Cloud Story

X-Calibar · May 22, 2010

I figured it was about time I made a thread for the mod idea I've been toying with since 2006...
(lol yes! those who remember that far back probably laugh at how long I've waited to get started...)

Basics :
Cloud Story or Kumo Monogatari (kumo = cloud as in the sky), is my answer to a Cave Story prequel from the 10 years ago.
At the moment I'm seperating content into 3 chapters (or games). I'll be happy if I get at least ONE finished...

Currently code-named :
Cloud Story - chapter 1 : Thunder
Cloud Story - chapter 2 : Rain
Cloud Story - chapter 3 : Cloud

Each one is expected to be about the size of Cave Story...

Thunder is the story everybody knows.
Quote and Curly land on the island. It's a wreck... Mimigas are being slaughtered... The robots are searching for the Demon Crown.
Eventually, the Demon Crown is obtained and the island falls silent. Q&C eventually confront Miakid, which about ends chapter 1.

Curly is the main character in Thunder. [unless I end up having it be selectable for some reason...]
There will be various endings like Cave Story.
At the end of the game your progress can be transfered to chapter 2, to unlock various things...

Rain is something that is still in the early design stage. It's basically the events that happen on the island during the war. This one features Arthur...
Once again there will be various endings, and you can copy your save file for chapter 3.

Cloud is the conclusion to the war, and what becomes of Miakid, setting up the stage for Cave Story... I'm not giving any spoilers to this one! 3 is actually farther along than 2...

Current status :
May 22, 2010
I'm currently casually beginning to map out chapter 1 with Cave Editor. I am using the default background graphics, to map at the moment... I figure I'll create the whole game maps first, then maybe write most of the TSC script or edit/replace the graphics second. Lastly will be hacking and music... I don't know anything about hacking really; so I'm putting this at the end of the mod. I'm going for story first; then I can modify the game as I can figure out hacking for extra fun...

For more details and spoilers :

I'm not sure how much I'm willing to spoil...

I'll name *some* of the maps! (names are tentative)

- chapter 1 -
Grasstown (I don't think I will call it bushlands...)
Forbidden Field
Quote
Dream
Warzone
Mimiga Town Ruins
Dark Forest
Windy Plains
Frozen Lake
Mountain
Ancient Ruins
Mechanical Base
Cloudy Cliff
First Cloud
Secret Corridor

If you haven't guessed, many of the maps will take place above ground, as it is appropriately titled "Cloud" Story.
I figure I won't give away real plot spoilers, till I have something for you to play since that'd remove the reason for making the mod...

I've spent yearssss, thinking about how I'd like to create the mod, but wasn't sure how I'd meet Pixel's grand Cave Story... so Slowly I've refined the story, and read and wrote enough theories to at least have a fighting chance at trying to make a decent prequel

My goal is to be accurate enough to make most connections and theories to Cave Story make sense; but lofty and ambigious like cave story while creating room for a PREQUEL to Cloud Story [aka, the 2nd Crown Bearer].
(I have no intention of making a prequel to my prequel mod though!)

DoubleThink · May 22, 2010

I thought the name sounded familiar. Sounds like you've got everything figured out already, so good luck getting it all together. The mod idea I started in 2006 never really went anywhere so I guess you must be happy with what you've done to stay with it all this time. Oooh these sequel and prequel ideas we all have...

WoodenRat · May 25, 2010

Frozen Lake and Mimiga town ruins sound interesting...

Wellp, good luck!

X-Calibar · May 4, 2011

It's been a longg time since I worked on this; but my interest never faded...
So...

I'm working on pushing things along now so it won't be Cloud Story Forever!~ Coming after Duke Nukem Forever!

I started by making my first blog the other day to keep people informed of progress as it happens. Actual finalized progress on the mod is still 0% lol, but I've been busy creating resources, doing some practice modding and writing and rewriting plot stuff.

Here's the blog :
http://cloudstorymod.wordpress.com/

Blog is still under construction, but that'll be the place to look in the future for updates and stuff :momo:

Omega · May 4, 2011

about darn time a cloud mod was made.

Lace · May 4, 2011

O.o
I think I remember you talking about this mod a LONG time ago.
I'd give you my traditional advice about not overreaching yourself, but if you have been "working" on something for five years, I guess that's almost enough to dissuade me.

