The Massimo Gauthier studio, with the lead programmer of ANTONBLAST at the helm, has launched a Kickstarter for Diorama Break. It is a Japanese-inspired strategic RPG where the player communicates directly with the hero, a character with their own goals and doubts. They are seeking 95,000 Canadian dollars to release it on PC, Mac, Linux, and consoles. A demo is already available on Steam and itch.io.
Dialogue mechanics and real-time turn-based combat 🎮
The technical core lies in a contextual dialogue system. The player does not control the hero directly, but rather offers advice or criticism. The hero processes these suggestions based on their emotional state and personality, affecting their decisions in combat and exploration. The engine uses a branching event system that reacts to the relationship between the player and the character, with tactical turn-based combat that integrates the consequences of those conversations.
The perfect hero: has their own agenda and doesn't listen to you 😤
The charm is that the hero has their own plans, hopes, and fears. In other words, just like that friend who asks for advice only to do the opposite. You tell them not to fight the dragon, and they reply: Don't worry, I've got it under control. And you watch as they walk right into the beast's mouth. The good thing is that at least the blame isn't yours, even if they put it on you.