Bit Blot Forum
Aquaria => Modding => Topic started by: Zam on August 09, 2007, 03:53:59 am
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Just because we can!
Some people and I on IRC came up with a mod that put Naija in a pretty sunshine yellow dress....
Heheh, that'd just look kinda cool. Just imagine it swishing through the water..
Also, extra spells would be something that must happen (if it's possible)
Post yer' ideas!
(Hey, the dress wasn't my idea. I just thought she'd look good in yellow...This is, of course, merely an amusement mod. Serious ones will come in a bit 8))
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Then again, it might be nice to change the system to provide an option to load in new songs as scripts in addition to the hard coded stuff... just not sure how much changing that would require yet...
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Hrm. This seems to be the case in many games I've play that have various spells/abilitys...Weird (they all have editors, too)
Don't worry too much about adding spells in right away, though...You can always update the game later. ;)
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Sounds like a great thing to look into for 1.1.
Perhaps it's already planned for Aquaria, but I certainly want to get to an arctic climate. Obviously there would be penguins and polar bears, despite the fact that they live on opposite poles. There would probably be interesting ice-puzzles too.
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Just hacked in some additions to the framework...
So mods can have their own songs.xml file to define the notes and other tidbits. If they set script to "1" that'll mean it'll go looking for functionality in the script, instead of the hard coded stuff. The code will then call a "castSong" function in the mod's songs.lua file.
(http://www.zaphire.ca/AQ/songedit01.png)
That song hurts every enemy in the level for 10 damage, except Naija.
Edit: removed my double posts... you may now resume your regularly scheduled discussion! :)
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this thread must be irrelevant as the game isnt out yet!
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That doesn't mean we can't brainstorm...
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Modding a lantern for Naija would be pretty cool... unless there's a spell for artificial illumination.
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Eh...I don't really think that's necessary. At least not the whole game; I'm really looking forward to fighting the angler fish in the dark. I guess for exploring the dark, deep parts? Maybe...but then they'd probably have a plan for that already, you'd think.
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Yeah, i meant it as a switch on switch off kind of thing. Not something you have to carry for the whole game :P
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I've just had a distressing thought.
I hope nobody gets too.......inventive.......with tentacles :\
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I'm not under the impression Aquaria would be able to handle realistic tentacles well... most of what I recall seeing from the videos uses more skeletal motion that wouldn't be appropriate for a tentacle. There are a few examples of more fluid motion, like the cape or tails, but I wouldn't be surprised if that were beyond the ability of a mod to replicate.
There's probably a tentacle boss already, but as it was explained to me, "you might think that being a tentacle monster would be good, but it carries a high risk of tenticular cancer." So feel sorry for the guy.
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yes but tentacles tend to get out of hand, picture is related.
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Just hacked in some additions to the framework...
So mods can have their own songs.xml file to define the notes and other tidbits. If they set script to "1" that'll mean it'll go looking for functionality in the script, instead of the hard coded stuff. The code will then call a "castSong" function in the mod's songs.lua file.
...
That song hurts every enemy in the level for 10 damage, except Naija.
Edit: removed my double posts... you may now resume your regularly scheduled discussion! :)
VERY awesome. Are you going to add some increased error checking for those lowlifes who think adding malicious mods would be funny? While I don't think anyone here would, it's bound to happen. You might want to lock down the commands the castSong function is allowed to execute.
2d
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2dis, I don't know about the (windows) version..
But for the mac, Ambrosia is handling it.
Ambrosia has it's own upload/download system for mods and such, example here (http://"http://www.ambrosiasw.com/games/sketchfighter/addons.html"). The moderators check the file uploads before they get uploaded.
But back on topic...How user intensive is the map editor? I'd assume you'd need at least a minimal understanding of scripting...
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But back on topic...How user intensive is the map editor? I'd assume you'd need at least a minimal understanding of scripting...
You don't need to understand scripts to use the map editor.
Scripting comes in if you want to make your own enemies and the like.
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Well, I did some extensive thinking about level ideas, and I came up with a campaign that fulfilled a couple of perimeters I had in mind;
First, making it easy to play. (For little kids, seeing as the casting spell bit of Aquaria might be hard to grasp for people below 7)
Second, seemingly simple.