I hope you do make some progress. I've seen your blag and it is nifty.

X-Calibar · May 4, 2011

Lace said:
O.o
I think I remember you talking about this mod a LONG time ago.
I'd give you my traditional advice about not overreaching yourself, but if you have been "working" on something for five years, I guess that's almost enough to dissuade me.

I hope you do make some progress. I've seen your blag and it is nifty.

It's too bad I put it off for so long; I would get involved with a bunch of projects from a bunch of different games, and never release a really big mod for them. This time though, I'm cutting ties to modding other games until I finish this one.

Pros for waiting this long to begin... I got to see other people's interpetations of CS and have a chance to use the tools and info (and engines) out there, so hopefully I can focus on "what do I want to do", rather than, "what can I do..."

Once there is a post showing actual™ in-game progress! I will go bump again !

EDIT: btw... Lace ... = DB?

GIRakaCHEEZER · May 4, 2011

X-Calibar said:
EDIT: btw... Lace ... = DB?

DB has left forever (supposedly).

Ralren · May 4, 2011

Looks pretty nifty.

X-Calibar · May 4, 2011

GIRakaCHEEZER said:
DB has left forever (supposedly).

Ah okay, I was still slightly confused from the Noxid thread :confused:

@Ralren -

Slither · May 23, 2011

X-Calibar said:
I figured it was about time I made a thread for the mod idea I've been toying with since 2006...
(lol yes! those who remember that far back probably laugh at how long I've waited to get started...)

Basics :
Cloud Story or Kumo Monogatari (kumo = cloud as in the sky), is my answer to a Cave Story prequel from the 10 years ago.
At the moment I'm seperating content into 3 chapters (or games). I'll be happy if I get at least ONE finished...

Currently code-named :
Cloud Story - chapter 1 : Thunder
Cloud Story - chapter 2 : Rain
Cloud Story - chapter 3 : Cloud

Each one is expected to be about the size of Cave Story...

Thunder is the story everybody knows.
Quote and Curly land on the island. It's a wreck... Mimigas are being slaughtered... The robots are searching for the Demon Crown.
Eventually, the Demon Crown is obtained and the island falls silent. Q&C eventually confront Miakid, which about ends chapter 1.

Curly is the main character in Thunder. [unless I end up having it be selectable for some reason...]
There will be various endings like Cave Story.
At the end of the game your progress can be transfered to chapter 2, to unlock various things...

Rain is something that is still in the early design stage. It's basically the events that happen on the island during the war. This one features Arthur...
Once again there will be various endings, and you can copy your save file for chapter 3.

Cloud is the conclusion to the war, and what becomes of Miakid, setting up the stage for Cave Story... I'm not giving any spoilers to this one! 3 is actually farther along than 2...

Current status :
May 22, 2010
I'm currently casually beginning to map out chapter 1 with Cave Editor. I am using the default background graphics, to map at the moment... I figure I'll create the whole game maps first, then maybe write most of the TSC script or edit/replace the graphics second. Lastly will be hacking and music... I don't know anything about hacking really; so I'm putting this at the end of the mod. I'm going for story first; then I can modify the game as I can figure out hacking for extra fun...

For more details and spoilers :

I'm not sure how much I'm willing to spoil...

I'll name *some* of the maps! (names are tentative)

- chapter 1 -
Grasstown (I don't think I will call it bushlands...)
Forbidden Field
Quote
Dream
Warzone
Mimiga Town Ruins
Dark Forest
Windy Plains
Frozen Lake
Mountain
Ancient Ruins
Mechanical Base
Cloudy Cliff
First Cloud
Secret Corridor

If you haven't guessed, many of the maps will take place above ground, as it is appropriately titled "Cloud" Story.
I figure I won't give away real plot spoilers, till I have something for you to play since that'd remove the reason for making the mod...

I've spent yearssss, thinking about how I'd like to create the mod, but wasn't sure how I'd meet Pixel's grand Cave Story... so Slowly I've refined the story, and read and wrote enough theories to at least have a fighting chance at trying to make a decent prequel
My goal is to be accurate enough to make most connections and theories to Cave Story make sense; but lofty and ambigious like cave story while creating room for a PREQUEL to Cloud Story [aka, the 2nd Crown Bearer].
(I have no intention of making a prequel to my prequel mod though!)

