Bladestorm Adventures

TABLE OF CONTENTS OVERVIEW2 Key points.2 Goals.3 GAMEPLAY...4 CHARACTERS5 Player Character5-6 Non-Player Characters7 Friends7 Antagonists7 STORY.8 The Background for the Story8-9 Locations9 EXPERIENCE10

Confidential

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Bladestorm Adventures

Overview
Slash Blade is his name and game!
Bladestorm Adventures was born from a simple question: what kind of game would its own main character love to play? Well since the character in question, Slash Blade, is an excitable, lovable braggart with a lust for adventure and combat, the answer is that Bladestorm Adventures is a love letter to all the fast-paced pick-up-and-play sidescrolling arcade beat-em-up games of days gone by, with a story that glorifies Slashs many exploits.

Key Points
Platform: Handhelds (DS/3DS), Smartphones, Tablets, PC. Genre: Sidescrolling Beat-Em-Up. Target Audience: Ages 12 to 30, gamers and mass market. Gameplay: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Turtles in Time, Final Fight, Double Dragon Style: Visually, the setting is medival Fantasy with a touch of higher technology, similar to
Final Fantasy, World of Warcraft, and Chrono Trigger. The tone and feel of the setting is actionpacked and delightfully campy, similar to Power Rangers. Both the look and feel of the game also have a dash of My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic.

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Goals
To build an engaging world through minimalistic means. Historically,
sidescrolling beat-em-up games havent exactly had very deep plots. Oftentimes, it boils down to So-and-so has been kidnapped by thugs! Save them! Loralis is a vast and expansive setting, so even if the gameplay is comparatively simple and the levels very linear, each one of level will teach the player something new about the world, encouraging them to think about just what kind of mysteries the rest of Loralis holds.

To be enjoyable by a wide range of people. Everyone should be able to get some enjoyment out of Bladestorm Adventures. The controls are simple enough for anyone to pick up and play, but later levels are a fiendish test of skill for the truly dedicated. The characters and world are bright and colorful with plenty of humor for the casual viewer, but with a deeper lore under the surface for those who seek it out. The game is packed full of exciting action and fighting, but with no real graphic violence so as not to drive up age restrictions. Theres something for everyone!

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Gameplay
The Framing Device
The framing device for the game is Slash and his friend Lance sitting in a tavern, swapping stories. Each level is a different one of Slashs stories, which means that the levels can each explore a very different location and situation than the others, and tell the overarching, gamespanning story in a nonlinear fashion.

The Basics
The level setup is overall very similar to other sidescrolling beat-em-ups: the field is viewed from a birds-eye view, the player moves right, groups of enemies appear at certain intervals, and once all the enemies in a group are defeated, the player can continue moving right until they reach the boss. Once the boss is defeated, the level is complete. Each level, on average, should take 4-6 minutes to complete. However, since these levels are stories told by Slash, theyre not necessarily the same every time

I once took down a monster THIS big!

As the level plays out, Slash can be heard narrating over the action. braggart that he is, he ll often embellish and exaggerate his stories, which means that conditions in the level can change from moment to moment depending on what he says. Enemy strength and abilities, enemy number, weather conditions, battlefield terrain, and just about everything else can change with a single word. Oftentimes itll go something like this: Player proceeds through the level. Slash: Suddenly, five Leykin soldiers appeared! Five leykin soldiers walk onscreen and attack the player. Slash: And each of the soldiers had a trained wolf! Five wolves spontaneously appear alongside the soldiers and start attacking. Slash: And lemme tell ya, these guys were FAST! The movement and attack speed of all enemies suddenly doubles. Additionally, other story-external events can influence the gameplay. If Slash spills a drink on himself, a massive flood will sweep the screen. If Slash exaggerates too much, his friend Lance may chime in and question Slashs sincerity, revoking the exaggerations a little. All of these factors are influenced by the difficulty level. At the highest difficulties, Slash will exaggerate A LOT, and Lance wont bother to correct him!

