Originally, this project started as a simple "Choose Your Own Adventure" type of game. However, I started experimenting with visual novel programs until I switched to RPG Maker. Since then, I've been working on this game project which I titled "The Outsider Who Loved Gensokyo". It's a rather (very) simple project with an emphasis on trying to make a plot while remaining loyal to the Touhou canon as much as possible while
attempting to expand on it a little. My current goal is to separate the game in two different style of gameplay. The game is currently in demo phase and there's still a
lot to do but I'd say I've been doing some decent progress so far. The current content of the game may take a few hours to complete especially if all dialogue sequences are read.
PremiseAn outsider is lured into Gensokyo where he becomes fascinated by the strange sights and people that he would never see in his world. He decides that he will explore Gensokyo but he's warned several times that this is too dangerous. Ultimately, he either listens to these warnings and lives his life among the people of Gensokyo and the game follows a visual novel style of gameplay or he goes to meet Yukari who lured him in Gensokyo. If the latter happens, she reveals to him that he is the new emissary of Gensokyo. Every 200 years, an outsider is chosen in the outside world and he or she brings gifts to the important people of Gensokyo and usually returns to their world to spread the legends of the youkai while in exchange, the youkai will make sure that no incident within Gensokyo will ever put the outside world in danger.
The protagonist is an exception. He has no relation to the former emissaries but Yukari and Ran believes that he was chosen by Gensokyo itself. The emissary of a new generation, the outsider is granted a treasure that will protect him from the dangers of Gensokyo whenever he does not battle. This side of the story focuses on the interaction of the outsider with the people of Gensokyo as he travels in this RPG-styled game.
ContentRPG RouteThe RPG route as stated above focuses on the interaction of the protagonist with the characters of the Touhou series. It is possible to explore the regions of Gensokyo alone where bosses are easier or with the characters where the bosses fights normally. The character can improve his relationship with some of the characters during certain events, by exploring certain regions and various other methods. While it is possible to reach an ending with various characters, the RPG route technically has a few primary "heroines" in the sense that they have a little more story and interaction between them and the protagonist since there is no plan to have a visual novel route for them. While there is decision points that will improve or decrease the relationship value with the characters, there's also events that will decide what sort of ending you'll get if you finish the main plot. There's also plans for a special route that stars the Touhou characters themselves if the worst ending is reached.
As pictured above, the fighting is darn simplistic, following a standard type of gameplay for the time being. The game is meant to be possible to play on solo or as a party of four characters. On solo, usually, the bosses will be easier than their "party" version where they do not use spells that could make the battle unwinnable. The party version of the fights has the boss use their better abilities and their stats are superior as well. Even though the RPG route involves fights, the game still has an emphasis on the plot and dialogue sequences. The RPG plot is meant to explain why the protagonist was the person who became the emissary, the history of emissaries and find the one who is behind all the events of the game. The list of characters that can be recruited is at the bottom of this post.
Visual Novel RoutesNot much to say here really. There's a variety of routes available depending on your decisions. Eventually, through these decisions, the plot will focus on the heroine(s) of the route that has been reached. There's a variety of endings that can be attained including the usual good endings, the bad ones and of course the ones where the game is ending abruptly via brutal, silly or "dark" ways. The list of the routes I have planned are the the bottom of this post. Worthy of note is that there's many routes that I have planned. This may seem unrealistic but the thing is that the routes are not planned to be things that list 7 hours or so. They're meant as short stories that may last a few hours.
Concerns/Issues/NoticesI've been working solo on this project so far and I don't expect it to become different at any point. However, I need to point out a few things about the project for the time being. If I put an * next to one of these points, these issues are thing I intend to take care of or improve at a later date.
