I guess the big question that stands out in my mind now is WHY would I choose to go back in time to discover myself? For what purpose would the old man want to send me back in time? It seems as if there should be some agenda. Possibly it''s changing the past so that he (...or...I...) can rest in peace? Maybe I should have saved a loved one the last time around, and here''s another chance for me? Maybe I could have saved the planet but chose not to? And if I have the ability to time travel, why wouldn''t I do it myself? I (...del, this time!...) feel as if there needs to be some purpose...something a little more than just to "discover myself."

Interesting twist: I am the head bad guy that destroys the planet! Now, I wish to repent by repeating the past through a younger self, to whom I have preached the importance of high values and the temptations of evil! Hopefully, he (...I...) can break the cycle...or be doomed to repeat until he gets it right. I''ll get to rest at some point in my (infinite) lifetime(s)! LOL...just a thought...I''m bored @ work, too!

~del

What you says makes sense.. (ESPECIALLY the bored at work part!)

I wonder though, would you give up possibly everything you know now to be true, just to have the chance of changing maybe one or two things that happened in your life.. I have now asked myself that same question, and although its tempting to say yes, be honest, the answer should really be no. Although I would have liked to have another chance on that game winning shot, or said someting different to that ex-girlfriend, sure it may seem like a good idea, but ultimatly it may have created a ripple effect that would put me in a different place now than im in.. So perhaps once he returns to the planet/time he started on, theres a pressing matter to be taken care of.. maybe finish the villian once and for all, even if it means everytime he may have the chance, his home planet will be destroyed.. Maybe its not he sends his youngerself to go back in time to fullfill something, but rather he has to in order to be where he is today, knowing that if he were to request something to change he may have a whole different conclusion and ending...

Ask yourself that question, and if you can still honestly argue that you would want something changed even though theres the risk, please let me know.. If this is enough for you to agree with me, then I know this is a theme the main character can learn, and in turn the player too can grow from the expierience and feel somewhat related to the character on an emotional level or some sort.. What do you think?

quote: Original post by Nahoopii
Around age 7 ... travel back in time to find out his roots.

Since he lost his memory at age 7 how much "roots" can he have? I think you should make him older, maybe start at 15, and spend maybe 2 years or so with the old man. Or maybe they can have a life expectancy of 30 years .

I think my brain is starting to hurt from thinking about this. LOL. Anyway, I''ve been thinking about the movie "Frequency" a lot while reading your posts. It''s a story about a kid who loses his dad. Years later, while playing with a Hamm (spelling?) radio, he ends up talking with his dad in the past. He ends up saving his dad. But there''s a catch...no one around him realizes that what is different now was ever different before. They don''t realize that he ever died...because he never did. So the question I have to pose next is this...I am the old man, and I send my youngerself back in time, and he changes something. I am still my youngerself''s future. Does my past and present change? And if it does, do I even realize it?

Okay, now that I''ve asked that, I have to say that I agree with you in your previous post. I believe that the decisions that we make define our character, who we are. I''ve made mistakes in the past that I regret(...haven''t we all?), but if I had to choose again, I would make all the same decisions because I''m proud of who I''ve become and am happy with my surroundings. So...touche!

~del

quote: Original post by Nahoopii
The following ages are not the final ages, just used to explain the idea.

raging_jakl, your right, he cant possibly have that much to recover having only been 7, which is why I listed the disclaimer shown above. I havent got the specific years down yet, must..have..more..time

And Del, thanks again for replying.. Im relieved that my tangent about if we do it again theory is something you can agree with. And as far as your question goes, I can totally agree.. Who knows? Maybe someting in our past HAS changed, we would never know, neither would the people around us. If something was to "change" from the past, it would not have been a change at all, it would have been the original happening, and I think this is an excellent basis to which we can base a video game on..

Anything else? Anyone? I love the feedback.

Hmm, I have come across an idea that I wanted to throw out there in case someone has some comments about it..

Maybe before being sent back in time for the first time, the elderly man DOES request the character to do something different.. when the chance comes the player can decide whether or not to oblige the old man, thus completly changing whats to happen in the future, leaving room for multiple endings.. Ill have to think about that, any comments?

I like that idea better. Gives more of a sense of purpose and an ultimate goal in the game. Otherwise, it would seem a lot like MorrowWind: "Here you are! Go do something!" I lost interest really quickly. Also, without this added, why would the old guy in the beginning matter anyway? Truthfully, he wouldn''t really impact the story, even when you find out that he''s really your older self.

~del

quote: Original post by Del Snd of Thndr
I like that idea better. Gives more of a sense of purpose and an ultimate goal in the game. Otherwise, it would seem a lot like MorrowWind: "Here you are! Go do something!" I lost interest really quickly. Also, without this added, why would the old guy in the beginning matter anyway? Truthfully, he wouldn''t really impact the story, even when you find out that he''s really your older self.

~del

You have got to be gettin tired or talking about this, but I totally appreciate you accompanying me through this, it has helped more than you can possibly know..

I dont think we are seeing eye to eye on this, and its a a common misconception people seem to have when I show them what Ive come up with..The old man is the same guy as the kid who remembers nothing, so earlier in his lifetime he to was sent back to find out about who he is and where hes from. Should he neglect to send the younger version back, he himself will lose all facts about himself he was able to recover.. That in itself should be motivation enough to send his younger version back..

Also once the player gets to this point, he too will send a younger version of himself back, but I wouldnt want the game to end there. Though this is probably the part I have put the LEAST amount of thought into, the character/player will continue on to have his revenge on the villians who destroyed his home world. Which gives another reason why he must send his youngerself back, which is to ensure his youngerself will save the even MORE younger version. (by this I mean send then youngest version forward in time, to later meet up with him when THAT version will lose its memory, debate and eventually decide to go back in time to learn about himself, etc. etc. etc.)