Call for help, ideas, resources, etc. for a fan game!

[Mr Bekkler]

So after a ton of waiting (for CE videos to finish, specifically) and basically my whole "team" (if you would call it that) is either banned (Laith) or MIA (Mikisho, etc.) I'd like to start this project back up. It's tentatively called "Chrono Clutch" but could be changed. If you have any ideas or would like to hop on this project, give me a sample of whatever you'd like to work on and we'll try outlining the plot and seeing what can and can't be done with the tools we have.

If you'd like to offer your services now is the time!


The Daydream Team:

Mr Bekkler - story outliner, spriter, event programmer

Mikisho - writer

TFian - mapper

Insane - background/panorama designer

Belaith - metal composer

F-777 - electronica composer  - Sample
We need a Chrono game, even if it can't use copyrighted characters, all that means is that while the story feels vaguely familiar to all three Chrono games, it will be NEW! That means we're going to try our damned-est to give you a game you will have fun playing, and a plot you won't be able to predict. Why not a fan game that kind of does a sequel thing while keeping free from copyright restrictions by using all new sprites, names, maps, enemies, etc.

Unofficially, this story will stand as a "different dimension" of the Chronoverse we've seen, akin to Radical Dreamers. But again, I must stress, this is completely new and not directly related to, endorsed by, or even known of by Square Enix.

New names:
CT/CC Name - Fan Game Counterpart (New name meaning)

Frog - Drag
Glenn - Errol (nobleman/warrior)
Cyrus - Xander (defender)
Leene - Kara (beloved/friend)
Magus/Magil - Rune (mystery)
Janus - Keiran (dark)

Chrono - King Kato/Kro
Marle -  Reagan (royalty)
Lucca - Quinn (intelligent)
Robo - Roboto
Ayla - Inca

Serge - Rush
Kid - Casey (brave)
Schala - Vera (faith/truth)

Ozzie - Hack
Slash - Slack
Flea - Flack

Dalton - Dimitri

Gaspar - Nicodemus
Belthasar - Archimedes
Melchior - Smith

Masamune - Kusanagi
Einlanzer - Calibura
Doreen - Muse

Tata - Linus

Entity - Terra Forma (Earth)


The former final boss, Lavos - Devous (Devastate/Devour)



[These design sketches are very early and VERY rough. These sprites were made in a chara generator, and will be edited for quality and consistency. Pretty much all the hair will be slightly different and the clothes should have a bit more depth. If anyone wants to help out in this area feel free and let me know.]

First, Kato


Then Reagan


Then Drag's earliest design when he was still a Frog ripoff


And here's another version with the primary group of counterparts. I'm trying out a few different designs on everyone, and you can't tell here very well, but Drag has like a Rhino horn thing and a tail, to differentiate him from Frog.



Finally, a REALLY rough Roboto, which I sketched out after deciding he'd probably be really mean before they beat him and reprogrammed him. I drew this with a quote in mind. "YOU HAVE NOTHING TO OFFER BUT MOISTURE AND FAITH. PREPARE TO DIE."





We have the exile known as Kro, who is actually his magesty King Kato, based on Crono.









We have Demonus Rune based on Magus. The name will almost definitely change.



Also, his Janus counterpart, yet to be named Keiran, and I have to fix those ears.








We have Erroll/Drag, based on Glenn/Frog






And some other stuff too. This is a Tata prototype. The hair will change.

[FaustWolf]

That's certainly a passable Crono IMO. Frog looks great too!

[Mr Bekkler]

Yeah, I like Magus/Janus the least, but they're also the first ones I made so it should be easier to get the "feel" right.

What kinds of colors would you guys suggest? I was gonna do Errol/Glenn's hair blue to go with Drag/Frog's makeover and to further separate it from the source. But then Magus's hair should logically change. The Tata prototype has pink hair for the same reasons. I want to keep Crono, Marle, and Lucca as close as possible to their originals so you know what game inspired this one.

[Mikisho]

They look pretty good.  By the by, I'm the writer .  But yeah, good sprites so far.

[Mr Bekkler]

They look pretty good.  By the by, I'm the writer .  But yeah, good sprites so far.

Sweet. I'm glad you like them. I forgot to put your name in the main post. Sorry! I'll fix it.

As a side note: Whenever Kajar Labs (or whatever its replacement ends up being) shows up again, we should get this thread moved there. For now though, this seems the only logical place.

[OverlordMikey]

They look pretty good.  By the by, I'm the writer .  But yeah, good sprites so far.

I always wanted to be a write, but I'm more of an idea person. If I can help out in some way I would love to.

Offtopic:
Say where is this character generator thing, I need it for my own evil, selfish reasons. (Mwhahahahahahahahaha)

[V_Translanka]

The idea of the project seems like you should make the characters not physically look like their CT-counterparts...

[Mr Bekkler]

The idea of the project seems like you should make the characters not physically look like their CT-counterparts...

Any suggestions?  Even crazy ones?

[Corpse69]

somthing that gives a mix of supersonic and DBZ like feel lol like add a cape or a hat and badd ass sunnies

[V_Translanka]

Make Frog a Turtle. Make Magus resemble a dark elf (black skin i think). Give Robo treads for feet (just because it would be cool). Put all of their hair colors in a hat and keep choosing until they're all on a different head. Give someone gold pants.

[Chrono'99]

I want to keep Crono, Marle, and Lucca as close as possible to their originals so you know what game inspired this one.

