Yeah, that could work.

Here is how I've sweaked it. In point form.

Main player (MP) of EU (top agent) is assassian.
MP assigned to kill pres of Russia (R).
Terrorist group (L = Leader) is friends with R pres.
Annual fesitival in Latvia where the pres attends.
MP manages to kill pres but also accidentally kills L's son.
MP gets caught and imprisoned in Latvia.
L takes oppotunity to take over R government and use its resources.
L send small force to kill MP in Latvia.
EU send small force to rescue MP in Latvia.
L's men and EU men clash and a huge battle takes place.
News spreads that everyone was killed.
Only a few men on either side survive and flee into the country.
L hears of EU support of MP and sends terror attacks on EU.
EU declares war on R.
After 4 years, L with Soviet support and resources defeats EU and takes control.
USA is hesitant to aid due to two super powers under the control of L.
With so many resources, L plans to invade USA.
MP, stuck in Latvia, manages to escape with help from survivor from battle.
Race to kill leader before another war begins.

I need it to be like this because if the agent is free to start with then he can just go and kill the leader of the terrorist group since he is an assassian and stop a war. So he needs to be locked up.

Quote: what kinda spy gets caught!?

James Bond 007 got caught in Tomorrow Never Dies, I think [grin]
my thoughts:

1. If some of L's men survive the clash with EU soldiers, L would know that MP was still alive. This is not necessarily a bad thing. It might explain a why a lot of stealth is required. Being thought dead kinda makes it easier for the MP. Everything would depend on L's determination to kill MP. I suggest that L doesn't really want to kill MP since MP was just a tool of EU so, he does not use all his resources to hunt MP down. Also, 4 years to escape from L is a bit problematic. This was also my first idea though. But I changed it to intel gathering in R to be more realistic - they can't go back to EU, they can't attack L directly (since the organization would still function after L dies) so they must wait and gather enough info for the UN and others to finish the terror organization.

2. Wars are a tricky thing in our present times. Once EU declares war on R, the US and probably the UN (United Nations) would join in to make it a swift war. They would not wait for EU to be defeated to join the war. In the extreme case, R uses nuklear weapons against EU, USA retaliates, NK joins in (just for fun) and nuklear war starts. R would lose since its against the world. L would probably be hiding in a secret bunker while UN forces take over R. A possible way to make this work is L hid a lot of weapons from R and started terrorizing the world. With the world in ruins from the nuklear war, the countries would have a hard time with the new wave of terror attacks.

With the world in ruins, I don't think that killing L would solve anything. The story seems to have an incomplete ending. The MP does not have a real reason to kill L, he is not under orders, he has little reason for revenge (remember he killed L's son first). The damage has been done.

Also, you might consider flesh out L and his organization more. Men with the capability to take over countries should have a keen mind. Simply destroying the world is not a good enough reason. What does he want to accomplish by using his terror squads? Why does he hate EU so much? Terrorists usually have a goal which they feel justifies their actions. Perhaps a mission involving playing L? A good contrast to the MP's side to be in the other man's shoes.

Perhaps L was also the top assasin of a EU (this explains his skill and training) He got fed up with his assignments which sometimes involved killing unarmed villagers to destroy evidence of EU's wrongdoings. Or he got betrayed by EU at some point (he finished a very sensitive assignment and EU decided to kill him to remove all connections to them) He fled into R and became friends with pres of R. He went around the globe and built up his organization, fell in live, had a kid, wife dies of a stray bomb by EU (hehehe or so he imagined it) takes his boy back to R, boy got killed by EU man. This is his breaking point. Up to this point he was just a normal terror organization with a particular hatred against EU. Taking over R made him quite more powerful. Power enough to crush EU no matter the cost, even if it means taking the world into nuklear war. He orders his terror squads to wreak havoc on EU to soften them up before the final countdown.

hmm.... I suggest removing the full scale war. A full scale war will not affect MP that much in terms of story or gameplay, I think. having the MP kill L before a nuklear war is started makes for a better ending. L is killed and nuklear war is prevented. You can have a dramatic scene in which the MP understands L's feelings but still kills him anyway. After that MP has enough of killing and quits, after vowing not to become another L.

When I write, I like making detailed characters with a history, quirks and habits. Then I imagine what they would do when put in a certain situation. Even if these things are not seen in the game, it helps to make a solid, cohesive background of the story.


I imagine the L to be a 30-45 man, still fit from training, has a sharp mind, lines on his face (from the travelling and harsh events) makes him look far older. does not smile at much , can be dark and brooding to reflect his inner hatred and sorrow. Surprisingly can be gentle at times, got jaded by doing EUs dirty work. Cigar is optional. Was a legend in the undergroud community for his skill as an assasin, charisma in recruiting member and genius at organization. had codename "Le Morte" - Death. Used plastic surgery to change his appearance and trained to lose his accent (EU would kill him instantly if they knew who he really was). He now looks russian. Perhaps only MP knows or suspects the truth (discovered while in hiding).