Third ; Plenty of opportunities for secrets and goodies, and finally, having a good plotline that allows creative mapbuilding (something just about all maps have!)
So what I came up with, is a storyline/discription something like :
Naija, while traveling in a tidal current, is attacked by a horde of (something, or she could get lost in a whirlpool. Perhaps an actually whirlpool with a script to lose items/spells and then a cut...sorry, back to description) She fights them off, only to realize that her spellbook and all of her equipment have been lost. All she has left is some bandages. Will you help her?
The idea is, that Naija loses most of her abilitys/equipment (allowing for many different rewards, something important to any game) and travels down a large tunnel with a continuing current (think finding Nemo and the east australian current). For several (more or less I cannot decide right now) parts of the map, you'll have a big enemy of some kind chasing you. The monsters near the start of the mapset are smaller, and the ones at the end are bigger (more on size in a sec). The part about having one big current makes it easy to be creative. I could possibly script a timer, and if you fail to get to the end in time, a horde of monsters swarms you, or you lose, or the boss eats you....I could make debris that you must avoid or you take damage, have various rewards just floating on the current....
Anyway, one of the fundamental parts of this idea is to have several branching caves along the current, where you can find equipment, supplies, spells, ect. Near the beginning of the mapset I plan to make less exploring (and smaller bosses, so they can follow you, making your exploring harder) and near the end, I plan to have a ball of bigger bosses, with a couple of creative ones (ones that spawn monsters that track you down perhaps (they'll have lots of hp and damaging dealing potential, so you won't want to fight them) or something of that sort)
That's one of the idea's thats been knocking around in my head...Thoughts?
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That sounds like a fun mod idea, though I'd be the type to try and kill every boss no matter what. :P I have that problem in most games, even when you're supposed to run from the enemies... Means I'm usually out of ammo (and forced to melee) in most FPS games. :D My crowbar saw more use than most of my guns in Half-Life 2... Anyways! I think something like that would be fun to do, however it might get annoying if you need a certain spell and realize it was on the last current and you missed the cave by a centimeter or something. The fleeing from a giant sea monster thing is a nice idea, though some people might feel rushed and that would serve to make the game experience a bit less fun for them... Then again; no matter what sort of mod you release there are going to be people who just won't like it. Oh well, to me it sounds like it'd be a fun adventure (or side story/expansion-type deal, even).
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It sounds like a good idea! I like the idea of Mods that are focused on specific situations. (especially ones that are a bit different than the main game) It'd make for a lot of fun variety.
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Well, I did some extensive thinking about level ideas, and I came up with a campaign that fulfilled a couple of perimeters I had in mind;
First, making it easy to play. (For little kids, seeing as the casting spell bit of Aquaria might be hard to grasp for people below 7)
Second, seemingly simple.
Third ; Plenty of opportunities for secrets and goodies, and finally, having a good plotline that allows creative mapbuilding (something just about all maps have!)
So what I came up with, is a storyline/discription something like :
Naija, while traveling in a tidal current, is attacked by a horde of (something, or she could get lost in a whirlpool. Perhaps an actually whirlpool with a script to lose items/spells and then a cut...sorry, back to description) She fights them off, only to realize that her spellbook and all of her equipment have been lost. All she has left is some bandages. Will you help her?
The idea is, that Naija loses most of her abilitys/equipment (allowing for many different rewards, something important to any game) and travels down a large tunnel with a continuing current (think finding Nemo and the east australian current). For several (more or less I cannot decide right now) parts of the map, you'll have a big enemy of some kind chasing you. The monsters near the start of the mapset are smaller, and the ones at the end are bigger (more on size in a sec). The part about having one big current makes it easy to be creative. I could possibly script a timer, and if you fail to get to the end in time, a horde of monsters swarms you, or you lose, or the boss eats you....I could make debris that you must avoid or you take damage, have various rewards just floating on the current....
