The Key of Oberkion is my EGM “dream project,” based on a novel I previously wrote, which was published by a small publisher. I always thought the story deserved a larger audience and a more visual presentation, and I would love to do that through a game. EGM seems like just the tool to do that and make it exciting (I’ve been trying on and off for years to do something with this in the RPG Maker programs, but they just didn’t seem right for the project).
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The concept:
Can three unlikely heroes save human civilization from a threat that spans two worlds?
Young eccentric Ralley Quenn and his fatalistic soldier friend Jack Chestire leave Garatayne, a land like Britain of the 1700's, in search of a princess in jeopardy--a figure they know only through Ralley's dreams.
To rescue the princess, Ralley and Jack must find the portal leading to her desert world, where they will battle a bloodthirsty rebel general and her massive flying squadron. On this world, a mysterious energy called "aon" powers flyers and other devices with incredible power, and our heroes must ally with the royal guards to unlock the secrets of this new science in order to stand a chance of opposing the rebels.
Meanwhile, back in Garatayne, the cynical Constable Bocke must stop a demon-worshipping governor and his army of zombies from taking over the nation ...
When the plans of their enemies converge, only a series of deadly dog-fights and sword-crosses will reveal if these courageous hearts can triumph over evil. Whatever happens, neither world will ever be the same ...
Three Main Characters--players will alternate between them (a linear storyline, but fast-paced):
--RALLEY QUENN: An eccentric swordsman who is passionately in love with a woman he has seen only in dreams. Their unearthly bond will enable him to cross to her desert world, where her red-eyed sister, the leader of a bloody cult, threatens to destroy all.
--JACK CHESTIRE: a gentleman soldier who lives by a chivalrous code in an age when such things are rapidly being forgotten. When he follows Ralley to the new world, he joins a squadron of aon-powered fighter planes to become a knight of the air. But a deadly enemy ace has Jack in his sights ...
--ED BOCKE: a club-footed teen who skulks through life in the shadows. Bolstered by the love of a young girl who believes him to be a hero out of a romantic novel, and armed only with his wits, he must destroy the demon-thing which threatens to turn all of humanity into rotting zombie slaves.
(There’s also another “guest character” players will play for one chapter, Jarlus Sanreeven, royal guard captain and assassin … I might possibly try and intregrate some stealth gameplay for him).
--Action Combat: I am hoping that EGM will support parties of at least 2 characters, I would like to have a main character in each “chapter” of the story and at least 1 NPC “helper.” The main character will switch depending on the chapter/storyline but I am thinking experience points might carry over so that the player never feels like progress is “lost” when characters switch.
--Arcade style air combat: One of the main characters, Jack Chestire, is a pilot of aon-powered flyers. Using the built-in physics capabilities of EGM, I would like to implement “shmup” style flying sequences taking into account momentum and thrust of the player craft. These stages would probably not be terribly difficult, but might contain “bonus” objectives for more skilled players.