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Collideoscope: Leveling Up to a New Pointlessness


Snatch Steal

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Basically I'm working on something.

 

Lately, I've been getting ideas for characters that I'd like to use in a story sometime. It's kind of an Undertale ripoff, but as much as Yugioh did to Pokemon, as far as I'm concerned.

 

"Collideoscope" features a video game with an unnamed hero flung headlong into a quest. He doesn't know what it is. He doesn't know what he's doing. He simply acts, as if he must. But with every riddle, every mystery, and every death of a friend, he becomes shaken, and wavers from the path the Player has put him on. 

 

[spoiler=If you don't care about it yet and want to have it spoiled for you, here's the meat]

 

The purpose of the story is to confront existentialism. "Every point you earn, every level you gain...none of it matters."

Eventually, the Hero fights the "Final Boss," who resets the Save File every time the hero is about to win. With each reset, the bosses respawn, and all that's left is the hero's Prestige; however, the files from the previous save aren't gone for good, only inaccessible without tampering with the game, and the bosses recognize the hero, however vaguely.

Once the game has been reset enough, the final boss begins to crack. Knowing he had such little influence over his own fate, he hoped to discourage the player, but they persisted. The triviality of the game's endless level grinding and boss fighting bring him to rock bottom.

 

"...do you really want to do this? Every time you come back, you know I'll reset. So why? Why do you keep resetting everything?"

 

 

 

 

And onto the character list (In order of boss appearance)

 

Butch the Glutton Swine

 

The first boss of Collideoscope, as a meat vendor, brings about an abrupt end to the hero's plans with a colossal cleaver, used primarily to clean his solitary meals. As alone as he was before the hero arrived, his carnal nature urged him to fight until his last breath. His philosophy stands as "We all have a story to tell. I've chosen to write mine in blood." Bear in mind his slow movement, which becomes alleviated in Fever Mode, as he takes upon the form of a half-boar. Bloodied tusks protrude from a starving maw, and his swings become faster and more primal.

[spoiler=Quotes]

"What can I say? I'm hungry."

"[Entering Fever Mode] What you're about to see...this is the me I have chosen."

"We didn't have to fight, you know. We could have worked things out...but it's alright. This is how I wanted things to be."

 

 

Mackenzie the Black Widower

 

Mackenzie's overbearing stature sends one into much more than shock. Don't let his elegant demeanor fool you; this is one ruthless killer. When the hero isn't frozen in shock from witnessing the hedonistic pursuits of this eon-worn pleasure seeker, toxic smokescreens and adamantine web spinning will certainly render him helpless. Hopefully, he won't end up in the same situation as Mackenzie's former wife, who probably experienced the wrath of his Fever Mode, in which your worst trypophobic nightmares come true. The holes riddled about the arachnid hedonist's body expand, revealing a series of nail-like horns coated in Blue Blood and nightmare fuel.

[spoiler=Quotes]

"You'll make a fine experience."

"[Trapping hero in a web] Hope you're nice and snug, darling."

"[Entering fever mode] ...Oh, this has been fun and all...but I must say, this won't hurt. No...I won't feel a thing!"

"[Fever mode, high HP] Certainly we aren't afraid, are we? Are you...going to scream? Hehehe..."

 

 

Barrel the Jaded Hero

 

Barrel's Gatling Gun Gladius brought him much fame in his glory days, but when finances run tight, he and his wife (the aforementioned sword) come closer together. On the bright side, he's still got his cheery spirit, what with wanting to kill the hero every moment of the day. Unfortunately, the sport fighter's trained hand is a delicate one as well, and he suffers from frequent and extreme mood swings, Fever Mode being the deadliest in particular. When the blade dulls and the gun overheats, the gloves come off, and Barrel's jetpack expands, sending the hero reeling from volleys of golden lead.

[spoiler=Quotes]

"Good morrow, young squire!"

"[Hit with an attack] H-h-hey! That's really mean!"

"[Entering fever mode] You...alright, being rude enough to hit me is one thing, but hurting beautiful BARBARA is an ENTIRELY different story! I'm hoping you're ready for...Great Barrel Overdrive Finisher MEGA!!"

 

 

Pinpoint the Idealist

 

[spoiler=Okay this is some heavy s*** right here]

 

Pinpoint is kind of a self-insert. He's one of my fates: Succumbing to suicide. Sadly, he gets to the other side, and the grass isn't greener. He only sees it fit to prepare the hero to fight LN, in hopes that the hero doesn't suffer the same demise he did. 

Another thing about me: I lose myself in music. The entirety of the time I'm not in classes or around my parents I am listening to music. It's beautiful, just unlike the humanity I perceive.