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Player Character
Slash Blade
Backstory Slash was raised by humans, having been left on the doorstep of the capitol as an infant by some unknown party. There were a few other things left with him, including a bright red gemstone and a collection of books and scrolls detailing bladekin culture and history up until just before the leykin wiped them out. Having had friendly relations with the bladekin in the past, the royal family decided to raise the young bladekin as best they could. As a result, Slash's upbringing contained a blend of human and bladekin culture, and he became very close friends with the family's young heir, Lance. Eventually, Slash struck out on his own to explore the world and find his calling in life. He became well-known for his bright personality, and later his skills, throughout the human nation. However, When word of Slash's existence reached the Leykin Empire (whose relations with the humans were already strained), they were outraged. They accused the humans of "harboring a dangerous criminal" and broke off relations with the humans when they refused to turn Slash over to the Leykin authorities. Many were confused by this reaction, but none more than Slash, who had never made an enemy in his life, let alone an entire empire of them. After piecing together bladekin/leykin history and the circumstances of his early life, Slash came to the conclusion that there may be other surviving bladekin that still resist the Leykin Empire, and that he was somehow critical to both their survival and the defeat of the leykin. He proceeded to throw himself even further into training and adventuring (both on his own and with his human friends), preparing for the day when he would finally confront the leykin. Physical Description Slash stands at around two-and-a-half feet tall. His body is extremely compact, and as such he is often described as "a head with limbs". His entire body is covered in soft, short-ish pink fur that lengthens at the top of his head. Two triangular dog-like ears sit on top of his head, and can swivel horizontally to better catch sound. His limbs are quite long in relation to his body and are very flexible, able to bend in unconventional directions quite easily. His jaws extend outward from his face into a short muzzle filled with razor-sharp, nigh-indestructible teeth. His right canine tooth is quite long and often protrudes from his mouth, but his left canine is a tiny stub as the result of a birth defect. The claws on his hands and feet are a bit of a paradox: While they're very sharp and extremely strong, they're also flexible and dexterous, capable of the same feats as human fingers despite appearing to be completely solid. Each of his feet has an opposable toe-claw, allowing them to grasp objects. Finally, his senses of sight, smell, and hearing are quite strong, far above that of the other sapient races of Loralis.
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Mental/Social Attributes Academically, Slash isn't very smart. All but the simplest math confuses him, and he normally uses uncomplicated vocabulary. He can read and write human text, but has very sloppy handwriting. His overall maturity level is around that of a human teenager and he tends to be quite hotheaded, often leaping into situations without thinking it over. However, Slash is otherwise extremely clever (even if he can't find the right words to express it), and his natural instincts are very keen. He's able to quickly analyze the patterns in his opponents' behavior and take advantage of it in short order, and he has an excellent memory. He's also an expert at tracking as well as forging and repairing weapons. Slash is extremely social and outgoing. He can often draw the attention of an entire tavern when he tells stories about his various exploits, and his explosively friendly aura can just about shock people out of depression. He has very little problem making friends, and very often makes several new ones in each town and village he spends time in. Though he has many casual friends, his closest friends are a carefully chosen few, and are mainly people that he's known throughout his life (one in particular is Lance, the heir of one of the ruling human families). However, Slash sees every one of his friends as important, and will not hesitate to help them if he's capable of doing so. Combat Style: Slashs arsenal consists exclusively of bladed weapons. Swords, knives, shurikens, axes, you name it. If it includes an edge, hell use it, and use it well. His fighting style is chaotic and madcap, darting this way and that in a manner that none but he can predict. In short, lots of dashing, lots of jumping, and lots of quick blade strikes. One more facet to his fighting style is his red gemstone: When Slash was researching bladekin history, he had many human mages study the red gemstone that he was found with as a baby. As it turned out, the stone was magical on a unique and seemingly unprecedented level. Some more research turned up a legend set during the time of the dragon invasion that told of the blessing given to the bladekin by Fyria, the god of ferocity. Apparently, her blessing had come in the physical form of a fire-red gemstone that allowed the bladekin to access powers and abilities that had been dormant in their race for millennia. Eventually, after much effort, Slash learned how to tap into the gem's power: After he works up enough battle-rage, it can temporarily transform him into an enormous, mighty, proto-bladekin beast that he has named "Brokenfang". This form is an absolute terror on the battlefield, and no force encountered thus far can truly stand against it. However, Slash's mind is clouded with rage and fury during the transformation, making it extremely difficult to properly maintain. Slash is undeterred by this, and hopes to fully tame Brokenfang one day, as he's certain that the transformation will be a key asset in defeating the leykin.
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Non-Player Characters
Friends
Lance
Lance is the heir of the ruling human family, and grew up together with Slash. An excellent swordsman and a consummate adventurer, Lance started his career only a few years after Slash did, inspired by his best friends initiative. Feeling that something is missing from the current historical record, Lance is currently scouring the world for information about what exactly happened during the dragon invasion. When hes not adventuring, he often hangs out with Slash to exchange stories and banter. He has a healthy amount of skepticism for some of Slashs more colorful tales, but enjoys them nonetheless, secretly wondering just how far Slash can take his exaggerations.

