Imbalance Game Concept

Brainstorming

2d explorer; not about plattforming but being able to open ways

World of leeches BG

Opening ways is core game play and mainly through alchemy

fighting is turn/based and tactical

ALCHEMY

Most objects can be dissolved as components in alchemy: once dissolved they become reagents which can be mixed into agen(t)s/elixirs

A player can use AGENS on any OBJECT in the world

LAB

Types of AGENS

SOLVENS (to dissolve stuff and create INGREDIENTS)

ELIXIRS that cn only be used on the CHAR and change them temporarily or permanently

AGENS that used on OBJECTS can alter them

Wasted city: climb three towers, find>

  1. reason for annihilation, 2. artifact, 3. lost loved one //> different chars

INGREDIENTS can be collected directly from the world or crafted in a LAB

in a LAB they can use INGREDIENTS to create AGENS

AGENS can be broken into INGREDIENTS

INGREDIENTS can be transformed into more INGREDIENTS

Characters

There are X characters but the player can control up to 3-5

The characters have their histories and they develop MADNESS as they die

To get anew character, the player needs to convince a newfound NPC to come to the PROMETEUS and undergo a SEPARATION. Not all NPCs survive and some requirements must be met for some of them to survive

PROMETEUS

It is the hub of the player. When the BODIES of all the party die, they restart at the PROMETEUS

It can be upgraded to start with better BODIES and to alleviate MADNESS

BODIES

The characters are bodiless ASTRAL FORMS that have been separated from their bodies via the SEPARATION and get SUITED into new bodies

RELICTS can also be activated or recharged at the LAB

LABs are strewn through the gameworld, but the PROMETEUS also works as a lab. Once in a LAB a special menu pops up to allow alchemy to be made

If a BODY is killed in battle the GHOST is released. GHOST usually cannot do anything, but some RELICTS may change this. If all characters are killed, the GHOSTs appaer back at the PROMETEOUS and can suit in new bodies. Getting snapped back like is called PSYCHED

If a character survives a battle, there are some AGENS and some RELICTS that can reanimate the BODY, or they can carry the dead back to the PROMETEUS. Reanimating a BODY is less traumatic that being PSYCHED

SANITY and MADNESS

Characters lose SANITY when (in increasing quantity)

  • Witnessing horros
  • Combat stress
  • Willing SEPARATION and RESUITING
  • Being killed in combat
  • Getting PSYCHED

Other forms of losing SANITY that depend on the occasion are:

  • Psychic attacks
  • Witnessing Major Aberrations
  • Using incompatible BODIES

MADNESS has following gameplay effects, but each charcater degradation is unique

  • They changes their QUOTES as they get insane. In general their QUOTES will be less clear, but more useful the madder they are
  • When doing ALCHEMY the results may be WILD
  • They are less vulnerable to losing SANITY
  • In COMBAT they may decide on their own actions
  • They may refuse to allow the party to collect some INGREDIENTS or try some FORMULAs
  • Eventually, they will refuse the return to a BODY and die or become specters harassing the remaining characters

FORMULAS

A FORMULA is a combination of INGREDIENTS and or AGENS that are mixed in the LAB and result in a specific AGENS.

The fist time an AGENS is prepared in a LAB, the FORMULA (recipe) is written in the FORMULA book of the character

Depending on some of the INGREDIENTS used in the FORMULA, on the LAB being used or the MADNESS of the character doing the ALCHEMY, a WILD result is possible

WILD results create a superior form of AGENS than cannot be replicated and has unique powers. Some WILD results may even create RELICTs

All characters share a FORMULA book, but depending on the FORMULA, a character may be able to achieve better or worse results. Some character are not able or willing to do some FORMULAS

The SEPARATION is basically the PROMETES wiring a FORMULA for the body being separated. The BODY FORMULAs can be improved, but not too radically, lest they create MADNESS. A Ghost can only habitate a BODY its familiar with

COMBAT

Movement

Movement from room to room. Fast travel between special rooms if wanted but at the loss of pic-ups

Hyperlight drfiter perspective to allow exploring and finding INGREDIENTS

Change of levls via stairs or similar

Turn based, tactical with emphasis on area of effects

Using AGENS form between the char and the enemy the a corner and the center of a square. Depending what is on the other corners, the AGENS can be fortified

All CHARS have the four forces as stats. Reducing one of them to zero takes them out of combat, but under some circumstances can led to creating an Aberration.

The weapons cause damage to the forces on different degrees.

Armor exists, but can usually be bypassed via AGENS