The idea is to make a simple project and not some sort of masterpiece but I still *try* to get to a certain level of good quality. - The game has a few typos. Just looking at this post will make this obvious. While I do my best to take care of them and proofread when I playtest, there's still some that are likely to be found. *
- The dialogue was originally done in a way that ended with "..." at the end of a box when a sentence wasn't finished. I moved away from doing that but earlier parts of the game has this. I plan to eventually improve this. *
- A few maps may require to be improved, especially interior ones. *
- I have currently limited in resources in term of enemy sprites and map layouts. This is pretty easy to notice when seeing the houses or character sprites from Touhoumon.
- Portraits were added early in the game and in later bits of it. The bits in between are missing but will be taken care of at a future point. *
- Some music themes are simply place holders such as music from the older Touhou games. (example: EOSD)
- Aya and Momiji has a part of their visual novel route started but it's a very, very early stage of it. To proceed to the RPG route, decide to explore Gensokyo when prompted at Yukari's house.
- Romance is possible in the game. I'm keeping mature content out of the game. However, I haven't decided if I should avoid implication of adult intercourses or if it's fine to slip in a few without being explicit.
- Right now, I focus on the RPG plot and it's main plot. There is a few relationship events in the game at the moment but many are planned to be added when the main plot has been taken care of.
- Constructive feedback both positive and negative is
EXTREMELY welcome. This can range from glitches in the game, things I omitted such as proper transition from an area to another, oddities with objects, themes brought in the game within the dialogues, inconsistencies with the canon and the list just goes on. In short, you're more than welcome to give me any feedback if you take a look at the game or even try it.
Link to Demo & VideosThis is the link for the demo of the game. This is version 2.6 which starts from the beginning of the game all the way to the first phase of Youkai Mountain and the surroundings of Eientei. The next phase of the demo is Eientei (Featuring Eientei/lunarians characters) and Youkai Mountain phase 2 (featuring the Aki sisters and Hina). Please notify me if the game doesn't work for some reason so I can fix the game ASAP.
http://www.mediafire.com/download/q59v3m3mcp2epc1/The+Outsider+Who+Loved+Gensokyo%282%29.rarThese links are recorded footage of the game, showing all the current content of the demos. The first one includes the intro of the game but the early sequences has no portraits and the protagonist has the old sprite before it was changed while the second link skips the intro and has all the bits where the portraits are shown during the early bits of the game and the protagonist has his new sprite . There's over 30 parts at the moment but I'll just post these two links.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qKIWtAErLds With intro/no portraits/old sprite
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yHqS0N0mJsU Without intro/portraits/newer sprite
Recruitable Characters currently planned for RPG Route (subject to changes)
Characters with an * near their name are already recruitable. Those with an * and a ~ are recruitable but their skills will be added in version 2.7.
- Reimu *
- Marisa *
- Meiling *
- Patchouli *~
- Sakuya *~
- Flandre
- Chen *
- Alice *
- Youmu
- Ran *
- Mystia *~
- Keine *
- Reisen
- Kaguya (Will not join if Mokou is in party unless Keine is as well)
- Mokou *~ (Will not join if Kaguya is in party unless Keine is as well)
- Aya
- Medicine
- Yuuka
- Shizuha
- Nitori
- Momiji
- Sanae
- Iku
- Tenshi
- Yamame
- Murasa *
- Shou
- Byakuren *
Heroines Currently Planned For Visual Novel Routes (subject to changes)
If the characters has a "/" attaching them to another character, this means that these characters shares the same plot together. Those with a X next to their name are routes I'd consider if I had their sprite for RPG Maker XP.
- Reimu
- Marisa
- Meiling/Patchouli/Sakuya
- Remilia/Flandre
- Alice
- Youmu
- Ran
- Yuyuko (New game + only and need to clear a true ending)
- Yukari (New game + only and need to clear a true ending)
- Keine/Kaguya/Mokou
- Tewi/Reisen
- Eirin (New game + only and need to clear a true ending)
- Aya/Momiji
- Komachi
- Minoriko/Shizuha
- Nitori
- Sanae
- Kanako/Suwako (New game + only and need to clear a true ending)
- Parsee
- Satori/Rin/Utsuho/Koishi
- Myouren Temple residents
- Miko X
- Kasen X