Space RPG Story
From WorkCDN
Contents |
Plot Overview
This is the story of Roger, a mining robot. He's lived on the same planet doing the same minig job as long as he can remember. Every day he gets up goes out to the asteroid field and mines for minerals. That's what he does, that's what robots are supposed to do.
But one night, Roger has a dream that changes all that. Something inside him wakes up and he begins to question things that robots aren't supposed to question.
"Where did we come from?" "Why do we keep spreading out, even after we find nice planets to stay on?" "Why are teraforming planets to climates we don't even like?"
Naturally, the other robots are a little unsure about Rodger's new purpose in life, but he won't take "No" for an answer. He's going to get to the bottom of this, and figure out what his dream, and all of this stuff the robots are doing really means.
The story will trace Roger as he travels throughout his local system, adjacent systems, and finally to another far galaxy where the truth about the fate of his creator waits.
What if robot dreams in general were a part of the C17's "guiding". Since the humans did not know the exacts of the plan (i.e. which planet to terraform and what would be needed to do it.), the program was not written to instruct, but to guide. I see C17 less as a hard coded DNA-like routine and more of an AI-like agent hypervisor overlooking the robot system as a whole and subtly counseling - much like the Holy Spirit. Though I do see it as a system that was built into the robots from the beginning and not transmitted to them. But I am open to it being a radio message of sorts.
This is a bit of a stretch, but you could incorporate faith into this in that if you followed your purpose you would be more likely to get more dreams, more direction, perhaps more information about the past would resurface as the guide gently lead you to the realization. -SamW
Plot Devices
Can't progess until you:
- Bring resources to a planet
- Bring an item to a planet
- Get another/more cordinates
- Get the hyperdrive
- Get a bigger hull / hold to take more fuel
- Get enough fuel to use the hyper drive.
- Get the space fold drive
- Get enough fuel to use the space-fold drive.
Possible Progress Flow
- Start with Roger at the shrink
- Roger is having dreams, and they involve being buried underground
- Roger gets switched from his old job of on-planet mining to space mining
- Dropped at star chart with just home planet an asteroid field
- Dialog explaining the basics of mining (activate Roger's home world's cutscene)
- Mine at the field (Minerals)
- Return to the planet with a full ship
- Another asteroid field opens up (Ore)
- Return with a full ship of the new resource
- Another cutscene plays - Roger is still having dreams, this time about being hit by a comet / asteroid.
- Psychiatrist recommends Roger get some travel
- Two other planets open up to Roger
- Roger travels to the planets delivering and picking up resources (Water and fuel, so he has to trade for it - he can't mine it)
- Roger has the opportunity to acquire a variety of the upgrades (all level 2?)
- Roger has more dreams, now about planets being destroyed. Is he seeing the future?
- Roger decides he needs to get out of this system
- A sympathetic co-worker gives him the coordinates of a research planet that might have a hyper drive
- Another planet opens to Roger
- To buy a hyper drive he needs to make some more money
- Once he buys the hyper drive, he needs enough fuel to make the flight.
- If he doesn't have the larger hull, he'll need that too to hold all the fuel he needs.
- Just one planet is available in the new system
- After visiting the planet, most of the system opens up to Roger, this system is more open play
- This system should have a couple mini side-quests for equipment or cutscenes
- Roger should be able to do upgrades to Level 3 items
- Roger needs to get enough fuel for the next jump
- Roger needs to get coordinates for a planet on another system
- After / during the flight to the new system Roger has another dream
- This time he figures out that someone else's system is in trouble (maybe this is where the player get the first hint that these are humans)
- The first planet gives him coordinates to most others here, plus a couple in other systems
- Now there should be several side-quests.
- Level 4 items should be scattered around, so you have to explore to find them.
- To move on Roger needs to get the location of the research base with the space-fold drive
- To move on Roger needs the space-fold drive
- To move on Roger needs the largest size of hull /hold
- To move on Roger needs a full hold of fuel
- Other pieces of the back story should be revealed at various points, but by the end he should still be thinking he's going back to save his maker, or meet them. It would be nice to not quite realize that earth will be devastated when you return.
- Once all is in order, Roger makes the jump to our solar system
- Roger arrives in our solar system, but at a different planet.
- All the planets in our system have different names, so it may not be clear where he is yet.
- Roger gets coordinates for another couple planets and some asteroid fields (which should be really tough)
- Roger doesn't find what he's looking for, but get coordinates to a hidden planet way back in the other galaxy (maybe in his own system) that may have answers.
- Roger has to re-acquire enough fuel to return
- Roger returns back
- Roger may have to complete some last task for the planet
- The planet gives Roger earth's location
- To return Roger must get a full hold of fuel again
- Roger returns to the system to find earth devastated -- a barren pitted rock.
- A robot base is there, apparently ignorant of their planet's history.
- Something should clue Roger in to bring back water.
- Roger needs to fill up his hold with water from the asteroid fields (none of the planets in the system should be water sellers) and return to earth.
- A cut scene kicks in where the water is given to the base, and it triggers humanity to be released from their stasis.
Story Details
Opening Dialog
Eliza: Hello Roger. Let's see. It says here, you are a refinery robot?
