F.M.'s "Project: Avant Garde" - Version 2.0

[Forte-Metallix]

After more than a year of being on this forum, I'm finally ready to make my own topic. Like many of you guys, I've come up with my own series that I one day hope to make into a video game franchise. The codename is "Project: Avant Garde" because that phrase sums up how I want to base my career and my entire life. I don't want to make the next Mario or the next Halo. My goal isn't to be better than any other series. I just want to do something different and stand out on my own.

Any way, let's start with the setting for this new world. Keep in mind that this is a major work in progress, no nothing's quite set in stone yet:

(spoilered for size)

Spoiler

  This series takes place on an as-of-yet-unnamed planet based entirely on video game tropes. In this series, things like 1-ups, power-ups, health meters, and even music playing in the background are not just part of the game: they're part of the story! The dominant species on this world are called "Polygos", which are similar in appearance to humans, but more cartoony. (No visible ears or fingernails, goofier proportions, etc.) Polygos are inherently more reckless than us humans because 1-ups are about as common as water. And things that would kill a real man, like getting hit by a car, only make a Polygo bounce back and lose some health. 

In addition, this world is littered with magical crystals (don't have a name for them yet. Just call them the Elements for now) that serve multiple purposes. Crystal shards can be turned into food or building material, crystal coins are the sole currency of the world, but the rarest and most valuable are special crystallized versions of precious metals (gold, copper, iron, etc.) that can be absorbed into a Polygo's body and give them super powers! 

Now for a little information on the main protagonist. He and his four friends (more on them another day) are college students who share a passion for video games. But one day, when a mad scientist threatens to turn the entire population into monsters and enslave the world, one of them steps up to stop him. (The others will join him on later adventures)

Spoiler

1) Gamer

Real name: Unknown

Skills: Computer hacking, excellent strategist, brave and selfless

Gamer is a major pop-culture nerd. He loves video games, comic books, action figures, and action movies. Also, for reasons unknown to everyone but himself, he's a silent protagonist. There's nothing wrong with his vocal cords; he chooses not to talk. Gamer only communicates through gestures and expressions, and others are able to get the gist of what he's saying.

Ever since Gamer was a kid, he's idolized superheroes and dreamed of becoming one himself. And when that nefarious scientist makes history by becoming this world's first real supervillain, Gamer wants to become its first superhero! So he leaps into action, going on a quest to collect as many crystals as he can to become a real hero. 

One of the biggest themes to this series is what being a hero is all about. Gamer's heart is in the right place, but he thinks being a superhero is all about having cool powers and looking awesome while thrusting headfirst into danger. He's smart, but not fully grown up yet. As he fights alongside his teammates, he- and hopefully the audience- will learn what it really means to be a hero.

That's it for now. Next time, we'll learn about Gamer's four teammates, and that mysterious scientist. 

 

I welcome any feedback so that I can improve this project.

[gala]

Liking the sound of this so far!

I'd love to get a glimpse of what these characters looks like, be it a quick sketch or maybe even a description of how they look.

[Kaze no Klonoa]

I really, really like the premise! I'm looking forward to seeing more of it and how the story plays out, this is totally something I dig.

 

One thing that'd be cool to see is the main cast's abilities being based off of the video game tropes they are based off of. Say, Gamer is a silent protagonist, so have his abilities be that of a character in a RPG or Adventure game like The Legend of Zelda or Final Fantasy. I think it'll help make the video game trope dynamic even stronger in a sense.

[Forte-Metallix]

After far too many delays, time for Part 2: Gamer's teammates and arch-nemesis!

2) Julia Topaz

Skills: Incredible strength and durability, mastery of several martial arts

Julia is Gamer's eternal Player 2; they've been dating for quite some time! And I know what many of you are thinking: "If she's the lover of a video game protagonist, that must mean she gets kidnapped a lot, right?" WRONG. Not only is Julia part of the active team- she's the muscle! She's the one that's gonna be obliterating foes with her fists and legs, lifting heavy objects (peaking at small buildings), and powering through things the others can't.

Julia is sweet and kind, but she's also stubborn, sassy, and has a very short temper. She spends her free time lifting weights and perfecting every martial art known to Polygo. Her main insecurity is that people might be afraid of her because of her bone-crushing strength. She often wonders if Gamer would like her more if she acted more like a traditional girl (When in actuality, he finds her power and athleticism extremely attractive)

The main point to Julia's character is to show that gender (or race, age, or anything like that) doesn't determine a person's value. Yes, she's super-strong, and she's a girl. But no one makes a big deal out of it. Her friends don't treat her any differently because she's female. Julia is special because of what she does, not what she is.