Antagonists
Arca, Emperors Apprentice
A magical prodigy even by leykin standards, Arcas natural affinity for magic caught the Emperors eye, and he took her as his personal apprentice. Because of this, she is the emperors right-hand sorcerer, subordinate only to him. However, she is quite young; perhaps the youngest apprentice ever taken by an emperor, and as such the imperial soldiers and generals sometimes have a difficult time taking orders from her. Arcas youth nonetheless affords her a natural, nigh-insatiable curiosity. If her duties take her beyond the borders of the Leykin Empire, shell often artificially drag out the mission to explore the world. However, she is staunchly loyal to her teacher, and will obey the empero rs orders to the letter. Her most recent objective: Kill Slash Blade.

Drosan the Necromancer

Scouts of the human nation have reported bizarre activity at the various ancient battlefields scattered across the land, namely the corpses of fallen warriors rising again as mindless undead. Each report has included the description of a skeletal figure in black robes. From his appearance and his use of death magic, it would seem that this person is a lich of the Nightshade Dryad Clan, the first Nightshade seen in many years. His goals are unknown, but it cant be anything good if it involves raising the dead. Occasionally, leykin have been spotted talking to him, suggesting an alliance. The possibilities of such a partnership are quite worrying, as an army of leykin sorcerers supported by a legion of undead would be a force to be reckoned with. Unfortunately, rumors of this alliance are absolutely true; Drosan is working directly for the leykin Emperor as one of his chief lieutenants. Its unclear if hes a free agent or if hes a representative of the Nightshade Clan as a whole.
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Story
Background for the Story
Near the start of recorded history, the world of Loralis was entirely peaceful. The three races, Humans, Dryads, and Bladekin, lived in harmony. Magic was unheard of, weapons were only used for hunting, and exploration was quite rare, as the races had little need to do so. This idyllic period ended abruptly when dragons invaded Loralis from another world entirely. Their world was dying, and they sought the vast quantities of energy that Loralis possessed. The dragons were unlike anything the Loralians had ever seen. They were larger than any animal seen on Loralis, were fiercely intelligent, and could tap into the energy of the land itself to use magic. The Loralians were not without hope, though. The Dragons were not united in their cause, and had split into two opposing factions. In addition, the Loralians were visited by four powerful spirit-like beings that had once been patron deities of the dragons, but utterly disapproved of the invasion. With the knowledge and power granted by these gods, the Loralians were able to bolster their forces immensely. Fyria, the spirit of ferocity, taught the bladekin to tap into the power of the ancient beasts that they had descended from. Enigmos, the spirit of wisdom, taught a splinter faction of bladekin (who would later be known as the leykin) as well as several humans how to use magic. Ergia, the spirit of life, taught the dryads how to commune and cooperate with plant and animal life. Sangura, the spirit of blood, taught another group of dryads intimate knowledge on basic weaknesses present in all life, as well as how to spread disease and decay. This group of dryads would later be known as the Nightshade Clan. With their newfound strength, the Loralians were able to push the draconic invaders back to their own world, where they apparently have stayed ever since. The spirits also disappeared mysteriously, and were presumed to have traveled back to the dragon world. Though the threat of the dragons was over, peace had not yet come to Loralis. Two civil wars erupted almost simultaneously not long after the dragons were banished, one between the Bladekin and the Leykin, and the other between the Dryads and the Nightshade clan. The Leykin argued that, since they now had command over magic, the Bladekin ways were outdated and would serve little purpose. The Bladekin disagreed, and after a terrible conflict, the Bladekin were wiped out entirely, with the Leykin claiming their former territory. The Dryad/Nightshade conflict was based on the fact that their two people had come to epitomize completely opposite philosophies of life and death, and thus could not coexist. However, after seeing how the Bladekin/Leykin war had ended, the Dryads and Nightshades decided to stop fighting, with the Nightshades leaving dryad territory to search for a new home in peace. They have not been seen since. Time passed, and eventually stories of the dragons, bladekin, and Nightshades became legend. However, the initial time of conflict had awoken a curiosity in the hearts of the Loralians, and
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much more effort was put into exploring their world and learning its secrets. Loralis has never again had the same sort of peace it once did, but its people have learned, grown, and moved forward. Although, many still wonder if the dragons might return...

