PROGRESS: PART 1 DONE... But I'm reviewing it because it was created in version 5 or earlier.
Part 2 script more than 1/2 working.
Trial is already about a 2-4 hour playthrough.
Title: Suicide Turnabout
Playtest Link: HERE
Timeframe: Plausibly cannon, Takes place right before AA3.
Plot: Larry is depressed and through an interactive crime scene the player chooses which item Larry will use to end his life.
Phoenix wakes up in his temporary home and finds out Larry has been admitted to the hospital. As the investigation progresses you will meet some new characters (using old sprites, to be changed if I can get some more sprite help) and some familiar ones as well. The police are convinced Larry's suicide is an attempted murder and arrest
That's the short of it. I will always have the current status (which will mark how far you can go) in my signature.
3 Unique Features!!:
- Choose the murder weapon!
Since this is a turnabout about suicide, I put the method of the crime in the player's hands. Either a Knife or a Gun game play will vary slightly in terms of evidence, difficulty and way you have to use the clues to find the culprit. ALSO, the choice you make will carry on to part 2! So when you finish it, SAVE on the "The End" screen. You'll use that to carry your stuff over to part 2!
- Save it!
A kind of save feature that will use checkpoints or a more dynamic system if I can manage it so that it won't have to be broken in to parts, no frustration from game over screens!
[Save featured added to AAO so this was removed! "Save it!" will now mark check points as reminders to save the game!]
- Consultation!
A new feature I decided to put into it. Aside from testimony and presenting evidence you will have more manual control over your council when in court. This means I will be able to challenge the player in a few new ways during court. It may not be standard of AA style, but if you wanted to play the same game you could dust off the DS. While keeping with tradition I want to introduce new elements like this.
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Some notes:
Suicide:
I don't see this done in most AA games and I'm trying to take known things about Ace Attorney and change them a little bit while keeping with the traditional form. Example, 1st scene is the crime as usual, but you PLAY OUT the crime. Since the 1st scene is a suicide, I thought the player should be the one in the control of that before going to phoenix. I hope to get an effect that gets you feeling like larry does.
I think I can get some of your early actions to effect certain things for later on in the game. For example if you choose the knife or gun, then either one of those things will be evidence, whereas the one you didn't choose will not (but maybe still present). Right now the bear is also another option, since I'm not ready to implement the bear its not set up, but I am thinking that choosing the bear will make things HARDER for you in the end. (He removes most evidence since there's no body or less body and the fact that its a living murder weapon.<undecided>) (LOL, yes there WAS a bear)
I have 2 other new ideas for gamplay mechanics for the game, I'm not ready for them yet so I won't announce them at this time. :p Maybe coming in part 2!
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Custom Work Done:
I'm doing a lot of custom spiriting, animation and icons and Bgs etc. for this. I thought I was gonna get some help but it looks like I'm doing a lot of the work by myself lol. I've already had to customize some of the sounds and some ambient stuff (birds etc). And gone through 400+ sound effects up until this point to get the right sounds I want for certain parts. If I have the time I'll probably remix some of the songs myself too, :p Here are a few things I've done for it so far.
I'll appreciate any Input. I'm building this in my spare time. The fact I can edit this from any computer is very helpful!
I'll take any critique, I want it to be a little funny, a lil goofy, maybe 75% based on the real chars 25% original spin (example: Maya's char is exaggerated from her real personality.) Same goes for the story its 75% cannon 25% borderline unbelievable, lol.
Please let me know if I cross the line and its too goofy (I saw one trial that had rick roll in it so I think anything goes actually). Let me know what breaks the illusion of this being a real Ace Attorney game (like a internet references would) whats forgivable, whats pushing the limits, what keeps the suspension of disbelief. What you think is good writing, what dialogue sounds awkward. Unintentional Spelling errors, inconsistency in relationships, oversights, plot holes and glitches.
Going over scenes over and over again seem to really help me make things more fluid.
For part 2 and its eventual playtest release keep in mind I'm going to be working on this so I may be working on it while you're viewing and something might just plain not function until the real release. Usually stuff near the end. I'll try to keep a "To be continued" message at the end to mark the end of my current progress. I'll take down this link when I'm done.
Other than all that, just post any questions, notes, bugs etc you find and I'll be keeping an eye out for this thread to help you guys out. I can't wait to hear your input!
Thanks guys,