 

3) Pix L. Bitz

Skills: Amazing agility, longest reach of the team, very nimble

Pix is a professional basketball player, and thus is the tallest and lankiest of the team. His specialty is agility; he jumps the highest, can reach things the others couldn't, and can expertly bob and weave around enemy attacks. He and Gamer are total bros, always goofing off and having fun, though Pix is close with the others as well.

As for his personality, Pix is... not very bright. He only made it to college because of how inefficient his area's school system is. (I'm trying to do a little social commentary with this, but I understand I'm playing with fire.) Important details often fly over his head, and he tends to either jump into something without a plan or overthink a problem and panic. Very rarely does he put just the right amount of thought into something. 

But what I want to make clear with Pix is that stupid =/= useless. Pix is as smart as he needs to be in order to contribute to the team. Very rarely does he royally screw up the heroes' plans, and when he does, he shows clear regret for his mistake and does whatever it takes to make it right. And although he's lacking in math and science, he has a lot of heart and occasionally spouts some words of wisdom, showing that all of us have something to teach.

4) Glitch

Skills: Super speed, unpredictability, razor-sharp wit, master of fake-outs and illusions

Glitch is the runt of the litter; if you were to look at him, you'd never guess he was a college student! He's fiesty and energetic, so it should come as no surprise that he's the fastest of the heroes. He may be small, scrawny, and weak, but he makes up for it by running circles around his enemies! 

Glitch is a total prankster; he's always coming up with new, harmless jokes to pull on others. (Gamer and the others are always looking forward to seeing his next big trick) He's also a professional magician, capable of creating illusions and tricks clever enough to stump Gamer himself! And of course, he's also the self-appointed comic relief of the team; whenever the situation gets too tense, you can count on Glitch to lighten the mood!

What's cool about Glitch is that he's trained himself to apply his pranks and tricks to the battlefield! When the heroes are off battling evil, Glitch will be duping his foes with illusions, fake-outs, decoys, and even disguises! He doesn't take fights very seriously, but this usually plays in his favor because his tricks make him the least predictable of the heroes! Glitch is very childlike and innocent. He prefers not to overanalyze a problem and stick to the cold, hard facts. The little guy has a lot of heart, and the others can always rely on him to keep their spirits high.

5) Emma Rhold

Skills: Nigh-unlimited wealth and resources, knowledge of the world and the crystals, several support gadgets

Last but not least, Emma is Julia's BFF, and the most unique of the five heroes because she doesn't get on the field with the others. She's essentially their mission control: while the other four are out kicking butt and gathering crystals, Emma stays home and monitors their progress and sends them items and supplies. Emma doesn't really have any combat skills, but she's more than happy to help keep her friends in tip-top shape and keep an eye on their surroundings.

Emma is the sole child of two incredibly wealthy parents, and as such, she's spent her entire life in the lap of luxury. But instead of becoming a spoiled brat, she found this lifestyle incredibly humbling. Emma has spent most of her life using her wealth to help those less fortunate. She spends most of her free time doing charity and giving back to her community. Julia and the others were the first friends she's ever had that didn't treat her differently because she was rich, and so they mean the world to her.

Since she's always lived on easy street, Emma isn't used to fending for herself, and so she's afraid of entering the field of battle with the others. Instead, she stays home and monitors their progress. Emma's the one who makes the team's game plans and keeps them all informed of the latest happenings. She uses her family's wealth to send the heroes gadgets, food, vehicles, and whatever else they need to save the day. And Emma also knows just about everything about the world and the crystals (her family has been studying them for generations), so she's usually the first to know what a newly discovered place or power-up is all about.

 

And now for the big bad himself:

6) Dr. Hax

Skills: Biologist, mechanical genius, expert on crystals, inventor of the Pixel Pox

Dr. Hax, at first glance, may seem like your average mad scientist: He's got a bald head, cybernetic parts, a goofy-looking beard, and he laughs like a maniac. But once you get to know this guy, you'll see he has a reason for acting the way he does. Hax has discovered the true potential of the crystals, and he's used them to invent a new virus called the Pixel Pox, which turns people into horrible hybrids of HD models and 8-bit sprites! Anyone infected with this disease mutates into a mindless monster, and the Doc plans to spread it across the entire planet!

