Roles: System Design, Level Design, Narrative Design
Scorpion is an RPG I created for my systems directed study, based around a two episode Star Trek story arc of the same name. Play as different senior officers on the Star Trek Voyager and experience an interactive version of the story that leads to the recruitment of fan favorite character Seven of Nine. The game is built on a trust system that accumulates based on how you interact with the crew members, who is picked for away missions, your success in battles, and how much you help the Borg. Building trust with characters allows them to level up and helps improve the Voyager stats they're most associated with. Scorpion is free to download on Nintendo 3DS and 2DS through the RPG Maker Player.
Download Process
You must first download the free "RPG Maker Fes Player" app from the Nintendo E-Shop, then search for "Daddy I'm Dying" in the products section of "RPG Maker Fes Player". The images below will help guide you through the process of downloading.
Steps for downloading and starting the game
1. Search for and download "RPG Maker Fes Player" in the Nintendo E-Shop.
2. Open "RPG Maker Fes Player" and select "Download games".
3. Select "Download posted product".
4. Select "All Products".
5. Select "Search".
6. Make sure the "Title" toggle at the top is selected, type "Scorpion" into the keyword field, and the select "Search". Select "Scorpion" and then select "Download".
7. Return to the opening screen of "RPG Maker Fes Player" and select "Game play".
8. "Scorpion" should appear in one of your load slots, select it to start the game.
Steps for downloading and starting the game
1. Search for and download "RPG Maker Fes Player" in the Nintendo E-Shop.
2. Open "RPG Maker Fes Player" and select "Download games".
3. Select "Download posted product".
4. Select "All Products".
5. Select "Search".
6. Make sure the "Title" toggle at the top is selected, type "Scorpion" into the keyword field, and the select "Search". Select "Scorpion" and then select "Download".
7. Return to the opening screen of "RPG Maker Fes Player" and select "Game play".
8. "Scorpion" should appear in one of your load slots, select it to start the game.
Design Decisions
It was important for me to establish the trust system for my players early on. By providing information that informs players when they earn trust they could better understand the system, allowing them to form strategies around the system.
Since the trust system replaced the standard experience system in the RPG engine, I provided the player with feedback to let them know how they leveled up. This came in the form of a short message that informed the player they would level up when they reached specific amounts of trust.
The level design of the Damaged Borg Cube was meant to feel larger and more confusing than it actually is. To achieve this I established simple rules to dictate the design. The path always splits into three directions, two of which create a loop that leads you to fights with damaged Borg Drones, the other one leads you closer to the end. Shadows were used to clue players in when they were taking a path that led to battles.
A leveling up effect was added to help clue players in when they received trust for different tasks. Word bubbles were used to let players know who they still needed to interact with to earn trust and move the story forward.
While the game could be saved any time the player had control of the character, I felt it was important to encourage players to save at moments when they were about to enter a tougher battle or make a decision that could greatly influence the game. This provided encouragement during more trying moments in the experience.
Unlocking the nano-torpedoes and nano-warheads greatly influenced the Bioship battles at the end. Due to their importance I wanted to provide both visual and written feedback to encourage the player to use them. After testing I found that the player used the torpedoes, but not the warheads. After asking them why they stated that they didn't understand what the warheads did. I decided to add an extra sentence to explain both weapons so they better understood their importance.
Most of the game involves building trust, but I was also encouraged by my instructor to add a few drains into the system as well. I decided to allow players to choose to spend some of Captain Janeway's trust to unlock a Scorpion attack, making the final battle with Seven of Nine easier. This aligned with what occurs in the original story. I also created a shop that allowed players to trade trust from chosen characters for healing and attack items.