The Creative Portion: Howl Dogs
"War. War never changes. Since the dawn of human kind, when our ancestors first discovered the killing power of rock and bone, blood has been spilled in the name of everything: from God, to justice, to simple, psychotic rage..." INTRODUCTION
Howl Dogs is a video game novelization showcasing what one playthrough might look like, which includes basic gameplay direction and other miscellaneous information in the footnotes. The game is unique for several reasons: namely its character representation. The main character is an "overweight" Native American lesbian woman who is still just as good as her job as any white, grizzled, war-weary cis man. Other characters include a gay married couple (one of who is disabled and Muslim), a transwoman, an asexual/aromatic man, and other racial minorities not "usually" seen in video games. While the focus of Howl Dogs is on its female protagonist, it also has other levels of representation as well: something that many video games don't come even close to touching. SYNOPSIS
It is the year 2134. The United Nations has been disbanded, and the Council of Peace now guides the new world order as mankind navigates its technological advancements and planetary harmony: and terrorism. Starting with the Crichton Cell, many of these terrorist groups are religiously bent towards creating radical awareness of climate change and destroying "too" advanced technology. The Council of Peace has recognized forty-eight of the most dangerous groups, but a Detroit-based FBI team may have discovered a new one: the Angels of Unity. When a chemical bomb detonates outside the Jefferson Memorial in Washington D.C. one night, the team is called in to profile the culprits and aid in their capture. Unfortunately, not everything is as it appears to be... The only thing for certain is this: Joan Klebes is the player character and the newly inducted rookie agent on the team. Her new unit has been asked to stop this potential terror-disaster, and someone—she doesn't know who—is a mole working for the enemy. either way, she can either save thousands of lives or potentially help the terrorists achieve their goal. HER decision is YOUR decision... |
Like most modern movies (and even some literary works), video games have more recently started to have "theme" songs. Dead Space's theme was Twinkle Twinkle Little Star and Fallout 3 featured I Don't Want to Set the World on Fire by The Ink Spots. The theme for Howl Dogs happens to be Paradise by Within Temptation (feat. Tarja from Nightwish).
|
THE GAME MECHANICS
As a video game, Howl Dogs would be made using Valve's Source Engine, due to its multi-purpose uses as both an FPS engine and effective roleplay engine. It has beautiful graphics without sacrificing CPU power, and because of this, it would probably be the best fit to run Howl Dogs.
This "particular" novelization of the game also depicts one of several possible scenarios that the game may "choose" to take, both depending on the actions of the player character (Joan Klebes) and the in-game generator that randomly alters hundreds of interchangeable elements per playthrough. In other words, no playthrough is exactly the same. It is based on the concepts of these pre-existing games:
While the core terror-plot/bioweapon storyline remains the same, witnesses available to interview and key locations/crime scenes will change/alternate. The story can also have a good, neutral, bad, or VERY bad ending depending on the decisions of the player and the amount of “karma” they manage to acquire throughout the story by making key decisions about how to proceed with presented scenarios. The following story is a novelization of just one of those randomly generated scenarios. Notes on actual gameplay and intractable objects will be added in footnotes for the final draft.
As a video game, Howl Dogs would be made using Valve's Source Engine, due to its multi-purpose uses as both an FPS engine and effective roleplay engine. It has beautiful graphics without sacrificing CPU power, and because of this, it would probably be the best fit to run Howl Dogs.
This "particular" novelization of the game also depicts one of several possible scenarios that the game may "choose" to take, both depending on the actions of the player character (Joan Klebes) and the in-game generator that randomly alters hundreds of interchangeable elements per playthrough. In other words, no playthrough is exactly the same. It is based on the concepts of these pre-existing games:
- Nancy Drew: Joan Klebes has to solve a “crime” by finding a certain amount of clues and meeting certain criteria in order to proceed to new tasks in the game. Some of these tasks have a time limit. Others cannot be pursued if criteria from a precious task was not completely met, forcing Joan to take alternate routes to reach her goal. It is also possible to “fail” an entire objective (or the entire game itself) if a “wrong” choice is made about pursuing a lead.
- Freddi Fish: Whenever the game is reset, the in-game generator will create a completely new setup. The overall story is the same, but clues will be in different locations or missing entirely. New clues may come up that were not present in a previous run-through. Some characters may not be present from a previous game, and sometimes more characters will join them. Witnesses and locations will change, and so will the final “boss” (Big Bad).
- Fallout 3: A “karma” system similar to the one utilized in Fallout 3 is implemented in Howl Dogs. Depending on dialogue choices or actions Joan takes, it will either give her “good” or “bad” relationships with other characters. As a result, the game “learns” about the player based on the choices they make and alters the gameplay accordingly. This can unlock additional dialogue, the ability to team-up with another character for certain tasks, a good/bad ending, etcetera. Essentially, it forces the player to make moral decisions rather than just breezing through the game without a care. Also like Fallout 3, the game utilizes stat counters that will affect the player's effectiveness in certain gameplay situations, such as choosing dialogue, their skill with certain weapons,
- Mass Effect/Dragon Age: Inquisition: Based on the previously mentioned “karma” system, a player's interactions with other NPCs can also affect their relationship with the characters around them. For example, choosing "good" dialogue choices will result in the player developing a "better" relationship with characters. Alternatively, "bad" dialogue choices will result in the player developing "worse" relationships with characters. Choosing between good, bad, or neutral dialogue choices can grant varying bonuses or complicate gameplay elements/relationships. Like the Fallout 3 karma-esque system, it also forces the player to make moral choices rather than just cruising through the game without thinking.
- The Walking Dead/The Wolf Among Us: Like in these games, Howl Dogs is less combat oriented and much more story driven. Communicating with your teammates and engaging in an actual narrative is extremely important: combat comes second.
While the core terror-plot/bioweapon storyline remains the same, witnesses available to interview and key locations/crime scenes will change/alternate. The story can also have a good, neutral, bad, or VERY bad ending depending on the decisions of the player and the amount of “karma” they manage to acquire throughout the story by making key decisions about how to proceed with presented scenarios. The following story is a novelization of just one of those randomly generated scenarios. Notes on actual gameplay and intractable objects will be added in footnotes for the final draft.
THE CAST:
|
Far Cry 4 functions using the Source engine.
|
HOWL DOGS
Directory:
- Level 1: Lupus
- Level 2: Rufus
- Level 3: Lyacon
- Level 4: Simensis
- Level 5: Himalayensis (available upon request to prevent spoilers)
howl_dogs_level_1_lupus_(complete).docx | |
File Size: | 78 kb |
File Type: | docx |
howl_dogs_level_2_rufus_(complete).docx | |
File Size: | 71 kb |
File Type: | docx |
howl_dogs_level_3_lyacon_(complete).docx | |
File Size: | 68 kb |
File Type: | docx |
howl_dogs_level_4_simensis_(complete).docx | |
File Size: | 77 kb |
File Type: | docx |