Dr. Hax has spent years studying fictional supervillains in preparation of becoming one himself, and he's noticed the patterns of dumb mistakes they've all made, such as not immediately shooting the hero when they've got them at gunpoint, or designing giant robots with obvious weakpoints. Rest assured, Hax will not make those same mistakes.

Dr. Hax may seem goofy and bumbling, but he's really a vicious, cunning, madman. His greatest weakness is his tendency to overspecialize his plans, trying to prepare for every possible contingency, and especially not trying to make the same cliche' villain mistakes, but in the process, he often ends up making new mistakes. Still, he's earned his place as the world's first real supervillain, and the only one willing to stand up to him is a silent nerd with equally large ambitions.

 

Next time, we'll look at those mysterious crystals! 

[Forte-Metallix]

So... yeah.

I know it's been over a year since I last updated this topic, and that was because I needed to take what little spare time I had to revamp this project. Now that I'm done with college, I, with a lot of help from my friends here at SSMB, am finally ready to revive this topic!

Let's start things off with our premise:

Spoiler

Welcome to the planet Cryxtel! (credit goes to @RosaRosaRosalina for the name) A unique place home to Polygos (Humanlike beings with cartoony natures), Anatalloys (Magical crystals that enhance various body parts), and video game tropes integrated into everyday life! In this world, health meters, power-ups, and bottomless pits are all par for the course, and people are completely aware of the fourth wall! 

This was a peaceful world, until a deranged scientist rose up with his army of mutants to conquer the world by spreading a virus that would turn everyone into mindless monsters. The fate of the world would rest not in the hands of any prophesised hero, but in a quintet of college students who just happen to be in the right place at the right time...

 

Now for the protagonists:

Spoiler

Characters and designs are mine, but credit goes to our very own, very talented @Spin Attaxx for bringing these guys to life!

Here we have the Arcade Gang, the five protagonists of this series. They run, jump, collect magical crystals, playfully smack each other around (both verbally and physically), and demonstrate their complete awareness of their status as video game characters.

Gamer Saphrison: The hero of few words- scratch that- no words! Armed with his trusty Battleball (A paddle ball with multiple gadgets, such as a grappling hook, explosives, and electrical wiring) and 256 I.Q., he's ready to take on any challenge to fulfil his dream of becoming a superhero!

Julia Ruberia: Gamer's muscular sweetheart, and the least likely candidate for damsel in distress. She's strong enough to lift cars with one finger, crumple up solid metal like it was wet paper, and punch the ground with enough force to summon magma from the planet's core! Add on her mastery of pretty much every martial art known to Polygokind, and she's living proof that a person's value comes from what they do, not what they are!

Pix L. Bitztopaz: The superstar athlete with plenty of pep in his step! What he lacks in smarts, he more than makes up for with his incredible agility, jumping prowess, and ability to utilize sports motifs in a fight!

Glitch Thystamer: The smallest of the team, and also the least predictable! His skill in the mystic arts and his unbelievable super speed make him pretty dang hard to catch! Don't be fooled by his childlike appearance: He's not much younger than the others!

Emma Rhold: The endlessly wealthy- and compassionate- support for the team! Not really into action herself, Emma stays home and acts as the team's guide (Though strategy is actually Gamer's forte ((heh))), sending them intel, power-ups, and anything else they need to save the day!

And here's the Big Bad:

Spoiler

The next three drawings were done by my good buddy @Galabance!

Dr. Haxx: Cybernetic scientist. Master of biology, mechanical engineering, leadership, and biological warfare. He's developed a virus called Pixel Pox, which turns any living thing into a terrifying hybrid of HD sprites and old-school pixels- and reduces them to a mindless monster! His plan is to spread this disease across the entire planet, so that he can rule a world of freaks! And since Haxx is the first real supervillain Cryxtel has ever had, there are no superheroes to stop him! The only ones daring enough to stand up to him are the five previously-shown college students.

Dr. Haxx has spent years studying fictional villains while preparing to become one himself, and he's become pretty savvy of all the cliche mistakes they make. Rest assured, Haxx will not make those same mistakes. His giant mechs have no weak points, he'll shoot someone immediately instead of taking the time to gloat, and he's becoming increasingly aware of how much the player is hindering his progress... To defeat him, the Arcade Gang will really need to think outside the box. Maybe even break the rules of video games...