Really? This is just my opinion, but personally I would have changed some characters and tried to make them not 1:1 conversions of the Chrono cast. There's not much point in having a separate Marle and Lucca for instance. Just merge them into a new character. Hell, merge Robo and the Epoch; even in CT the Fiona Forest sidequest showed that he can change his form to some extent.

Frog started as a cliché based on these old "Frog Prince" fairy tales, so why not take another tale as a basis for your Glenn character? The Beast from "Beauty and the Beast", a wolfman, any of these fancy creatures from "The Wizard of Oz" or "Alice in Wonderland", or even a vampire if you want to add a whole new dimension to his story (imagine that...a chivalrous vampire! That would be both tragic and comical! But beware of Anne Rice, aha). You could also mix his story with that of Karsh, making him the one that killed Cyrus (Dario) somehow.

As for Magus, the big surprise in CT was to learn that the antagonist Magus was really that poor, innocent kid Janus. If you want a new spin, you could transfer this Magus=Janus twist to Magil=Magus. The surprise would be that the gentle, mature and atoned Magil was really that cruel, devil-like warlord from the Middle Ages. Even RD didn't have this revelation on-screen. Imagine what Kid's reaction would have been? Magil, a warlord with more blood and his hands than Lynx?

Before this stuff is revealed, the party and Magil could even encounter Magus during their time travelling and be forced to fight him, and Magil would pretend to be exhausted or something, to try to make Magus win the battle without anyone realizing why he (Magil) does this, because killing his past self would result in the death of his present self (not according to TTI, but still...).

[V_Translanka]

Glenn's cliché is more simply the tortured soldier who's friend died before his eyes...The frog stuff comes from his name in Japanese: Kaeru, which means both "change" and "frog" (unfortunate little  pud)...I think it must be a common enough spell in Japanese stories though. Heck, even the FF series has it as a spell for quite a few of them...

[Mr Bekkler]

I guess I should mention Chrono's and Marle's counterparts are not planned to be playable and have bit roles. The Lucca-type character tells you where to go to save them. Physically, they will be similar, so you know who you're saving, and I can't say any more than that. It shouldn't be that big a deal.

But the main characters are the Glenn character, the Magus character, and the badguys. There will be a lot of backstory to explain their motivations through flashbacks and hopefully the average Chrono fan will be able to connect the dots and the average gamer who has never played CT or CC will still be able to get everything that's happening.

(chrono99 you got it pretty close to what we were thinking, and tossed out some good suggestions too!)
Basically, Erroll (Glenn) lives in self-exile five years after his adventure through time with the copyrighted counterparts we all know and love. He isn't a Frog, I was thinking more like a lizard or like he was slowly and continually mutating into a mindless, angry dragon or something along those lines. So I call him Drag. He tries to gain his freedom through a chance experience and in the process destroys his timeline, his dimension, and with it, his queen. So we follow him while he finds the Convergence Point (EoT) and is warped to different parts of the temporal quilt (which sounds so much nicer than space-time continuum). I can't give away the badguys or why dimensions die or what the specifics are for travel yet.

Know that we will address the Entity, the origins and conclusions of a few characters we feel were unjustly served in their home games, and the final boss is NOT lavos or a doppleganger of such. Also, the origin of the Nu, the Golem, and the living dreams. Kid and Serge make an appearance, searching for each other ever after. We don't expect this game to be anywhere near the play-length of Crimson Echoes, but I ensure you we're gonna put as much thought into it as we can to tie up loose ends and reference all three existing games.

These are good suggestions, guys. V, I like the hair color idea and grey/black skinned Magus.

Chrono99, we were going to merge parts of Lynx and Magus, but Robo and the Epoch? That sounds fun! Marle and Lucca? That sounds practical. Erroll should also show sides from both Glenns.

[mav]

Glenn's cliché is more simply the tortured soldier who's friend died before his eyes...The frog stuff comes from his name in Japanese: Kaeru, which means both "change" and "frog" (unfortunate little  pud)...I think it must be a common enough spell in Japanese stories though. Heck, even the FF series has it as a spell for quite a few of them...

Righto, there's also an enemy in Bomberman that changes from a frog to a bomber man. So, yes, it's quite common...

But anyway, good luck Bekkler. The changes sound quite interesting. 

[Mikisho]

mmkay.  There's a scene in our game that will show a flashback of Frog's past.  It will try and distinguish a type of love interest between Our frog character, and the queen of his time.  Here is the first draft of the project, just to give you hguys a taste of how I will be writing this thing.  Feel free to share your opinion.

Frog walks into the Queens Chambers

Frog: You wanted to see me your highness?

Queen: Yes, I wanted to thank you for all the work you have done for me over the years.

Frog: Well, it IS my job you know.

Queen:  *giggle* oh you always could make me laugh

Frog: So, is that all?

Queen: no…..  I….  I wanted to let you know I am getting married.

Frog staggers back

Frog: M…. Married?

Queen: Yes…  I thought you should be the first to know outside the family.  I mean…  I’ve known you almost my whole life….

Frog turns away with a sad look on his face

Frog: Y…yes…..  Con….  Congratulations….

Queen:  Thank you….  I’m….  I’m glad your happy for me.

Screen Pans upward and fades to black.

Screen Brightens to the wedding.

Minister: If anyone has any reason why these two shouldn’t be married, speak now or forever hold your peace.

Frog turns away from the ceremony, with his head down.

The Queen is looking at frog leave.  The ceremony continues as the screen fades to black, and the scene return to the present day.