IIIa: High Concept
Penumbra’s goal is to allow the player to really control their own destiny while interacting meaningfully with the world. Most games in the modern role-playing/open-world genre suffer from a lack of core design elegance. That is, they don’t build the bottom-up interactivity needed to make the player feel like a part of the world. This must become Job #1 and thoroughly in place before further design work. Elements include reasonable reactions from NPC’s and alterations in those reactions. Current systems remain overly-complicated, too reliant on specific rules, and are unreliable.
In Penumbra, most of the complex listings of conversation trees is replaced by a series of permanently built-in options. NPC reactions predict AI behavior strongly (and are combined with faction-based responses). Reactions are modified by an MMORPG-inspired reputation system built upon previous player actions. Building “faction friendliness” may be as simple as performing some missions for a relevant quest-giver, but succeeding at those missions is another matter. Different factions respond differently to the player’s actions. Corporations don’t have long memories: revenge doesn’t pay. Large criminal organizations are more bitter about longtime foes, while small ones may react brutally and swiftly.
Meanwhile, the game world sometimes forces the player’s hand. Quests may spawn without the player knowing it, and may target the player themselves. Enemies might hit the player’s home base, or kidnap a friendly NPC and hold him or her hostage. Moreover, each of these quests possesses several responses, from pleasing the aggressor group to taking them out permanently.
Last, but not least, the centerpiece of the game is the quest system. Numerous random quest elements are combined to spawn unique goals from a given quest-giver. The player might be hired to steal important secrets, kidnap a scientist, transport a secret item, sabotage a factory, or plant false data. The choice of target, goal, and challenges are built-in to the game.
Supporting the quest system is are overlapping worlds and randomized buildings. Both the Astral Plane and the Internet overlap the physical world. The Astral Plane is dangerous on its own, but can be used to scout and sometimes defeat magical enemies without engaging them physically. The network is even more valuable, because most doors, cameras, and security devices are controlled from there. Although some missions may allow a hacking-based character to simply use the Internet to grab his information, most valuable data is on unconnected computers.
IIIb: Background
IIIc: Plot
In Penumbra, the character will unravel a complex mystery surrounding the circumstances of his or her ejection from the “official” world of governments, corporations, and law. Resolving this allows the player to choose the kind of existence he or she wants for the main character. The character can accept his or her erased identity, use his or her newfound skills and abilities to return to a higher and greater life in the “official” world, or live on the edge of society.
Meanwhile, the people responsible remain committed to a much more important goal – saving thousands upon thousands of innocent lives. The main character accidentally became involved and was erased without malice (and the character can take revenge, or not).
The ultimate villain of the game is in fact several separate groups. Greedy executives gone rogue, government agents with a private agenda, and rabid eco-terrorists combine their strengths. The main character will have to take down all these groups to make it out alive, because none of them can tolerate someone who knows their secrets.
Cybernetic mercenaries and cold-hearted wizards will face the player. Throughout the game, the player will catch glimpses of the villain’s chief enforcer. This enforcer’s abilities, form, and sex will vary according to the player’s, so that the player ultimately fights a dark mirror of him- or her-self. This confrontation can take place in cyberspace or the real world.
IIId: Sample NPC’s
The player needn’t travel alone. NPC’s can join the player’s group with the proper inducements, which can include quests, certain player attributes, or simple cash payments. Each NPC has a specific (and not always tragic) back-story, and they gain skills along with the player.
NPC’s have needs of their own. For a cut of your earnings, they will make themselves available any time you like, or you can hire them for a set period. In the early game, that may be all the player can afford. Completing missions for them may earn you their services free of charge. Of course, insulting or angering with your allies may make them unhappy with you or even attack you outright! NPC’s can offer services or help outside of missions, too.
Jaws: An ugly brute wielding huge guns, ready to crush any foe. Jaws carries heavy weaponry and can pummel foes with mighty melee attacks. Jaws wishes to humiliate his former partners who sold him out, and always pays his debts. (Jaws is a tough combat specialist.)
Rubicante: A super-gunman, able to shoot the wings off a fly’s back at 50 paces. A surprisingly cultured gang-lord who quotes in medieval Latin in between nailing enemies between the eyes with revolvers, Rubicante needs a little breathing room for his “Demons”, a relatively small gang. (Another combat specialist, Rubcinante uses lighter weapons and can sneak effectively.)
Ruby: A young wrench-wench, just itching to tinker with gear. She’ll join the player freely… if the player can obtain a little unique technology of a less-than-legal nature. And who doesn’t need a grease-monkey to help out with the technical side? 9Ruby is handy for both technical skills and drone use.)
Gene: A street-brat empowered by the street-rat, a small but useful spirit. He is blessed with magical powers and needs to save his friends’ home. Although he needs some training and experience in using his powers, Gene has a lot of potential. (A stealth and magic-character)
Shadow: A bio-enhanced ninja, slaying the enemy with deadly swordsmanship. Not a talkative woman, Shadow enjoys impressive physical speed and unmatched melee abilities. If you help her retrieve some data about her own augmentations, she may assist you without a fee. (A stealth-based melee character.)
Cheshire: An enthusiastic hacker with a penchant for getting into trouble. Chesh is only available for a fee at the start, but purchasing her aid draws down rivals. She can join more permanently if the players deals with her little problem. (Cheshire is an NPC hacker, for players who don't want to take on this task themselves.)
Millions: A mysterious figure controlling the power of the spirits. Millions dresses like a Hollywood mogul and acts like God’s gift to humanity, but is unusually knowledgeable about magical wards and defences. Millions appears during the middle of the game, and needs the player’s assistance setting up a magical coven. (a dedicated magician.)
IIIe: Objective
Penumbra has no single goal. Like Morrowind or Oblivion, the player is free to ignore the main plot line at any time. However, there is a main quest. Advancing through it offers the player advancement, contacts, and introduces the player to new areas. While the player is free to take other quests and may need to complete many side-quests to become strong enough, the main quest should present a great deal of enjoyment and will hold the player’s interest.
Key focus and hard work must be made here. By suggesting the player needs to practice and play around, the main quest should present itself as a tantalizing mystery. The player can’t simply blow through it all at once, but is encouraged to adventure and enjoy the world. Fortunately, the villains have long-term plans. After the end of a main quest mission, the player may need to wait a while for the next mission to become available (as NPC’s do some investigation offscreen) or may need to personally track down leads. This puts some brakes on the player’s progress through the story but helps the PC feel like part of the larger whole. NPC’s will send the character messages when the next portion of the story arises – if the player has the ability to deal with it.
IIIe: Questflow
IIIf: Conversation
Conversations in Penumbra are advancing into the next level of RPG gameplay. By making multiple options available to characters, the game can pack a great deal of information into a very small space.
First, when conversation begins the player always has access to several options. He or she may choose to Attack the target, End the conversation (sometimes at the cost of making the target angry), Bargain if the target has any goods for sale, or ask about a Keyword. The listed keywords are drawn by matching keywords from two lists: the player’s known keywords, and the target’s applicable keywords. When the two match, the player has access to use it in that conversation.
Keywords can accomplish a great deal, particular special services. They will, however, almost always be specific to a given conversation and be helpful to the character’s goals. Most will given the player some background information or an extra conversation option. They will not, however, be absolutely required to get through the game. They simply help the player get into the flow of the game and learn more about the world. They can also clue in the player to locations or characters of interest.
Main conversations will take place through the traditional conversation tree screen. The player will select from a variety of conversation options and sentences which let him or her respond, make requests, and otherwise interact with the target.