Crap! I feel unoriginal now!
Well, I suppose we can either compete or work together, so...
UNNEEDED VIOLENCE! I'll rip the head off this mod! CLOUD DOESN'T STAND A CHANCE!
...Nah, just joking, that's the half-life talking. In all seriousness, I had no idea this existed when I started Misery Story.
Doesn't mean I'm gonna quit. :greydroll:

X-Calibar · Jun 13, 2011

LunarSoul said:
Crap! I feel unoriginal now!
Well, I suppose we can either compete or work together, so...
UNNEEDED VIOLENCE! I'll rip the head off this mod! CLOUD DOESN'T STAND A CHANCE!
...Nah, just joking, that's the half-life talking. In all seriousness, I had no idea this existed when I started Misery Story.
Doesn't mean I'm gonna quit.

CLOUD
Z
_A
__P
~ :chin:

~

a bolt of lightning is coming for Misery Story!
ahh I mean Keep up the good work ;D I especially liked the cutscenes at the beginning!

Picking up the angry fish was awkward though...

...

As for a progress update on Cloud Story eh, I've been neglecting RL work and CS progress is currently Droll speed [When I get hit, I go FAST; then I just stand there] I'm kinda stuck on figuring out the various characters and their roles, and factoring in the new ideas I've been playing with lately.

The general setting and planned levels are mostly done.
The general flow of the story and planned major events are mostly done.
I still need to create the individual new characters, and their specific roles.
I still need to create more specific team challenges since C & Q should stick together for most of the time.

[I was hoping to make CS multiplayer with Agora's Legends, but at the moment, the word from JTE is don't hold my breath for its completion. I hope she'll finish it, but in the meantime I should focus on singleplayer.]

...

In other news, from the Cthulhu theory thread I have some ideas for Annachponae's reign as the second Crown-bearer. So, that should help me put together some vague references in Cloud Story for the yet another previous story.

Been making a list of scripted scenes I'd like to include in-game.

Also been finding some inspirational videos :
This one for instance, the photo of King, Jack, Toroko, ... and Arthur. I really like the feeling of that pic. Somehow I'd like to incorporate a tight knit group like that into Cloud Story. [It won't be all of them since the ages don't match up, but it's a starting point.]

Another inspirational video from an anime, Chrono Crusade :
This one for instance shows an example kind of scene I'd like to re-create. Try the very beginning for instance. All of those people shooting at a single enemy, and then just like that, they are blown away, scattered like leaves.
Now, whether those will be robots vs Frenzied Mimigas; or Humans vs Robots; or a representation of what the War on the surface, remains to be seen...
(PS : Chrno is like Quote to me and Rosette is like Curly; always inspirational!)

Also, attempted to flesh out some ideas for Misery's past.
I really want to give Misery a "romance" of some sort.

Back in the days of the old Kingdom where Ballos, Jenka, Misery and their family lived happily, they didn't have a care in the world :

What led to the King's twisted thinking? What possessed the King to such jealousy? Well that's... for another story.

When Ballos unleashed the madness of his magic and wiped out the kingdom, perhaps Misery had been there as well. Maybe she was just a kid still at the time, but seeing the world and people she knew burnt away by Ballos in an instant...

I don't know if it was her own magic, or Balrog or Jenka that protected her.

In any case, that was probably the day the name "Misery" was born.

Skipping far ahead in time, she has grown up pretty much. For some reason Misery now has Ballos create a "Demon Crown". What was its purpose? Revenge? Power? Trickery? Whatever it was, it granted her access to monsterous power. What did she use that power to do?

I don't know. Not yet anyways...
Eventually, something went wrong. How much time had passed since she had gained the great power of the Crown before it turned on her? Had she accomplished her goal? In a moment of weakness or doubt or eventually losing herself to the power, the Crown turned against Misery. The master was now the slave. The Crown, or more precisely, whoever found it was now the master.
Enslaved, her own actions had turned her into a puppet.

The details of this time, are currently lost...

But, the tale of the Floating Island grew on the surface. And there were a few who sought it, and there were even a few who would come to live on it.

The Crown was hidden or perhaps had not taken shape again yet. But, there were tales of a strange girl sealed by magic. The child who had heard of the tales, ventured one day deep into the caves, probably lost.

