So a friend of mine wanted to write a story with a dystopian/sci-fi setting and I wanted to finally make a go at publishing a game so I suggested doing something in choicescript. The thing is we both have so many ideas an have only narrowed it down to the fact that we want the MC to have a close group of friends and that we want to try and make this “unique”. So does anyone have any ideas of what they would like to see for a more specific setting or story elements in a dystopian/sci-fi setting?
You’ve already got a bunch of ideas. Your problem isn’t that you need ideas is it? It’s that you need to focus on what idea you want to do most.
I say keep brainstorming with your friend until you come up with an idea that you both love so much that you have to write it. Brainstorming is fun! Throw out weird and wild ideas! And ask yourself some questions
What caused the dystopia? What type is it? How do people survive?
Is it apocalyptic with Aliens! Zombies! Robots! Plague! Nuclear War! Global Warming! Killer Plants and a meteor storm! An influx of magic!
Or has it just evolved from society?
Are there killing game shows?
Are you the plucky teen in the centre of a love triangle who’s going to make it all right?
Sci-Fi as in multiple planets or Sci-Fi as in one planet with advanced tech(robots mutants ect)? We might need a starting point if you want our ideas.
I’ve just entered my creative brain state. Totally didn’t use any drugs for it…
Now, if you want an original idea, emphasis in original, read this:
In a galaxy not too far away, there is an Empire ruled by cats. They once dominated the galaxy, surrendering the Dog Republic with the power of meowth. With this, the Dog Republic was destroyed and biscuits and frisbee were lost. Then, after almost a cat-ury the Dog Republic starts pushing back, returning with a new design of ships known as Republic Bonesaders. The Cat Empire, alarmed by this sudden invasion, wage war against the dogs, hoping for an easy win, but what they found was… DOGFEAT! After being humiliated by the dogs, the cats find out a new method of defeating the bonesaders called pie.
Behold the power of the ultimate prologue, mortals.
I don’t mean to be flip but if you’re looking for ideas simply imagine the world fifty years after a Trump presidency. That’s what I’ve been doing for my dystopian piece right now and it has been highly effective.
This is pretty much the plot of Cats vs Dogs meets Good Boy!.
HOW DARE YOU? This is basically a masterpiece that came out from the depths of my mariju-I mean creativity! You have no right to criticize this work from the heavens! You son of a cake!
I’ve lived with people on coke. Had to. It wasn’t a very artistic experience.
I mean, I’d play it. As long as it didn’t turn into some kind of political allegory like Animal Farm. I am more of a dog person, but do I love my cat too. His name is Mr. Bee.
Thank you guys so much. Any help is great help honestly. Along with the close knit group of friends, a squad if you will, we have also finally agreed on the MC backstories. The female and male MCs will be some kind of higher up, middle management, or scientist person but definely human. Whereas the genderless option will be a robot that has gained sentience. Through that we have agreed on androids (and maybe cyborgs too but I’m not too sure about that one because they are basically just people with hi-tech prosthetics), being a subjugated group and seen as machines despite displaying intelligence. I’m just going to try really hard to not make it too like the Quarians and Geth from ME.
Thank God that I managed to scratch out the killing game shows and teen love triangle stuff.
I think I’m going to make him agree to narrowing it down to one planet. Since we are trying to narrow ideas down in the first place maybe that will make the process easier?
That sounds absolutely adorable but probably not what we are looking for. And Happy Birthday dear~
Omg. I can’t imagine that. That’s like asking the people who voted for Lex Luthor to imagine that he would go insane from the weird synthesized drugs he was secretly taking for months while a giant hunk of kryptonite is about to smash into the earth in Superman/Batman: Public Enemies. I don’t think these things can be predicted.
That has kind of a derogatory connotation, that nonbinary or agender people are not human and are not normal to the human mind.
Unless you’re going to show prominent human non-binary people in your game I’d suggest staying away from giving a nb protagonist a wildly different existence than that of the binary ones.
That was a jo… coughs loudly Jok… Joke.
If i may give you a suggestion, even though i guess it won’t do, why not a military person? I mean, he could work as security, if it doesn’t fit the main storyline. And i’m yet to find a CoG that lets me play as a psychopath/serial killer, but that will probably never fit in the dystopia you are planning.
One thing that’s important about dystopian fiction is that it criticizes social problems and current trends the author is worried about by basing an entire society on that problem or trend. Nineteen-Eighty-Four is about George Orwell’s fears of Stalinism, Brave New World is about Aldous Huxley’s fear of runaway consumerism/hedonism, The Hunger Games is about Suzanne Collins’ fear of reality television turning war and personal turmoil into public spectacle, etc. It’s the author’s critique of the trends they worry about that gives dystopian fiction its force and meaning.
You and your friend need to decide what you want to warn people about. What do you see as the biggest problem facing your society? That’s what your dystopia has to be about. Otherwise your antagonists will just be a bunch of cartoon villains committing evil for its own sake.
As for specific ideas, you might crib some of the weirder practices of real totalitarian regimes, just to add verisimilitude. For example, perhaps the MC and their friends are part of the first generation of “genetically pure” orphans bred by the Regime’s elite soldiers and raised by ultra-loyal families, or perhaps in special orphanages. Just like Nazi Germany’s Lebensborn!
If your going the route MrsObedMarsh suggests you could go with the mutant master race thing psychic powers giant hulk like monsters insane genius inventors with giant brains etc. you spend the backstory (and possibly some of the intro) showing mutants being repressed exploited by the government as basically slave soldiers then a mutant uprising occurs and suddenly your the top dogs planning on conquering the neighboring nations do you revel in your new found power/superiority or do you start to wonder if it is worth all this destruction/death your causing.
I was thinking the Lebensborn would be the beloved children of the Regime, given the best the society has to offer and groomed for leadership, but sheltered from most of the atrocities the Regime commits until they come of age. It depends on what kind of themes OP wants to explore, though.
I’m a sucker for anything related to Blade Runner, Deus Ex and Shadowrun… specially if they have a 80’s vibe to them. Alas there’s not that many text games set in a dystopian world for us to enjoy.
Uh, that’s the point.
I… don’t get it? Sorry I woke up a little while ago so my brain is still in the booting process.
A dystopia is a world that is undesirable, degrading, dehumanising and unpleasant with little to no exception. By definition you’re not supposed to enjoy it.
Doh, I feel stupid now! What’s worse is that I may have mixed cyberpunk with dystopian… usually these games go hands in hands together with their similar cultural style (neon lights, 80’s vibe, evil corporations, cyborgs, etc). Nevertheless a lot of people enjoy reading and playing into those worlds (myself included) which is ironic.
I dunno…1984 made Oceania seem like SUCH a fun place!