Project Idea 1: Life within Limits
Once upon a time, there was a game called Princess Maker 2 that was translated into English, bringing many people their first real glimpse into the world of 'child-raising' simulation games, that has been most commonly seen only in the realm of Asian gaming. Of course, that's not to say that Western games have both preceded and followed it; one of my favourite things game-wise is Alter Ego, a text-based game which dates back to the 1980s. Another is the 'The Sims' series, which I was introduced to by a school friend back when it was first released. Both are proof of the potential for this kind of game, which continues to be under-explored and bereft of engaging titles that explore the opportunities it has for games that are both fun and fulfilling.
Anyway, enough of the Gaming History lesson.
'Life Within Limits' (working title) is an idea of mine. You are a child (or the guardian of a child) entering into a new stage of their life in an unknown, mysterious world. You are a gleaming white canvas, upon which your life will soon paint, creating a unique and brilliant artwork. However; you are not perfect. Like all human beings, you have been born into circumstances that are unavoidable. You no longer have parents you can rely upon, nor a home of your own, but there are some that care for you and protect you in their stead. But, this is not unique; there are others that have been raised as orphans, like yourself. Your canvas was torn before the artist of Life even brought their brushes to its surface.
While you may suffer a disability, this is not something you will allow to rule your life, even though it has dictated to you what life means. You must persevere amongst a world that is as cruel and harsh as it is warm and sympathetic. While your life may be limited, your life still has the potential to tell a tale just as colourful and bright as anyone else. Perhaps, even brighter...
This is 'Princess Maker' meets 'Katawa Shoujo'. You control the life of a protagonist who must pass through everyday life as they grow into adulthood, in the face of internal and external challenges. If realised, it will be an Adventure game/Social Simulation game that may or may not exist. It all depends on who shares an interest in this concept, and is willing to help me make it a reality.
While there is no set platform, I hope to create it using the Ren'Py engine - assuming a team is established that can make this idea work. As a non-programmer, Python is one of the few languages I have a hope of understanding on my own, though there is no way I could possibly complete this solo. If we succeed, it may be crowd-funded and it may be open-source. At this stage, everything is hypothetical (dev-wise).
If you read this, please comment/reblog if you like it; of course, if you want to help out in any way, send me a message here, or email me at [email protected]