Finally, here are two other villains:

Spoiler

Hacker: After being defeated by Gamer initially, Haxx got the idea to make his own version of him to beat him at his own game. This new clone would be powerful, clever, and, above all else, 100% loyal to his creator. Unfortunately, while Haxx succeeded in creating a cloned body, he never figured out how to give it the spark of life. So he scrapped the project and left the body in an abandoned lab of his to rot with all his other failed prototypes.

But then, a mysterious force came and possessed the body (What it was is a story for another day) Unfortunately, this force was highly unstable, thus, the clone was incredibly flawed. And it went by the name: Hacker!

Hacker is an evil gentleman obsessed with killing Gamer- not out of a desire for revenge or to prove his superiority, but to have his own identity. Hacker knows he's a knockoff, and he wants nothing more than to change that. Unlike Gamer, Hacker speaks- quite a lot, actually. He's obsessed with presenting himself as mature and sophisticated, but it's pretty easy to make him lose his cool. And while Gamer wields a paddleball as his weapon of choice, Hacker uses a rapier (Galabance's idea) with dark properties, such as lasers and poisonous gas.

 

Ornith the Omniraptor: One of Haxx's creations, a monstrous, building-sized hybrid of various types of birds. Ornith is a proud predator whose hobbies consist of stalking, chasing, catching, and eating anything smaller than him. His ostrich legs make him fast on his feet (Well, talons), he has retractable webbed toes which allow him to swim gracefully, and those giant wings aren't for show, either! And his loud, clashing-colored peacock feathers are great for stunning prey, but he can only keep them retracted out for a few moments. Like most of Haxx's creations, Ornith is sentient enough to talk, but he prefers to rely on his animal instincts. While this is great for hunting animals, it's not a good choice against witty opponents.

And there you have it. As always, I welcome any feedback and suggestions for how I can improve this project. And I want to thank my fellow SSMB-ers for helping me get this series to this point!

[Forte-Metallix]

I've decided to update with a few excerpts from skits I have planned out. Keep in mind that I'm just one guy, and these are all works in progress.

Spoiler

1) (The five heroes have been stuck in the woods for several days. All their phones are dead, and they're running dangerously low on supplies. We join them all gathered around a campfire)

Pix: I can't take this much longer. I need to get home...and shave!

*The other four stare at him dumbfounded*

Pix: What?

Julia: Seriously?! We've been lost for days, and that's your primary concern?!

Pix: You don't understand! I have very hyperactive follicles! If I don't shave once a week, things get-

Glitch: Hairy?

*Everyone sarcastically chuckles, Julia playfully hits him*

Glitch: Come on, man! You still look fine, and we've been stuck here for how long?

*Emma checks her watch*

Emma: Six days, twenty-three hours, fifty-nine minutes, and fifty-nine sec--

*POOF! Pix becomes a giant hairball*

Glitch:...Oh, that's what you mean.

 

2) (Dr. Haxx is in his lair, preparing for the heroes' arrival. A minion is summoned to his side.)

Minion: You called, sir?

Haxx: Yes. What is this? *Holds up an object*

Minon: A health item?

Haxx: YES! Exactly! Why are there power-ups all over my castle?!

Minion: Um... To give the heroes a fighting chance?

Haxx: Fighting chance?! We're trying to KILL them! Just get rid of all these things!

Minion: Okay. Where should we put them?

Haxx: I don't know! Throw them all in the vault or something! 

Minion: Alright. *walks away* I wonder if I should tell him that we left the code for the vault in an easy-to-spot room?

 

3) (Gamer, Pix, and Glitch have been signed up for the Olympics against their will. Julia is one of their opponents, so they're deeply concerned about their chances)

Pix: Don't worry, guys! As the best athlete in the country, I'll train you guys into champions! It'll take weeks of hard work, dedication, sweat and tears, and-

Glitch: We don't have that kind of time! The games start tomorrow! Let's just condense it into a montage.

Pix: Can do! *Pulls the edge of the screen to transition into the montage*

*Training montage- One gag involves Gamer trying to lift up a dumbbell, getting it up to his waist, and then letting go to crack his knuckles and get a sip of water, while the dumbbell stays floating in midair where he left it*

*The games begin, and the boys do terribly. They decide to regroup*

Pix: What was that?! I trained you guys so hard! How long did we spend training?!

*Glitch rewinds the episode to rewatch the montage*

Glitch: About a minute.

Pix: ...Shoot.

I'll update again once I have enough material to share.