And, then he found her (and Balrog!). His imagination, curosity piqued he would come again and again to this place to study its origins as he grew up. Always searching for a way to wake the girl. Perhaps there was a strange crown there, but its eye was closed, and/or he did not know about it/could see it.

Eventually one day, others found this secret cave; and the boy, now about the age of the girl; could not stop this group from marching into this secret place. And then the Crown's eye opened. And the leader of this group claimed the Crown.

And before his eyes, Balrog... and the Girl, Misery awakened. To serve their Master (Halda?).

The boy was overjoyed at her awakening, but things quickly went horribly wrong.

He would escape with his life, but life would become harsh as the Crown-bearer would bring the chaos we've come to associate with the Crown, upon them... With Misery, the girl at the crown-bearer's side.

As time passed, the boy would eventually come to save the girl after figuring out about her curse to serve the crown-bearer.
A long difficult road lay ahead of the boy, especially when the one you are trying to save, is being commanded to kill you!

That boy would never give up on her however, and perhaps with the help of heroes, he would eventually bring down the Crown-bearer.

But, even with the Crown's defeat, he discovered she was not free. A temporary reprieve before she would be once again be forced into slumber...

Perhaps Misery was able to have a short time though, a short time of freedom and happiness; awkward, but important to them both.

Soon the day would arrive when she was being forced back into slumber...

Even though the girl would say it was hopeless, he would go ahead and make an impossible promise to her.
That no matter what, no matter how long it took... he would find a way to free her from the curse.

She was now out of his reach, and he was returned to the surface. But, never would he stop searching for a way to break the curse.

And he would pass on his legacy, into the future...

...
.....
And far off into the future, two robots were created for a very special purpose... that would finally fufill the promise made so very long ago.

Certainly she wouldn't have realized it at the time, but when Ballos fell and the curse was broken, she looked into the sky as those two robots flew away, and knew the truth; that he had saved her. He had never given up on her...

*cough* something along those lines anyways
Here are some videos that helped inspire this line of thought from the anime El-Hazard :

Skip to 55 seconds. The girl kind of reminds me of Misery. She is also enslaved to whoever awakens her. The world would fear and hate her, but the boy would never gave up on her. Even though their happy ending wouldn't happen for thousands of years, they would eventually find their happy ending.

Picture the maniac as a crown-bearer ...

Lace · Jun 13, 2011

X-Calibar said:
I really want to give Misery a "romance" of some sort.

Don't we all?

...
Ah, yes.
I think your ideas are all very cool - where most modders give up is in the implementation of those ideas, so I hope you can pull through.

Slither · Jun 13, 2011

X-Calibar said:
CLOUD
Z
_A
__P
~~

a bolt of lightning is coming for Misery Story!
ahh I mean Keep up the good work ;D I especially liked the cutscenes at the beginning!

Picking up the angry fish was awkward though...

...

As for a progress update on Cloud Story eh, I've been neglecting RL work and CS progress is currently Droll speed [When I get hit, I go FAST; then I just stand there] I'm kinda stuck on figuring out the various characters and their roles, and factoring in the new ideas I've been playing with lately.

The general setting and planned levels are mostly done.
The general flow of the story and planned major events are mostly done.
I still need to create the individual new characters, and their specific roles.
I still need to create more specific team challenges since C & Q should stick together for most of the time.

[I was hoping to make CS multiplayer with Agora's Legends, but at the moment, the word from JTE is don't hold my breath for its completion. I hope she'll finish it, but in the meantime I should focus on singleplayer.]

...

In other news, from the Cthulhu theory thread I have some ideas for Annachponae's reign as the second Crown-bearer. So, that should help me put together some vague references in Cloud Story for the yet another previous story.

Been making a list of scripted scenes I'd like to include in-game.

Also been finding some inspirational videos :
This one for instance, the photo of King, Jack, Toroko, ... and Arthur. I really like the feeling of that pic. Somehow I'd like to incorporate a tight knit group like that into Cloud Story. [It won't be all of them since the ages don't match up, but it's a starting point.]

