"Chrono Ideologues" has been the tentative title for the last few months, indicating the evolution that the project has undergone over the years. It's still evolving, but all is not well.
It comes down to a lack of manpower. Not so long ago, we lost our main programmer and, at the same time, came to the realization that a full 3D game was beyond our capabilities. It was a hard pill to swallow, since we had promised it and didn't want to go back on our word. However, we simply don't have the time, manpower, or resources to create a 3D game, never mind one that we would be satisfied with.
In the meantime, I've been looking at the scripts, counting the huge number of lines I'd written. Recently, I've been working to pare down the lines, scenes, and plot elements to what's necessary and effective. To give an example, one annotated version of the first act was 130 pages long. The next version was 36. I hope to streamline it even further, cutting down non-interactive "cinema" scenes to what's absolutely necessary. It's a work in progress and, with the current lack of manpower, I'm not exactly pressured to keep up with anything (as nice as that sounds, it also means a lack of motivation, sometimes).
Before I move on to revealing details of what's ahead, I'd like to start with what we need. We've decided to start from the ground up, beginning by working on the actual statistical engine: how the game actually works. We've ironed out a competent battle system, but the devil really is in the details. Because of that, our foremost priority is:
Mathematician/Statistician - Not necessarily a professional one, mind you; our needs aren't that great. It's just that my hands are full with the plot and I haven't practiced math for at least two years. We don't need a genius, just someone who's up-to-date to help us create damage and development formulae. Education up to Calculus would be nice, but it probably isn't necessary. This is, by far, the first position that needs to be filled. All the graphics and programming the world are meaningless without a core system to build it all around.
Programmer - Expect us to narrow this down as we get a better idea of what we need. Since we intend to build this world from scratch, we need someone who can put it all together. Gangis says applicants need to be "capable of developing in a C++ cross-platform environment with OpenGL/SDL."
Anyone interested, please send me a PM and I'll relay the info.
Now that that's out of the way, I think it's high time some details were released. To be honest, we've held back what we were intending for far too long, and what I've intended in the plot has changed over the years. So, without further ado, I'll now let you all know some of what's planned...
The protagonist of our story is a girl named Simone Veritas, the star pupil of Crono Anrui and the main instructor of his swordsmanship academy. She trains children in the way of the sword and the calming of the soul, passing to them the same gifts that her master had given to her. For most of her pupils, it's a way of keeping reality at bay, their friends and family fighting and dying in the war against the People's Alliance of Zenan, the coalition of secessionist provinces led by Porre. Meanwhile, her master remains cloistered among memories and meditations; she can sense the great weight on his shoulders and the many burdens he carries, even if he refuses to relate them.
In Guardia Castle, tensions are escalating. The King has fallen ill, bearing the weight of his years and the sacrifice made by the young in the war. Even though he's still the sovereign, day-to-day administration has passed to his daughter, Nadia, and her husband, the Heir Apparent Sören. As these young heirs struggle to be taken seriously among the noble families of the Court, it becomes clear that the blemishes of their respective pasts have taken root and now bear fruit in the form of secret whispers and looks. Meanwhile, the innovative tactics of the Alliance's brilliant commanders are starting to take their toll. Around Truce and the other cities still loyal to the Kingdom, some begin to whisper about the unthinkable, others begin to consider the impossible.
Against this backdrop, Simone discovers the power to enter another world. Its existence is beyond time and space, yet is inextricably linked to both, each one having significant effects on the other. Using the hearts of people around her as gates, she can traverse to the expansive realm accessible only through dreams. From there, she discovers what once was, what is, and what shall be in her world...
Naturally, I intend to update further as time goes on and, hopefully, we pick up new staff members. Until then, thank you all for taking the time to read this.
