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[catalinux]

The Spear of Mars / Der Speer des Mars (working title)

TECHNICAL ASPECTS

* Engine: Irrlicht
* Platforms: Linux, Windows
* System specs: any middle-specs laptop
* Languages: Subtitles in English, German, French, Russian; Voice Dubbing in English, German.

THE STORY

You are just a soul. A nameless soul. But there is something special about you. You felt it since you were a child. The sea was your home, the sky above your head was your friend. An adventurer, you traveled half the world, never finding a place to settle down. Until THAT day...

THE SETTING

The game takes place on Mars. It's that fictional Mars, extremely popular until the first decades of the 20th century - a planet hosting an advanced civilisation, condemned to extinction because the water is vanishing.

It's a harsh world. The sky is red, the sand is red. The men and women have to be taught to survive.

The water is priceless.

THE BEGINNING

* Scene 1
The nameless hero finds himself stranded inside a ruined Temple. He quickly looks around, and finds a few items - an used torch, a rusty sword, an empty vial.
Suddenly, from the shadow, a never-seen-before creature attacks him.
* Scene 2
Outside the Temple, the nameless hero encounter the first human - a red martian, who, by accident, is an apprentice with the Magicians. Somehow, they speak the same language, and he quickly learns that his is on Mars and, not far from here, is a human settlement, but the roads are dangerous, because of the wild creatures, and the constant attacks of the other factions from Mars - the Green Martians and the Darkers.
* Scene 3
It's up to you, you nameless player... What path will you choose?

THE FACTIONS

In order to finish the game, the player has to befriend one of the three main factions from Mars:

* the Red Humans
They look just like the Earth humans, but they have red skin. Their architecture, material culture and clothing has resemblance with the late Roman culture.
Some legends teach about the Ancestors, who came from the Stars. They collect meteorites, "stardust", and mine for minerals.
Having an elite of Teachers, they understand the menace of water vanishing, and try to find a way to artificially produce water.

* the Green Martians
They are believed to be the most ancient race from Mars. They have some humanoid physical features, but four arms, larger and stronger bodies, and green skin.
A race of hunters and worrior, they have been constantly in war with the humans. Seen as barbarians by most of the humans, they have a well organised and rich civilisation.

* the Darkers
They are renegade martian humans. They keep themselves at distance from both the Red Humans and the Green Martians, nobody knows their true purpose.

THE GAMEPLAY

The games focuses on five aspects:

* Quests / Interaction with the NPCs

Being a story-driven game, in order to resolve the main quest - he must find a way back into his home world! - the nameless hero has to talk to NPCs. This way, he gets quests, he can understand more about Mars, he can trade items, improve his skills and learn new skills.

The side quests are a good opportunity to learn more about the people - maybe you will make new friends.

Every decision the player will take will have an impact on the game mechanics and the main story - but there is more! Ever wanted to write your own story inside a game? You will have your chance with "Spear of Mars"! You can teach others, be a prophet, or a great warrior. We have written and end for the story, but you can change it!

* Interaction with the Environment and Exploration

In the game, the player can interact with a large variety of items (Mobs).

The player can climb obstacles and terrain features, can swim and dive.

Exploration is rewarded by unique items and a sense of freedom.

* Combat

When confronting human and non-human enemies, the player can use a variety of weapons: 1H and 2H sword/axes/spears for close combat, Bows and Crossbows for long range combat, Projectiles, Shields, and Magic Runes.

Magic is powered by crystals - red, blue, white and dark crystals. The player needs crystals to recharge the runes. There is a variety of spells he can use.

Spears can by used as swords/axes, or thrown at the enemies.

The player can learn combat skills, to improve the damage he can inflict and the fluidity of the animations. There are no "combo" moves. The player has the freedom to swing the weapon left, right, forward to hit, or backward to parry an attack if he is not wearing a shield.

* A vivid world

The NPCs and monsters have daily routines, a good memory, can and will cooperate with each other.
There is a day/night circle, and the weather is changing (rain, sand storms, twilights).

Note: the game can be played entirely keyboard-only, mouse is optional. The camera is fixed behind the character, for a better experience in combat and movement.

THE WORLD MAP

The playable world is separated by the rest of the planet by canions - so wide and deep the player can not reach the other side.

Inside the playable world you can find a Valley (inhabited by the Red Martians), many "oases" inside craters (places with water, Earth-like vegetation, settlements), a large lake with a few islands (so the player could swim and dive), "channels" between the craters, mountains, underground caves.

The world is vast and open - the player can freely explore all the world from the beginning.

Note: the "deserted" red Mars outside the Valley and craters is not lifeless - a variety of strange plants and animals will create an amazing environment.

THE MAIN QUEST

The nameless hero learns about the "Sphere" - once activated, it could bring it back to Earth. To activate it, in alliance with one of the factions, he has to defeat the others.

Or maybe there is ANOTHER way?

THE TEAM

Using Irrlicht game engine, the Team will have to implement most of the features the game will use.
The Team should consist in: two programmers with good C++ knowledge, a 2D artist, a 3D artist, a sound guy, a good writer (quess who).
All team members are required to have a strange sense of humour and crazy ideas.

THE DEVELOPMENT TIME

One year for patching/polishing the game engine and another year for combining all the pieces will bring us to a playable alpha version.
Another year will be great for writing the documentation for a Mod Developing Kit - we know a game will live longer if the Community will have a MDK.