If you could change Chrono Cross, how would you do it?

[FaustWolf]

I'm getting excited for nothing....I mean is anyone going to really going to do this....if so they would most likely trust someone else to work on this kinda stuff...

[cue "Time of the Dreamwatch"]

You betCHA this is going to happen. Too many talented fans have already developed resources within the "Putting Magus in Chrono Cross" thread for something major not to take shape. The only thing keeping the Cross hacking effort at bay is the fact that we're just now coming up to speed on the technical knowledge necessary to proceed with a major project.

Once we have the necessary capabilities, we can start a project forum. I have my own outlandish ideas about the storyline for an overhaul of Cross (worry not, V_Translanka, no ninja Marle now ), but naturally the final product will arise from a community effort and I think it would be really interesting if character development arcs for specific protagonists and antogonists were assigned to fan writers who are particularly inspired by those characters.

The schedule I currently have in mind for Cross efforts is as follows:

Now ~ September 1: Hack, hack, hack! Learn everything we can about Cross' internals and develop technical capabilities necessary for a major project.

September 1 ~ the release of Crimson Echoes: Plotwork, progressing from the creation of a skeletal plot outline to a final fleshed-out draft, with any interested Compendiumite welcome to join in the fun.

Interim between the release of Crimson Echoes and the release of Chrono Crisis: Majority of project work, including the formulation of a totally new dialogue script.

Sometime after the release of Chrono Crisis: Project release.

This will ensure that there's always some huge game project happening in the Chrono community for potentially the next five years or so. At some point the project will have to go underground to avoid Square Enix's prying eyes, but on the other hand all technical knowledge of the game we gain will be made public on the Chrono Cross File Structure wiki so that future and concurrent projects may benefit.

On the other hand, to suspect that this project would even be worthy of the great honor of a C&D is mere egotism, but since it's dealing with 3D, the project development plan should take it into consideration.

[MagilsugaM]

Why not ninja Marle...
 

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[x_XTacTX_x]

MUCH Greater involvement from CT characters; specifically, Lucca. I would've loved to see a Boss battle between Serge and Lynx at the burning orphanage, and Lucca could've been a one time party member (Like FuSoYa or Seifer).

[Boo the Gentleman Caller]

Whoa!  Does that mean we can expect Crimson Echoes around September?!?!

[FaustWolf]

Whoops, sorry for any misunderstanding my timeline may have caused. I mean to say we should expect to devote 3 months to pure hacking, however much time comes between Sept. 1 and Crimson Echoes Day (CE-Day?) for plotwork, and after we've sobered up from the CE celebration, it would be time to start on the bulk of the Cross project.

Now that MagilsugaM did that Ninja Marle sprite, I'm having nostalgic pangs for the "barfly by day, rogue Radical Dreamer operative by night" scenario. Must...resist...urge to turn Marle into a ninja...

[Zaulche]

You could always make Ninja Marle a replacement for one of the characters. Maybe depending on what you name the main character it can change parts of the game, like they did with some of the old NES games.

Once the project gets underway were there any plans to add voice over work for the characters, or were you just sticking to improved text dialogue?

I remember reading one theory about Miguel being similar to Chrono. It would definitely be a heartfelt time if "Ninja" Marle was in your party and she had to fight her love in order to prevent the destruction of the Universe. That a far fetched idea not likely to see fruition, but just the idea that soon we'll know enough about the game to do that kind of thing is impressive.

I think everyone had done an awesome job so far and I'll support this no matter where it goes because it is too great of a project to do otherwise.

[FaustWolf]

Actually Zaulche, your idea is not too far-fetched at all, at least not in my demented, fanon-driven mind. While Miguel = Crono would be stretching things a little too far, who's to say that FATE wouldn't have chosen someone else to guard the Dead Sea's Frozen Flame had certain situations played out just a bit differently? Compendium records surmise that the Frozen Flame spent some time in Castle Guardia's vaults, so there are numerous possibilities...

I'm almost positive voice-acting is out during normal dialogue due to the way the sound engine works (individual sounds stored on the game disc are probably called up one by one by sequencing data). Only way to fit it in would be during movie sequences that would essentially be AVIs converted to .STR format. I know there's a .STR > .AVI converter out there, so I'm hoping the reverse conversion would also be possible. Now that I think of it, we should definitely keep voice acting in consideration, and see if we can implement it if interest is high enough. Damn, things get more significant by the moment!

[Zaulche]

Interesting. I had no idea the frozen flame was ever in Guardia Castle. I must have missed that. In that case, switching Miguel out completely with Chrono would be cool. It would have a greater impact on fans and it would make more sense as to why Leena would join you (adventure is in her blood). Maybe he even did it on purpose to keep an eye on Chrono once he fled Gaurdia...

Dang, that probably means we have to all agree on what exactly happened between Guardia and Porre. Or is it going to be a majority wins kind of deal? Did you already have something in mind FaustWolf?

Ah well, perhaps another time. I have to admit though, if we get to the point where we can create new elements battles against some of the CT heroes would be really cool, if not in the story than for a Bend of Time treat (like the Ozzy gang in the original CC).

[FaustWolf]

I have some vague plot points in mind, but I need to further refine them before bringing them to the table. Everything hinges on hacking capabilities though, so I'm afraid to kickoff community plot discussion until we're sure we've got fieldscript at the very least, because that's what will give us control over in-game events.

[rushingwind]

More back story to the core characters (whomever might be chosen), especially Serge!  As the protagonist of the story, shouldn't we know a little more about him?  What's his personality like?  Does he really 'love' Kid, as Radius suggests, or is it Lenna he pines for?  (A 'dating' type scenario would be great, where you can change events based on how the player treats Lenna and Kid, as someone else previously suggested.)

As a huge Glenn fangirl, I'd love to see his character expanded upon throughout the game, instead of a just a little bit of backstory and a cool sword.  How'd he get that scar?  When the heck did he learn to wield two swords instead of just one?  And is he potentially a better swordsman than his brother with dual Einlanzers?  Perhaps a future Grandmaster of the dragoons?

Whoops, got a little carried away there...heh.   

You guys are awesome for all your work.  Those of us without the kind of technical knowledge you have love to hear about exciting things like this! 

[x_XTacTX_x]

Nobody voted to give Zoah clothes. o.o

[Boo the Gentleman Caller]

barfly by day, rogue Radical Dreamer operative by night

I think I helped put that idea in your head!  Then again, maybe not!

[FaustWolf]

Yep, you've been quoted Boo! I thought the idea brilliant.

[x_XTacTX_x]

MUCH Greater involvement from CT characters; specifically, Lucca. I would've loved to see a Boss battle between Serge and Lynx at the burning orphanage, and Lucca could've been a one time party member (Like FuSoYa or Seifer).

If people would read my posts for once...

[Zaulche]

If people would read my posts for once...

Why do you feel that no one reads your posts?