 

 

 

The original final boss before "LN", he does his best to avoid the inevitable fight against the hero, going even as far as to try and corrupt the game's file by loading in a grey zone. He loves music, and can't stand it when people aren't on beat. He also has a shocking resemblance to the hero, although his Fever Mode truly sets him apart, where Critical Hits, Outspeeds, Dodges, and Multiple Hits become much more frequent. 

He actually sort of reminds me of Sailor Moon.

[spoiler=Quotes]

"'You did it; your final fight has finally come.' ...is what I WOULD have said, if you-know-who hadn't gotten in the way up until this point."

"I miss the good old days, when I wasn't concerned what came next. But they're done and gone."

"[battle start] If you're not ready for 'LN' by the time you beat me, it'll be my fault, and this version of me won't get to see you win. So, uh...do us a favor and learn from this."

"[Entering fever mode] .........(he's totally feeling the beat.)"

"[using "Lunar Lariat"] .....!!(you can't keep up!)"

"[Fever mode, low HP] ...play in the circle...pay for...your filthiness..!"

 

 

"LN" of the Panopticon

 

[spoiler=Okay this is some heavy s*** right here]

This character symbolizes a lot to me, mainly a lingering feeling of inadequacy. Every time I beat all the bosses, my worries, my troubles, he's always there to bring me back to level 1. He tries to make things harder for me. He wants me off the planet, but at the same time, I know he wants off the planet as well. Oftentimes, I succumb. I don't feel like anything is worth doing; like I could just leave the planet and no one would notice.

 

 

The one pulling the strings behind it all. LN took control of the game from the inside out; the very birth of the hero caused him to exist. As such, he possesses extremely similar traits to the hero, although it all seems tainted. Most of his attacks are less than polite, to say the least; he often screams to disrupt the hero's selected action, preventing them from taking a turn and making the turn-based game suddenly become centered around reflexes. In his fever mode, he begins to take the shapes of the fallen bosses, copying their moves and strategies for a little while.

 

[spoiler=Quotes]

"[before the first boss fight] I hope you're not retarded enough to go in there."

"[After a scream] Sorry, were you choosing your action? Aw, poor baby. This isn't your fight to win."

"[Entering fever mode] This is REAL."

"[Hit while shape changed] So you like hurting your friends, don't you? Every time you hit me, you risk never seeing them again."

"[When you lose in Fever Mode] Lord, you're mental. Stay on the ground."

 

 

 

Yuko Inna the Banshee

  • Always wears a mask
  • Has zero self esteem (me)
  • Ironically mute 
  • Phasmophobia

 

McGrimmace the Marionette Master (Deux)

  • Chummy
  • Wants to turn everyone into a puppet (me)
  • Fights with puppets made from the bodies of his enemies OUO
  • Thassophobia
  • "[battle Start] So, you will take part in the show as well?"
  • "[Half Health]Just imagine the money you'll make!"
  • "[Entering fever mode] Now, you little miscreant. I could give half a rat's ass as to the current state of my puppets, but I cannot allow you to deliver a blow as unrighteous as that. Your life is no longer yours to own!"

 

Specter

  • How about everyone who talks about specter gets a penectomy

 

Firecracker the Spontaneous Combustion

  • Dies
  • Tries not to die
  • Dies a lot
  • Smokes a lot
  • Probably immortal due to constant resurrection from ALLAHU Akbar 
  • Fights with ALLAHU AKBAR (me)
  • Thermophobia

 

Bullhorn the Mislead Enforcer

  • Thinks everyone is committing a crime....all the damn time,,,, (me)
  • Fights with little baby robot policemen & lasers that will blast the s*** out of you
  • Demophobia
  • "[beginning battle when the player cheats] Halt! We have detected unwarranted access to sensitive files! Surrender or die!"
  • "[Half Health] Dastard, lay down your weapons!"
  • "[Low health] I-I need backup!!"
  • "[if the hero survives 100 turns without killing him] Oh, sorry. We mistook you for someone else. Please carry on about your business."