Another inspirational video from an anime, Chrono Crusade :
This one for instance shows an example kind of scene I'd like to re-create. Try the very beginning for instance. All of those people shooting at a single enemy, and then just like that, they are blown away, scattered like leaves.
Now, whether those will be robots vs Frenzied Mimigas; or Humans vs Robots; or a representation of what the War on the surface, remains to be seen...
(PS : Chrno is like Quote to me and Rosette is like Curly; always inspirational!)

Also, attempted to flesh out some ideas for Misery's past.
I really want to give Misery a "romance" of some sort.

Back in the days of the old Kingdom where Ballos, Jenka, Misery and their family lived happily, they didn't have a care in the world :

What led to the King's twisted thinking? What possessed the King to such jealousy? Well that's... for another story.

When Ballos unleashed the madness of his magic and wiped out the kingdom, perhaps Misery had been there as well. Maybe she was just a kid still at the time, but seeing the world and people she knew burnt away by Ballos in an instant...

I don't know if it was her own magic, or Balrog or Jenka that protected her.

In any case, that was probably the day the name "Misery" was born.

Skipping far ahead in time, she has grown up pretty much. For some reason Misery now has Ballos create a "Demon Crown". What was its purpose? Revenge? Power? Trickery? Whatever it was, it granted her access to monsterous power. What did she use that power to do?

I don't know. Not yet anyways...
Eventually, something went wrong. How much time had passed since she had gained the great power of the Crown before it turned on her? Had she accomplished her goal? In a moment of weakness or doubt or eventually losing herself to the power, the Crown turned against Misery. The master was now the slave. The Crown, or more precisely, whoever found it was now the master.
Enslaved, her own actions had turned her into a puppet.

The details of this time, are currently lost...

But, the tale of the Floating Island grew on the surface. And there were a few who sought it, and there were even a few who would come to live on it.

The Crown was hidden or perhaps had not taken shape again yet. But, there were tales of a strange girl sealed by magic. The child who had heard of the tales, ventured one day deep into the caves, probably lost.

And, then he found her (and Balrog!). His imagination, curosity piqued he would come again and again to this place to study its origins as he grew up. Always searching for a way to wake the girl. Perhaps there was a strange crown there, but its eye was closed, and/or he did not know about it/could see it.

Eventually one day, others found this secret cave; and the boy, now about the age of the girl; could not stop this group from marching into this secret place. And then the Crown's eye opened. And the leader of this group claimed the Crown.

And before his eyes, Balrog... and the Girl, Misery awakened. To serve their Master (Halda?).

The boy was overjoyed at her awakening, but things quickly went horribly wrong.

He would escape with his life, but life would become harsh as the Crown-bearer would bring the chaos we've come to associate with the Crown, upon them... With Misery, the girl at the crown-bearer's side.

As time passed, the boy would eventually come to save the girl after figuring out about her curse to serve the crown-bearer.
A long difficult road lay ahead of the boy, especially when the one you are trying to save, is being commanded to kill you!

That boy would never give up on her however, and perhaps with the help of heroes, he would eventually bring down the Crown-bearer.

But, even with the Crown's defeat, he discovered she was not free. A temporary reprieve before she would be once again be forced into slumber...

Perhaps Misery was able to have a short time though, a short time of freedom and happiness; awkward, but important to them both.

Soon the day would arrive when she was being forced back into slumber...

Even though the girl would say it was hopeless, he would go ahead and make an impossible promise to her.
That no matter what, no matter how long it took... he would find a way to free her from the curse.

She was now out of his reach, and he was returned to the surface. But, never would he stop searching for a way to break the curse.

And he would pass on his legacy, into the future...

...
.....
And far off into the future, two robots were created for a very special purpose... that would finally fufill the promise made so very long ago.

Certainly she wouldn't have realized it at the time, but when Ballos fell and the curse was broken, she looked into the sky as those two robots flew away, and knew the truth; that he had saved her. He had never given up on her...

*cough* something along those lines anyways
Here are some videos that helped inspire this line of thought from the anime El-Hazard :

Skip to 55 seconds. The girl kind of reminds me of Misery. She is also enslaved to whoever awakens her. The world would fear and hate her, but the boy would never gave up on her. Even though their happy ending wouldn't happen for thousands of years, they would eventually find their happy ending.

Picture the maniac as a crown-bearer ...

...Wow.
Well, looks like you got some story! Hope your mod turns out awesomely.
If you need help with anything, just ask.
And don't worry, my modding style is the same way. :debug: