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Author Topic: "Zybourne Clock Redux": A Time Modification Game  (Read 13824 times)

Servant Corps

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"Zybourne Clock Redux": A Time Modification Game
« on: June 11, 2012, 01:11:42 am »

On 8/03/2015, I have finished "Zybourne Clock Redux", the game that is meant to be the focus of this thread. You can play this game on your own web browser. It was hard and challenging, but I have done it.

This thread served as a game diary of sorts that I have written while making this game. It focused on the worldbuilding behind Zybourne Clock Redux, with an emphasis of interpreting the 'intentions' of the original Zybourne Clock, while still paying lip service to the parody material that popped up.
===
Original Game Title:
"Zybourne Clock Project" Worldbuilding (SAGameDev VII)
...Alright, so apologies if the following sections seems rather disorganized. Basically, I am going to be writing some 'concepts' for a game I plan to be creating for a contest. I need some critiques for these 'concepts' as well as advice for how best to improve onto these 'concepts'. It's, probably, for all intents and purposes a "worldbuilding" thread, though I will be starting off with a 'world' that is already created...it's just in serious need of being repaired.

I cannot start making the game for this contest until July, but I can start writing 'concepts' for the game, and I want to be well-prepared for when July hits and the coding begins. If you can please provide me with help, I appreciate it. Thank you.

Table of Contents
Chapter 0: Prelude (scroll down)
Chapter 1: Time works the same way (scroll down)
Chapter 2: A Toy for Adults, the Zybourne Clock
Chapter 3: Our story doesn't take place on earth
---
Chapter 0: Prelude
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
---
Chapter 1: Time works the same way
Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Next Time: What is the "Zybourne Clock"?
« Last Edit: August 03, 2015, 08:46:03 pm by Servant Corps »
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Servant Corps

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Re: "Zybourne Clock Project" Worldbuilding (SAGameDev VII)
« Reply #1 on: June 11, 2012, 11:56:20 pm »

I won't be able to write the next "chapter" detailing what the Zybourne Clock actually is until tomorrow, but I made a slight revision to the "time travel" mechanics, so I decided to make a post detailing that. I'll probably may have to post a link to this thread in the Writer's Apprenticeship topic once I am done with everything, so as to solicit more feedback.

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Solifuge

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Re: "Zybourne Clock Project" Worldbuilding (SAGameDev VII)
« Reply #2 on: June 12, 2012, 12:20:49 am »

Oh dear god the Zybourne Clock. Haven't seen this since my days at GamingW.net.

Please tell me you're going to give Johnny 5 Aces a derpily disproportionate face.
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Servant Corps

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Re: "Zybourne Clock Project" Worldbuilding (SAGameDev VII)
« Reply #3 on: June 13, 2012, 03:03:01 pm »

There's not going to be any pictures in that game, and honestly, I'm not sure how to add in Johnny "Five Ace"; he was meant to be a minor character at best. But considering how much revisions I have to do to the Zybourne Clock, who knows? I might make him more important.
---
Chapter 2: A Toy For Adults: The Zybourne Clock
Spoiler (click to show/hide)


Spoiler: The Failsafes (click to show/hide)
« Last Edit: June 13, 2012, 11:56:07 pm by Servant Corps »
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Servant Corps

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Re: "Zybourne Clock Project" Worldbuilding (SAGameDev VII)
« Reply #4 on: June 27, 2012, 02:01:17 am »

...and I got sidetracked from the entire purpose of updating this thread. I apologize in advance. I did work on the game by producing an "engine" by which the game can run, but haven't really wrote down my ideas yet for the game's plot. And I have to write them down before Saturday June 30th, because I want to spend what little time in July making the game, and not creating new content/salvaging old content.

Also, since I'm tired of typing "the game I'm planning to make" to differentiate my game for SAGameDev VII from the original conception of Zybourne Clock, I am going to start call my game "Zybourne Clock Redux" in these worldbuilding writeups (or sometimes, just Redux). The actual game will still be called Zybourne Clock, without the 'redux' label.
---
Chapter 3: Our story doesn't take place on earth

Spoiler: The Timelines (click to show/hide)


Next Time: The Characters of Zybourne Clock, modified to fit Redux
« Last Edit: March 11, 2013, 09:27:14 pm by Servant Corps »
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Servant Corps

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Re: "Zybourne Clock Project" Worldbuilding (SAGameDev VII)
« Reply #5 on: June 30, 2012, 11:54:08 pm »

In just one hour, it will be July where I live, meaning that's the start of the 'coding' part of the SAGameDev.

I have not worked on the Zybourne Clock "redux" project as much as I wanted, but I will still try to produce a game in July. At the very least, I'd try to create some prototype that could later be refined into a more complete state, but I do want to produce something worthwhile, at least to prove to myself I can complete a project I set myself out to do.

Chapter 4: Dramatis Personae
Spoiler: Redux's Background (click to show/hide)

Spoiler: The Characters (click to show/hide)

Spoiler: Goal (click to show/hide)
« Last Edit: June 30, 2012, 11:58:00 pm by Servant Corps »
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Servant Corps

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Re: "Zybourne Clock Project" Worldbuilding (SAGameDev VII)
« Reply #6 on: January 09, 2013, 01:16:16 pm »

First, the bad news. The project has actually been abandoned during the SAGameDev, meaning I technically lost. The reason I abandoned the project was due to "word count", essentially I was writing way too much for the game, and I felt that the resulting 'walls of text' would be too boring to read.

However, now I'm returning back to this project, this time not caring that much about the "word count"; I have written much longer stuff before, and people can have a tolerance for large blocks of text, especially if it's entertaining to read.

As a sidenote, somebody actually did complete a sidescroller Zybourne Clock game for SAGameDev, so this means I'm up against some competition.
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Lectorog

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Re: "Zybourne Clock Project" Worldbuilding (SAGameDev VII)
« Reply #7 on: January 09, 2013, 04:46:59 pm »

As a sidenote, somebody actually did complete a sidescroller Zybourne Clock game for SAGameDev, so this means I'm up against some competition.
I hope you don't consider this to be significant competition. I was ready for something better coming from this project. Well, not a side-scroller at least.

Just so you know, there are actually people watching this topic (at least two, probably more). I was even wondering what happened to this a few weeks ago.
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Servant Corps

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Re: "Zybourne Clock Project" Worldbuilding (SAGameDev VII)
« Reply #8 on: January 29, 2013, 09:24:35 pm »

Chapter 5: Wonderful Battle System

I am only posting this chapter, in part, because I had an idea about a sequel to "Zybourne Clock Redux" that focuses on 'combat' instead of  'time modification'. I debated whether this should belong in this thread at all, but I decided that it does because it helps in world-building for the Zybourne Clock world.

So let me make this clear: there will not be a combat section in the Redux game. The Redux game will be focused entirely on modifying the timeline. This chapter only focuses on material that may be utilized in a future game.

Thank you.

Spoiler (click to show/hide)
---
I hope you don't consider this to be significant competition. I was ready for something better coming from this project. Well, not a side-scroller at least.
I think the game I'm making will be better than the sidescroller; however, when I said "competition" it wasn't over 'who made the better game'. It was over who gets to be seen as the legitimate "successor" to the Zybourne Clock mythos. Numerous people have tried to make Zybourne Clock and failed, so the few successes that does exist do deserve to be noted.

Also, I started some work in coding Redux, and it's not as horrible as I thought it would be. Once I felt free to write as long as I want, it became easy to just churn out the text. I'm even having fun.
« Last Edit: January 30, 2013, 03:21:42 pm by Servant Corps »
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Skyrunner

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Re: "Zybourne Clock Project" Worldbuilding (SAGameDev VII)
« Reply #9 on: January 30, 2013, 12:22:22 am »

Interesting. Very interesting :3
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Servant Corps

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Re: "Zybourne Clock Project" Worldbuilding (SAGameDev VII)
« Reply #10 on: March 11, 2013, 10:36:42 pm »

Chapter 6: A shameful path led me there
Spoiler: Here's that path. (click to show/hide)

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Lectorog

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Re: "Zybourne Clock Project" Worldbuilding (SAGameDev VII)
« Reply #11 on: March 12, 2013, 03:45:19 pm »

Canon is worthless if you have a better idea. I approve of this call.
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Servant Corps

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Re: "Zybourne Clock Project" Worldbuilding (SAGameDev VII)
« Reply #12 on: June 16, 2013, 08:29:43 am »

I am making this post to state that I am abandoning work on this project. I haven't been working on the project for quite some time, partly due to me having to fix a bug that has prevented the game from running, and partly because I have to, essentially, 'focus' on other stuff. I could say that I'd be "postponing" work until I have time, but that'd be the same as essentially abandoning it, and I don't like euphemisms. Honestly, I wouldn't even post this, if it wasn't for the fact that I know that some people do view this thread, and would like some update.

I do feel upset about abandoning yet another project (like Conservative Crime Squad, Diwayana, etc). The worst part is that I know that the idea behind this game premise is unique, and I don't think has ever been tried before (Chrononauts comes the closest). The idea of '4 balls on the cliff' is so bizarre that it could only fit in the Zybourne Clock universe, and I would have at least liked to see whether it could actually work. Maybe I might come back to this, but with much less complex design goals. Probably not however. I don't want to start another project only to then have to abandon it.

What I want to know is whether this thread is a failure as well. The thread was specifically about worldbuilding, and not about game development, per se, but worldbuilding without a point is worthless in my opinion. This thread was made to specifically help with the game, and now that there's no game, it does seem like wasted work. But I did learn more about how the developers originally designed the Zybourne Clock, providing a neat contrast to today's version of Zybourne Clock. I like to know your thoughts.

EDIT: I also have a rough draft of another "post", but I didn't feel that the research I did would have helped me out with game development, which is why I didn't post it in the thread. But with the game cancelled, I could probably post that up if you guys want it. It focused on summarizing the second half of the Zybourne Clock script (the first half was the prologue).
« Last Edit: June 16, 2013, 08:36:00 am by Servant Corps »
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Lectorog

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Re: "Zybourne Clock Project" Worldbuilding (SAGameDev VII)
« Reply #13 on: June 16, 2013, 11:45:52 am »

This thread was interesting, and it provided a lot of sound, interworking ideas. Definitely not a failure.
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Servant Corps

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Re: "Zybourne Clock Project" Worldbuilding (SAGameDev VII)
« Reply #14 on: December 22, 2013, 11:00:16 am »

I don't think I will go back to game design, but I am considering using this "world" for a writing project. I mean, it's already built...kinda. At least all the important stuff.

To help with the final process of worldbuilding, I might as well make another "post", this time focusing on the second part of the available game script. I'm unsure whether this post is worthwhile though, considering the proposed plot for "Redux" has already moved in a different direction. But:
1) It gives a good idea of what the game designers originally intended for this game to be about, even though the original intentions of the game designers are probably going to be ignored
2) It allows me to mine for any ideas.


Fun Bonus Update
« Last Edit: December 22, 2013, 11:12:34 am by Servant Corps »
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