 

Dogma the Demented

  • Eats ppl
  • Does nasty voodoo cannibal s*** (me)
  • Fights with spoopy Magic
  • Necrophobia

Truth the Host with the Most 

  • Runs a win or die game show
  • Is pissed that he has no viewers
  • Fights with machinery used in his game show

 

Shrapnel the Makeshift Surgeon

  • Loves sharp things
  • Goes a little crazy when he does surgery
  • Smiles a lot
  • Fights with surgical equipment

 

Nirvana the Magenta Gambler (Theme: Fadeless)

  • Has spent his whole life trying to become luckier than anyone in the world
  • Cheats a lot anyway,,,,,,,,
  • Fights with oversized cards so your argument is invalid

 

Bertha the Porcelain Maiden

  • Cracks under pressure :D
  • Somewhat self-righteous
  • Fights with condescending words lol (so basically nothing)

 

Snap the Silent Virtuoso

  • Owns a sitar with broken strings that he instead uses as an axe with the blades attached to it
  • Looking for legendary sitar strings that would fix his sitar and bring back his eyesight; they're on his belt
  • Blind, uses sound to detect movement
  • Fights with an axe and martial arts

 

Din the Pop Star

  • Vampire version of Taylor Swift lol
  • Has a huge fanbase (of bats)
  • Shapeshifter (in the same right as Butch)
  • Actually knew Butch
  • Fights with hypnosis through song

 

Jean Paul the Notetaker

  • Takes notes.
  • Looking for something, but he doesn't know what
  • Fights with a shortsword and remnants of magic he could manage to find
  • Lion Heart
  • "I'm gonna do my best."
  • "H-hey! That's mean..."
  • "I can't keep caring about others. It's just bringing me down to their level."
  • "I...I...I..! I'm really mad now!!"
  • "It's not about saving them anymore. It's about killing YOU!"

 

Melanie the Top

  • An acrobat who spins to deflect attacks
  • Vulnerable to getting dizzy
  • Fights with machetes
  • Four arms for maximum handjobs lol

Pluto the Cheshire Cat

  • Fights with hypnosis and a scythe & whip
  • Thigh-high socks
  • Really weirdly flexible
  • Hides in trees (me)

 

Raiyama the Samurai

  • Modeled after raijin
  • Boomboxes

 

Kitsukarezuni the Geisha

  • Modeled after Inari

 

[spoiler=Review Notes]

 

i would have the hero/main character see it in a contrast to the that, seeing it as giving them a purpose and a new chance to do what they already have better than the last time

  the true tragedy isn't the absence of hope, it's the loss of it

 

 

 

Ok, it's functional enough to be made fun of reviewed

Edits: Added "Heavy s***" and LN

3/21/16 Added a bunch of characters @_@

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The concept sounds neat, could be done pretty well but it sounds terribly tedious to go through as well. There's only so much you can do to make each playthrough feel unique enough that they'd keep slogging to the final boss to get everything reset again and again. Until you figure that out that'll be hard to deal with.

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The concept sounds neat, could be done pretty well but it sounds terribly tedious to go through as well. There's only so much you can do to make each playthrough feel unique enough that they'd keep slogging to the final boss to get everything reset again and again. Until you figure that out that'll be hard to deal with.

 

I agree, but Bravely Default (had like 5 resets in the middle of the game tbh). Besides, I would assign prestige, so he wouldn't lose his levels and everything like Ash & Pikachu at the beginning of every season.

Also, I should hope to deviate each playthrough from the original, and possibly make the route "3-4 hours game time" to make it more concise. 

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I agree, but Bravely Default (had like 5 resets in the middle of the game tbh). Besides, I would assign prestige, so he wouldn't lose his levels and everything like Ash & Pikachu at the beginning of every season.

Also, I should hope to deviate each playthrough from the original, and possibly make the route "3-4 hours game time" to make it more concise. 

I haven't played BD but that mid part of the game I hear gets a lot of criticism and all.

 

Still, it's a neat idea and if you can execute the gameplay for it well enough, it'll probably be interesting enough that I'll check it out.

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first off love the concept, second love the first quote for the first boos! i like how  the different bosses represent different ideals and ways of looking at life (whether or not it's intentional) as far as the final boss resetting the game on you i like how you look at it but personally i would have the hero/main character see it in a contrast to the that, seeing it as giving them a purpose and a new chance to do what they already have better than the last time

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first off love the concept, second love the first quote for the first boos! i like how  the different bosses represent different ideals and ways of looking at life (whether or not it's intentional) as far as the final boss resetting the game on you i like how you look at it but personally i would have the hero/main character see it in a contrast to the that, seeing it as giving them a purpose and a new chance to do what they already have better than the last time

 

Interesting concept. I'll have to quote you on that. Thank you for the review.

 

 

 

 

 

wow that makes this a lot less dark

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Interesting concept. I'll have to quote you on that. Thank you for the review.

 

 

 

 

 

wow that makes this a lot less dark

i wouldn't say it makes the game less dark overall, it just puts all the misery into perspective by comparing it to something "better", the true tragedy isn't the absence of hope, it's the loss of it

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