a VN is advertised as having choices, but is really a Kinetic novel in disguise, players are going to feel cheated and the game will certainly get poor reviews. So, how can I make the choices in the combat system still feel like they matter, even if my intent is for the story to continue? The answer I’ve decided on is lasting consequences. For instance, if you make certain choices during combat, you may get injured. Those injuries will affect the outcome of the story later on, and your ability to perform certain tasks could be compromised. You may even need to deviate from your course in order to get the medical attention you need, which could jeopardize other goals. And yes, I am planning to have a few combat decisions result in death—the end of the game. However, game-ending choices will never be the result of random chance—they’ll be the result of the player failing to note circumstances or have common sense. I’m excited to see all this come together!

Combat in a Visual Novel (part 4)

During an actual fight, we make all kinds of decisions. For instance, in a martial arts fight, let’s say your opponent is throwing a right thrust punch at your face. Do you move to the left or to the right to dodge the punch? Do you block with your left or your right arm? Often, these decisions are made based on experience, positioning, and personal preference, because there isn’t really a right answer if you’re skilled enough to have options. Often, it depends on which technique you’d like to follow up with after the block. So, in a VN combat system, I think some choices will just open up other options, rather than there be an actual right or wrong choice. Of course, I do plan on mixing in some bad choices that could make you worry you might lose, but VN players don’t want to lose because of combat choices they might not understand. If a VN player has never been in a real fight before, then they will quickly cry foul when the choices they are presented with require specific, outside knowledge. I’ll have to be careful when programming combat so that I don’t alienate players who have never studied martial arts or trained with firearms. To put it succinctly, the choices in combat might end up being more for flavor than for success or failure. Yet, how do VN players feel about non-choices?…

(P.S. the pic is just a mock-up I did from spare graphics. It's not in the actual game)

 

 

Combat in a Visual Novel (part 3)

Combat in some of the VN’s I’ve played has simply been choice A or choice B, and then later, another choice A or B. If you made choice B then A, for example, you’d be successful and win the combat encounter, but any other combination of choices would doom you to failure and end the game. As I’m designing the combat system for this VN, I’m trying to focus on the same kind of success-through-choice, but as my background artist is finishing the different scenes he’s working on, I need to make some concrete decisions, soon. Some of the backgrounds will be used for combat, and I have yet to completely decide how I’m going to run the combat system in this VN. At first I’d thought a rock-paper-scissors version would work, but it didn’t really fit the circumstances. I worry about putting a totally untested combat system into the game, too, because I remember how many beta tests Solar Echoes went through before the combat system was totally locked down. I’m leaning a lot towards combat decisions that are represented visually. For example, if you chose for your character to be specialized in firearms, then you’ll want to get to cover and start firing at your enemies. If, however, you chose to specialize in melee combat, you may want to run right up to your foes and start using your melee attacks against them. But where are the real choices in this situation?

Combat in a Visual Novel (part 2)

As I looked deeper into understanding the minds of VN gamers, it became clear that some elements that are common in RPG’s need to be shelved in a VN. One element that doesn’t seem to appeal to VN players is random chance. Luck is a portion of almost all RPG’s, and most RPG’s are about developing your character over time through experience and leveling so that you can begin to reduce the amount of luck needed to succeed and swing things in your favor more often. However, in a VN, players don’t want random number generation (RNG) to determine their fate—they want their choices to make the difference. While I could argue that choices in a strategy RPG like Solar Echoes are still determining the ultimate course and level of success, a video game environment is going to change that feeling somewhat. People won’t see the mechanics going on behind the scenes, and RNG could be upsetting to people who feel that they just want to get past the fight and get on with the story. I’ve already mentioned in the past that some tabletop RPG groups I’ve played with are totally uninterested in combat and completely focused on story, so it’s easy to understand this preference in VN gamers.

Combat in a Visual Novel (part 1)

One thing I’ve been struggling with in the development of the visual novel for Solar Echoes is combat. Although some VN’s have RPG combat systems in them, typically most combat is handled very simplistically in a narrative style through a few branching choices. When I was first dreaming up how I would design this game, I had the idea to implement some form of the Solar Echoes combat system, but as I learned more about what it would take on the programming side, I became a lot more skeptical. Then, as I played a few VN’s to familiarize myself with the genre, in addition to reading what people were saying in forums and reviews, I realized that the kind of people that play VN’s are in it for the story, not the combat. Most didn’t mind combat scenarios, as long as they didn’t disable story progression. Basically, VN gamers want their story choices to determine the outcome, not the combat gameplay.