I imagine he has a subconscious death wish. The loss of his wife and son removed his reason for living and he wants to die. His training and fear of dying (meeting everyone he killed) does not permit him to kill himself. he uses these terror attacks and the coming nuklear war as a call for someone to kill him. He delays and is agonized by the knowledge of bringing death to millions of others and his constant nightmares about his past. He hopes someone can end this before he truly cross the brink of madness.

He can kill others, but not himself.
Who can kill Death, if Death is is tired of killing?

MP: age 25-30, young impulsive (thats why he got caught) still follows orders a bit too well. starting to get jaded. perhaps he was thinking about accidentally killing the boy when his concentration slipped and he stumbled into a roving police unit. Starting to get noticed in the underground circles as an upcoming assassin. really good at weapons and fighting but a loner and quiet guy. Becomes arrogant on occassion. Has a girlfriend in EU who wants to get married and have kids (the reason why he is starting to get jaded of killing innocents) His girlfriend's birthday is the same day of his mission so he has a lot on his mind at the time (added reason why boy got killed). hmm... possible plot where L's terror squad kills his GF - motive for revenge. (don't like this plotline though)

EU squad: old timers in the business. sent in to rescue MP, got surprised by meeting a well armed terror group attacking the same convoy. used tricks learned in over the years to convince everyone they were dead. in hiding, they teach the boy their tricks and how to cope with his doubts and losses. possible plot - these men die in attempt to save the MP (while in hiding)

hehe... got carried away there.

edit: pardon for the spelling, grammar errors.

First write from the heart, then from the mind - I forgot who [grin]

[Edited by - yapposai on June 12, 2005 6:05:36 PM]

Well well well :) I think you are thinking about it more than me, lol. It's cool, I'm glad you are taking interest. I can see you have experience in writing cause you seem to know a lot especially when it comes to guidelines and ideas.

Thanks again. I will go and think about it taking into account all that you have mentioned and post back when I have a more solid story. I'll also post the history just for reference sake.

hehehe. I'm just a frustrated writer turned programmer. I have a hard time thinking of new concepts and ideas for stories but when I get a rough story, I can't resist filling in the blanks. I read books and usually write sub stories or what-if scenarios for the characters or events.

I'm also trying to make a game but I still need to increase my programming skill.

Hey

Here is what I have come up with, I think it is a bit more solid and it seems to fit together better, while still keeping the feel that I wanted. Just to let you know, I want the game to have a feel similar to 'Escape From New York'.

Anyway, here is is.

________________________________________________________________________________

Main character

Name Adam Kosley
Age 28
Nationality British
Purpose Main Character - Undercover assassin and spy for the European government
History

When Adam was only 9, his parents and sister were killed when a fire broke out in their home. Fortunately for Adam, he was at a friends house that night. Adam has always thought that the fire was no accident and since then he became withdrawn to the world. The profession that he chose always seems to reflect the past that he had.

At age 23, Adam Kosley was recruited by the European government as an assassin and later trained as a spy. Following his profession, Adam is a loner and always soughts ways not to be seen.

At age 26, Adam had proved himself and had gained the experience to be put onto high-profile military operations. Being at the peak of his career, Adam is regarded as one of the most high-profiled agents ever to exist with the European government.

________________________________________________________________________________

Main Villian

Name Nikolis Rakov
Age 42
Nationality Estonian
Purpose Villain - Terrorist Leader (Rulers Of Imperial Tribulation : ROIT)
History

At 20 years old, Nikolis Rakov became a spy for the for the Russian government. With projects and assignment to gather intelligence of the European and US governments, Nikolis soon became Russia’s top man. At age 27, he was exiled from Russia after withholding vital intelligence, for his own benefit, which resulted in the death of the Russian president and a few hundred soldiers.

Many attempts were made by the Russian government to kill him and he was assumed dead after he was supposedly spotted in a car just before it blew up.

Nikolis married at age 30 and had a son shortly after. His wife died three years after the marriage by an attempt from the government to silence him. This unleashed great anger and hatred in Nikolis, for the Russian government, and cause him to do the unthinkable.

At age 35, Nikolis started am organisation call ROIT, which was essentially formed to fight for what had been taken away from him. By age 40, he had a huge following, and with the experience

________________________________________________________________________________

Story - Premise

With the ROIT group now having enough force, Nikolis Rakov launches a terror attack against the Russian government for revenge and self-gratification. With him already having the knowledge and knowing the infrastructure of the government, the Russian president as well as other high-profile political personnel soon fall. The European government, hearing the horrific news, sends their best agent, Adam Kosley, to assassinate the terrorist leader Nikolis Rakov. At an annual festival, held in Latvia, Nikolis takes his son every year to take part in the joy ace activities. In an attempt to silence Nikolis, Adam accidentally shoots and kills Nikolis’s son. Adam is soon captured after being seen by a hotel waitress.

