Circum[N]avigate – Teacup Production 2nd Project

WIP of some promo art.. and yes, the game is 1024 x 768!

Hmm, so now that (P)lanets is done, I’ll move on to my second project. I posted some info on it here before – it’s called Circum[N]avigate (Title may change later) and it is basically a mixture of fantasy, sci-fi and of course, otome!

However, I’m having a lot of problems explaining the plot simply. It has a lot more story than Planets. I’m used to writing simple and cute stories, so writing something very complicated is a different experience. Unlike Planets, this game will have a story that branches over every route – and doesn’t just focus on the individual characters. Similarly to Planets, there are three romance able boys and a science fiction theme. I changed the plot a bit since I first posted it.
Lots more info after the jump!

STORY

This game takes place in a distant future… but the characters live a rural lifestyle due to a technology restriction. Amongst humans are gods and spirits, co-existing and interacting with each other as equals. There are also floating cities, which are kept afloat with the power of air spirits. The question is, why is life like this now? What happened to make the future this way?

Because radio, computer and television are outlawed, people called messengers are appointed to keep contact between the floating cities and the grounded cities via floating staffs called ‘cirna’. Mana is an apprentice messenger, along with her childhood friend, Reimei. But lately, the power of the air spirits has become weak. The floating city over Mana’s town is threatening to fall. Tensions become high between both communities, as they’re both at risk to lose their homes. As a result of this, the once peaceful job of a messenger has become a dangerous one.

And that’s putting it simply, LOL. It’s not so simple though, is it? XD As I said, I’m still trying to figure out a way to summarize it without adding so many details. Hopefully it sounds interesting at least.

CHARACTERS

I posted the characters before, but here they are again (a bit different from last time)

Mana –
Age 18
She’s the heroine of the story, and you may or may not be able to change her name – I haven’t decided yet. Mana lives in a small town called Satori. She is an orphan who was taken under the care of an old man she calls Grandpa, although they don’t have a blood relationship. Grandpa is training Mana to be a messenger, so she isn’t required to attend a school. Mana is very interested to know more about her parents and their death, but most things about them are kept secret. She’s mostly soft-spoken and sweet, and has an interest in gardening.

Reimei sketch. He's pretty fly.

Reimei –
Age 19
Mana’s friend since they were young children. Similarly, he is an orphan adopted by Grandpa, who he only calls ‘old man’. Although Mana and he are under the same care, he doesn’t view Mana as his sister, since he believes the same blood is required to be a family. Reimei keeps a good presence around adults, but his true side is childlike. Enjoys reading, sleeping, and hearing stories. Despite those lazy hobbies, when it comes to messenger training, he works hard. Keep him (far) far away from alcohol.

Fain –
Age 20
He lives in Ciel, the floating land over Satori. Fain enjoys cleaning and drinking a lot of tea. Mana wonders at times if he’s a narcolpetic, since nearly every time she finds him, he’s asleep… or falls asleep suddenly. Fain is pretty spaced out most of the time, though he has a surprisingly large amount of knowledge

Haku –
Age Unknown - Middle teens
Strange boy who showed up suddenly. He seems to be a tricky type who can tell lies with an honest face. He can even steal whatever he pleases. Haku can even appear or disappear at will… causing a lot of trouble for Mana. Though his impression isn’t very good, he seems to have a deeper side to him as well, and notices details that would be overlooked by most.

I’ll post some real concept art of them later on.

And that’s all. Phew… I’ve never made a story so detailed before. But I made a character game already… now I have experience, and want to make a game with a great story. It will be hard, but I’m going to do it! (I finished Planets after all, so you can take my word for it :D) 

Speaking of (P)lanets...
Mostly got good reviews so far. Despite the few idiots who posted some REALLY dumb comments, and of course, people who just didn't think the game is for them (which is fine), most players think it's a cute and fun game. ^^ I learned a lot. Making it was definitely worth the effort. Especially when one of my favorite bloggers even reviewed it!