Locations
Looking only at its environment, Loralis almost seems like a paradise. It has several different biomes, the oxygen content of the atmosphere is quite high, and its ratio of water to land is about the same as earths, but with many more rivers and lakes. As a result, plant life is abundant and desert areas are almost unheard of. The only areas in the world that are generally dry and lifeless are the ice caps and very high mountaintops, and they see very little travel or colonization for that reason. There are three biomes that receive the most colonization, and each is identified by the primary race that inhabits them: Human Territory: This is the most widespread biome. Its mostly composed of lush, wide -open, hilly grasslands, though it also contains vast mountain ranges and small to medium-sized forests. The human architecture found here comes in two varieties: The larger cities (often castle towns) contain buildings made from expertly-cut stone blocks, and smaller (often newer) towns have wooden structures. After enough time has passed and a town is deemed to be permanent, it will often have its wooden buildings replaced with stone. Dryad Territory: The second-most widespread biome, these areas are absolutely massive forests that contain just about every form of plant life imaginable. The earth that these areas are situated upon is packed with nutrients, causing the plant-life to grow to enormous sizes, and the air is oxygen rich even for Loralis, causing the animals to grow similarly. The large predators roaming the forests makes these areas extremely dangerous, and thus the indigenous Dryads have developed a system of walkways in the forest canopy for travelers. The Dryads, who are humanoid beings that are partially plant-based, live up in the forest canopy. Their architecture blends into the forest extremely well, and mainly consists of huts nestled in the crooks of large tree branches. Leykin Territory: These areas are the least widespread of the three dominant biomes, but not by too much. They consist of vast jungles and marshes, though considerably less dense than the Dryad forests. In addition, the land of these areas has been heavily terraformed by the Leykin residents. While all the original types of plant and animal life are still intact, its immediately apparent that their placement is wholly unnatural. The ground is eerily flat, Trees are placed at intervals that are far too exact for them to have grown there by chance, rivers change direction at very sharp angles as opposed to natural curves, and animals are kept in their territory by magical fences. Leykin architecture uses mainly stone, like the humans, but utilize much larger solid pieces as opposed to numerous stone blocks. The structures themselves are very angular and geometric, with faces far too smooth to have been carved by hand, and often feature large crystals. Leykin cities are built with absolute precision, and are perfectly symmetrical when viewed from above.
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Experience
All in all, Bladestorm Adventures will remind people of why Sidescrolling beatem-ups were fun in the first place by retaining the genres core value of simple, satisfying gameplay and building upon it with new twists, to make an experience thats familiar yet fresh.

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