The EU get word of the capture and send a team to rescue their agent. Nikolis, unaware of the EU’s actions, also sends a team of highly trained men to destroy Adam on his way to the prison. The two forces clash along the way and a huge battle breaks out. No-one knowing if there were any survivors. Luckily for Adam, him and a EU soldier, Simon Bukstor, managed to escape and flee into the country.

With no identification of Adams’s body, Nikolis, now ripe with anger, soon starts launching terror attacks against the EU government. Just as the Russians, European presidents and prime ministers begin to fall. With no-one knowing the whereabouts of Nikolis Rakov, no country or union knows where and when the next attack will be. With the two political powers in ruins, cities and towns become abandoned and major looting, crime and public riots can be seen across Europe and Russia.

Adam Kosley, thought to be dead, is the only hope for peace between the terrorists and the governments. Adam has to use his skills to track down and destroy the mastermind, Nikolis Rakov, if there is to be any hope of the EU or Russian governments to destroy the ROIT terrorist group and bring peace back to the super powers.

________________________________________________________________________________


What are your thoughts?

Quote: At age 27, he was exiled from Russia after withholding vital intelligence, for his own benefit, which resulted in the death of the Russian president and a few hundred soldiers.

why exile? why not just kill him? why did he withhold vital info?

I also think anger over his wife's death is not a strong enough reason for his hatred. Remember that started the fight when he withheld info. As a professional killer, he should know better. The only way to justify his anger is by being betrayed by the Russian Govt. This way he is justified because he has done nothing wrong yet they betray him and kill his wife (accidentaly or not)

But in any case, these might just be trivial details which the player does not need to know [grin]

hmm.. the timing or pace seems a bit weird to me.

I am thinking
day 1-7 - Rakov takes down Russian officials
day 8 - Kosley is sent to Russia to take down Rakov
day 12 or so - Rakov goes to Latvia to celebrate? (this makes me uneasy because you usually hide for a few months after killing off a whole govt. Rakov must know that the whole world is looking for him) - oh well, you can always say its the death anniversary of his wife.. hmm kinda ironic to lose his son and wife on the same day [bawling] also a good reason for snapping. Here is a man, visiting his wife's grave in truimph of victory against Russia, only to have his son die in his arms, touching yet believable. perhaps he really dedicated his massive operation to his wife.

ok back on the timeline.
day 13 - Kosley is arrested.

day 16 - Kosley is scheduled to be transfered into a maximum security prison but is rescued.

day 20-???? - how long is this time? 4 years to attack and destroy 2 superpowers?

I assume your game is during the end of the 4 years where Kosley has enough info to find and hunt Rakov down.

I like Rakov being a russian spy and kosley on the other side.

To get the escape from LA, you must give kosley a more pressing need to get Rakov. The story still does not give enough reason for kosley to kill Rakov. Kosley is a loner, he does not seem to be a hero type. Escape from LA had snake trying to get out before the poison kills him. The player must also be aware of the deadlines and consequences of missing the deadline.

here are some ideas for motives:

Rakov announced his plan to nuke major cities in a certain time (perhaps a few days or months depending on the lenght of the game) Kosleys girlfriend? Uncle? or somebody special to him is in one of those cities {although I do not like this a lot}

Rakov, still pissed at Kosley escaping that he uses chemical bombs to try and kill Kosley. Kosley is poisoned and has to get the antidote (almost blatant ripoff fro Escape from LA - limits game time to a few days.)

I can't really think of a good, pressing reason for Kosley to kill Rakov. I guess you just have to stay with the old heroism thing.

I think this is a better story than your first post. All you need now is to fill in the details for the game and tie up lose ends. Good luck with the game. I hope I can play it someday [grin]

Kosley doesn't have a direct reason to kill him, it's his job. But I do see your point about why there is a rush to kill Rakov. A nuclear attack sounds a bit to cliche though. I'll give it some thought.

I think I used the wrong word as well, exiled. I'll change it to the Russian government trying to kill him and then carry on with the attempts to kill him as well as change the reason why they want to kill him. I like what you mentioned about the Russian government betraying him.

I'll be back :)

About the "accident" that causes Nikolis’s son to get shot - it should be an accident that is no fault of Kosley's. If it was say a mis-aim, then it would degrade Kosley's character by giving the impression that he's not a top-notch agent.

Otherwise, nice story[cool]

Deg

Thanks Degra, about the accident. It could happen that as Kosley shot, the boy stepped in the way. I know that it sounds a bit hard to believe but there could be various scenarios where this could happen, I think :)