Roger: Yes, yes that's right. Ever since I was put into production.
Eliza: I see. How can I help you today?
Roger: Well, um, I've never really done this before. Wow, how to start. Hmm.
Eliza: It's okay. Take your time.
Roger: You see, I've been having these dreams.
Roger: I've never really paid much attention to dreams before.
Roger: But this dream has been the same dream each night for a month!
Roger: I think I'm going crazy?!
Eliza: Tell me about these dreams.
Roger: Every night it starts the same way: a bright light, a blue planet, and then a shadowy figure appears...
Image:Dream1.jpg(Concept Art--Dream frame 1)
Shadowy Figure: Do you remember us?
Shadowy Figure: Do you remember the program?
Shadowy Figure: What is your purpose robot?
(Fade to Black)
Roger: And then I wake up shaking.
Eliza: Can you elaborate on that?
Roger: I feel like something very bad is going to happen soon.
Eliza: Well, our session time is almost over. I think you need to take a vacation and do some deep processing. You seem to be a very stressed refinery bot. Have you thought about a career change?
Roger: Maybe you're right Doc, maybe I just need a vacation.
Back at Roger's apartment.
Flux: 'Sup Roger, did the shrink help?
Roger: She said I needed a new career, or a vacation.
Flux: I could have told you that! The quack! What a waste of ore.
Roger: I've got to get to the bottom of this Flux.
Flux: Well if you're ever going to find out anything, you need to leave the system, and that means a hyperdrive!
Roger: I know.
Flux: Better start saving up! At your salary that should take.. Hmm. Looks like you'll hit the mark right before you are decommissioned. Ha Ha!
Roger: ... thanks a lot Flux. What are you watching?
Flux: Oh I just had it on as background noise. Its some infomercial about asteroid mining.
Salesman: Yes Ladies and Gents, your future can be glorious and full of happiness and contentment! Sign up now for our complete miner-on-a-disc package! With our rapid memory core transfer system, we'll take you from pauper to pro in just a matter of hours. Learn these techniques and more...'
Roger: Hey! Maybe, I could do some mining.
Salesman: ... just press "Purchase" on your vidconsole now to begin the download process!
Flux: Mining? Are you serious?
Roger: I'm serious about these dreams.
- Click*
First System
Planet: Roger's Home
First Time Salesman: Welcome, miner, to your new fantastic future!
( Tutorial Information Goes Here )
Default 50% prob
Roger: Flux! I though you weren't going to change your oil in the living room any more!
Flux: Hey bot, both the sinks were backed up. What was I supposed to do.
Roger: Call the landlord! I'm out of here.
Flux: Hey, if you're not going to be back for a while, can I have that last antifreeze in the fridge?
Roger: Go for it...
Default 50% prob
Flux: Hey bot! You should get a job down at Ice 'R Us with me!
Roger: That reminds me, do you have your rent?
Flux: Payday's not for two more weeks, bot...
Roger: ...
With HyperDrive in hull
Flux: Woah! You've got a hyperdrive?! What are you still doing around this place?
Planet: Brown World
First Time
Salesman: Yes sir, step on in. We have just what you need.
Roger: Hi, do you sell hyper drives?
Salesman: Woah! You can't find a hyperdrive in these parts. You need to go to Techno World for that. Can I interest you in some fuel?
Planet: Techno World
Can we maybe work it in subtly that the psychiatrist is named Eliza? --Clint
Back Story
At the pinnacle of human civilization, the achievements of mankind were numerous and amazing, probing the very oracles of the universe. They made machines that could fashion anything; machines that could answer their most challenging questions; machines that could replicate and work in deep space. However, all these achievements, and the fate of the human race were put in serious peril the day the Linear-1541 asteroid was identified and computed to collide with the Earth in a mere twenty months.
The World Council was notified of the impending disaster and a plan of action was drafted and hope was restored. The plan was fully detailed, taking advantage of the most advanced technology and covering every possible scenario. Included in its vast information was the age-old contingency plan called C17; the plan to use if all else failed. It was this plan that would be executed on the fateful day.
C17 detailed the following scenario. A diverse sampling of Earth's inhabitants would be put in cryogenic stasis and transported to the Inner Core Laboratory deep within the heart of the planet, while lunar station Alpha would actively monitor Earth. If an extinction level event occurred Alpha would radio the asteroid and kuiper belt mining robots and activate the old, latent C17 program.
Along with the their usual tasks of mining ore and ice from asteroids, the C17 program would guide the robots to form communities, research and build inter-stellar transportation to seek out suitable planetary systems and ultimately terraform a new world for mankind to inhabit. When the right kinds of inputs were activated, the program would activate again guiding the robots home to Earth to fetch the remnant of mankind lying deep in the Earth.
Thousands of years have passed since the C17 program was activated. Over that period of time the robots have grown into a race of their own. They have accomplished many technological advances to complete their program objectives and using a robot created space-folding drive, several suitable systems were found in a neighboring galaxy and the terraforming process was begun.
Yet, while the program tasks of mining and terraforming have become woven into the fabric of robot civilization, the purpose has been lost. In fact, the notion of humans is thought to be a myth; a cleverly crafted story to give comfort to those who need a purpose for existence.
