Main questions:
- New location? If yes, what kind of setting would it have to be?
Each game in the main series has one-up'ed the real world. We're limited to 3d movement, but CT allowed for 4d movement, and one might say that CC allowed for 5d movement. So, logically, CNext should allow for "6d movement." That is to say, Home World and Another world could belong to the same reality. The laws of physics were exactly the same between them. CNext should have totally separate "realities," universes that function on fundamentally different values. If pi=3.14 in the Chrono-Reality we are familiar with, then perhaps pi=aardvark in a different reality. To help illustrate what I mean, the Chrono-Reality we know is largely based on the real world. CNext should include travel to realities like those presented in ReBoot/Kid Radd (sans the users) and Unicorn Jelly.
That being said, it be entirely lovely if it could include a hefty dose of 5d, 4d, and even 3d movement. In addition to seeing fundamentally different realities, I'd love to explore other dimensions, time periods, and locations. Maybe a planet that was infected by a Lavos and didn't have heroes to save it, for example. Or a Dimension where Lavos never fell, or a renaissance period to go with the Middle Ages we've already seen. Etc.
- New cast of characters? If yes, what kind of characters would you like to see?
Well this is a given: No, absolutely no, CT or CC character should return as a playable character (but potentially as NPCs). So we'd need a whole new cast of characters. Following from the above and trends established in other games, at least one should be from each "reality," and possibly from each dimension, time period, and location. That said, the cast should be limited to around 9 characters, assuming each serves a strategic purpose and is fully developed. Thus we might have aliens or strange beings from another reality. Other than those vague outlines, I don't really have any specifics...
Except that the Main Character's name needs to start with K (because Crono's name starts with a C, and a C can have an S sound, as in Serge, or a K sound, as in this hero).
- New Lavos creature or a new version of Lavos? Or an entirely new enemy? Who should be the antagonist in this game?
Well a lavos-like creature is essentially assumed. Though just as the Lavos from CC wasn't the exact same as in CT, the CNext Lavos would be more different still. Perhaps a multi-reality being, or the progenitor of the race. But I could see Belthasar as being a significant antagonist in the game. As per tradition, the original antagonist shouldn't be the final antagonist.
- Time travel and / or dimension crossing? Yes or no? Or something completely new? If yes, what?
I covered this under "locations." Time travel and dimensional crossing would be very nice, but not necessary. And space travel, again while nice, is far too mundane to carry the game.
- New gameplay or not? New battle system? New magic? Also let's hear any good gameplay ideas you have.
Yes, new game play. I would eliminate forced random battles, probably going with a more SoM-esq feel for the field. While there might still be minor battles, each one would ideally have a reason (fighting ones way through a military base, for example, would be battle intensive while strolling through the woods, not so much). Boss fights in particular would need to return to a more CT based style, with each boss having a reason for being there. CC had too many random boss battles.
- Who would have to draw the characters? Do you want Mr. Toriyama back, or Nobuteru? Or someone else?
Totally doesn't matter.
- Name the characters who would definitely, no matter what, have to make a cameo appearance. Can be anything, from playable characters to NPC's to Nu's.
Have to? Absolutely none. But it would be terribly nice if Gaspar and Melchior made appearances, along with a select cast of CT and CC (Robo, Schala, Lynx/FATE, etc)
- Which time period has to be in it no matter what?
None. Time periods could be totally done away with (well, other than the "Present"). However, a classical and renaissance time period would be lovely, along with other "cultural" time periods (Feudal Japan, Pharaotic Egypt, etc).
