Lukas' Route Progress + Have Your Say!

Hey everyone!

Just interested in the "Have Your Say!" bit? Scroll down and look for the bold text. Otherwise, read on.

As stated in previous posts, one of the tasks for this development cycle was to flesh out and lock in plans for both the Poly Route as well as the forthcoming route for Lukas. Speaking on the topic of Lukas' route specifically, I wanted to figure out the specific 'quirk' of his route, namely the flagship difference when compared to other routes. When comparing Tai's Route to Diego's, the flagship 'quirk' was massively more elaborate storytelling and lore. And when comparing the Poly Route to Tai's, the quirk is a branching narrative that responds to player input with multiple different endings and multiple concurrent scenes based on the decisions made along the way. 

It is especially important to me that I do something new and push some new boundaries with each new route. In many ways, my aspirations grew beyond the confines of Sileo a long, long time ago, and this left me in a middleground of wanting to do more but fearing the lack of consistency in the end product that would result from doing so. The branching approach to the Poly Route was already something of a stretch considering the linearity of what had come before, but for my own motivation and satisfaction, there is a need to break new ground and explore new territory in the content I create in order to gain experience and grow, not just as a writer, but as a creator in a more general sense.

Now, with the release of Persona 3 Reload, I've played that through then revisited other versions of games in the series to address some unfinished business. And spending an extended period of time engaging with such systems, I've found myself inspired to build Lukas' Route around similar mechanics. Obviously, things like Dungeons and JRPG combat fall outside our scope, though believe me, both CurryCatz and myself have wanted our next project to be such a game, so, uhh, stay tuned, I guess! Excluding those specific elements however, those familiar with those games will already have a simple understanding of what we intend.

So what we loosely have in mind at this point is that days in Lukas' Route will have 2 - 3 story sequences: one in the morning, one in the evening, and possibly one in the middle of the day should such a thing be necessary. In between those story sequences, there will be segments of free time featuring the map screen (remember that old thing?!) with a minimum of three and a target of five activities available at any one time. These story sequences will mirror the bulk of the poly route content in length and complexity. The side activities however will be split between two different types, social activities and more miscellaneous activities. Social activities will involve side characters in Lukas' route, and spending time with them may pay off in the long run in a variety of different ways. To speak plainly, it is my intention that these relationships will have a significance in the main story at some later point, and these relationships will each have their own unique impact on the main story at some later stage. As for the misc activities, I am hoping to implement some basic form of a social stats mechanic. While spending time with friends may in certain cases raise these stats, misc activities will generally be the primary means of doing so. Some relationships with friends may require certain stats at certain points, and the main story may also benefit in certain ways should these stats be developed.

Now if you've played the Persona games, you may have a loose idea of what it is we intend to do. If not, Persona 3 Reload is currently on game pass and you should definitely check it out! 

Naturally, those games take place over a period as long as a year, and the content of Sileo takes place over 15 days, excluding the introducing. Naturally, the mechanics we implement will be more compressed. Right now, the loose idea is to have two open sections in a single day, however it is entirely possible that we may double these up and allow for two activities in each open timeframe. This is one of those things where actually prototyping the systems will help to determine our answer. And so... how about that "Have Your Say!" bit in the post title? Let's get to it.

Have Your Say!

Right now, I intend to create a simple vertical slice prototype showcasing the kinds of gameplay situations Lukas' Route may contain. It is my expectation that this vertical slice will be a single day of gameplay with what is expected to be a fairly typical range of choices on the average day of the actual route. For this prototype, systems will be built in order to service this experience. This won't be smoke and mirrors mind you, as the term 'vertical slice' might often predict, but actual work in progress versions of the systems intended for use in the main route. Ultimately, this prototype will contain unique content and be released as a playable piece of content in the "Tales From Woodcrest" menu, offering a small slice of playable fun to those interested. In creating this vertical slice, many of the systems and mechanics needed for the main route will be developed and tested. In essence, this small piece of standalone content will act as a 'beta' for the main route gameplay loop as intended, just with its own unique content. What content, you might ask?

It's Valentine's Day, a short while before Adrian first arrives in Woodcrest. Eric, the protagonist for this short story, has come up with a foolproof master plan to woo Lukas once and for all!

The question is, of course, what is Eric's master plan? What gift does he buy for Lukas on that special day? Where does he invite him? And what other cunning tricks does he have up his sleeve to ensure his gambit is a success?

Now, with that said, suggestions that fall outside this scope will also be considered, so if the above ideas trigger a spark of imagination for you, by all means share! The prompt above loosely details the plot I intend to explore for the tale, and while I have my own ideas about how this situation might play out, I'd love to hear yours! If I like your suggestion enough, it might just come true in an upcoming content update! 

Honestly, Eric is one of my favorite characters to write. And I specifically chose him as the protagonist here for one key reason: I want there to be a 'gremlin' path. To elaborate, the dialogue choices will invariably offer an option that is the most 'Eric' choice possible, and I want to ensure such a path is possible. You should be able to wake up one day and choose chaos, and this prototype should humor that fantasy.

Now, this isn't limited to one suggestion per person. I'm eager to hear as many or as few ideas as you have. I can't promise ideas posted here will be used, but in the best case scenario, your idea might form the entire basis of the plot in this little prototype. And remember! Eric is the protagonist in this little side story! So be as horny as you wish, or even as you can be! Eric doesn't judge! And hell, he might just be on the same page!

Post your suggestions in the comments below!