Anyway, one of the fundamental parts of this idea is to have several branching caves along the current, where you can find equipment, supplies, spells, ect. Near the beginning of the mapset I plan to make less exploring (and smaller bosses, so they can follow you, making your exploring harder) and near the end, I plan to have a ball of bigger bosses, with a couple of creative ones (ones that spawn monsters that track you down perhaps (they'll have lots of hp and damaging dealing potential, so you won't want to fight them) or something of that sort)
That's one of the idea's thats been knocking around in my head...Thoughts?
love the idea, much better than the tentacles.
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Will people please stop mentioning tentacles?! :'(
How sophistocated is the AI modders get to work with? Like, can a modder make a 'smart' enemy?
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You sure can! You can script your own enemies from scratch. So if you wanted to make an enemy that plays chess with you like Gary Kasparov, you can do it!
(Although that'd be pretty frightening.)
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Duuude, Aquaria chess. 8)
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Duuude, Aquaria chess. 8)
where would the tentacles go? >:D
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They....They go away. ;)
Or maybe they can be the castles...
One idea I had was an air game. Like where you are a magical thing that can fly and hover. And there are amazing cloud formations in the back ground or something. Sounds too hard for me to make but someone else could do it.
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They....They go away. ;)
Or maybe they can be the castles...
One idea I had was an air game. Like where you are a magical thing that can fly and hover. And there are amazing cloud formations in the back ground or something. Sounds too hard for me to make but someone else could do it.
more or less what you are talking about already made
http://intihuatani.usc.edu/cloud/
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:o
It's mine!
At least untill Aquaria comes out. ^-^
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I have some ideas, but I want to play through the game first before I being thinking about anything narrative. Wouldn't want to plan something out then have to change it completely because it didn't fit right. I mean, that is going to happen anyways (completely changing stuff) but the less I have to do it the better.
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Hmmm, this all sounds so interesting, the possibilities seem almost endless. The Ferazel editor was a good start but I feel like using the Aquaria editor I'll be going 100%. Also will there be text conversations or will we have to provide our own voice acting? :)
Mods look great... but will they be available for mac?
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Mine will ;)
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Hmmm, this all sounds so interesting, the possibilities seem almost endless. The Ferazel editor was a good start but I feel like using the Aquaria editor I'll be going 100%. Also will there be text conversations or will we have to provide our own voice acting? :)
Mods look great... but will they be available for mac?
You can do text conversations if you like. And PC mods should work on Mac and vice versa. :)
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I've had a most devilish idea stemming from what Two Jacks said: expansion pack competition, the winner getting the Bit-Blot seal of approval and the dialogue voiced by Jenna ;D would be rad if she was up for it. Also derek there is nobody more skilled than you at making something that makes me want more, then EVEN MORE - at will. Also curse your timezone as evening PST would probably amount to early morning on saturday for us GMT people (unless you're in Philipean standard time, which is GMT+8 rather than your -8...)
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Well, I am a fan of Call of Cthulu; aquaria is underwater and this thread talks about tentacles. I couldn't stop myself from thinking about a mod in which Nadja explore the sunken city of R'lyeh and faces the Great Cthulu and his minions :P. If only I had some artistic talent ... and time... and tentacles.
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Little OT about tentacles:
(http://pbfcomics.com/archive_b/PBF078-Nautical_Awards.jpg)
(brought to you by pbfcomics.com)
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Little OT about tentacles:
(http://pbfcomics.com/archive_b/PBF078-Nautical_Awards.jpg)
(brought to you by pbfcomics.com)
If we waste any more time on weeaboo we will be bankrupt in a month!
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If we waste any more time on weeaboo we will be bankrupt in a month!
(http://pbfcomics.com/archive_b/PBF211-Atlantis.jpg)
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Getting back ON track (hopefully), I'll throw out what I'd like to see...
Where Aquaria focuses solely on the underwater world... imagine a mod where instead you are playing in a sky world. Gameplay would be similar to Sega's Nights, but more of an adventure focus rather than an arcade game. You would fly through the clouds, various storms, and even floating islands (as seen in the into video to Aquaria.)
I can even imagine having two branching storylines where the player alternates between the sky-world character and Naija (or other sea-being) and they eventually meet where sky touches water.
Of course, I think the thought of flying whales is both creepy and awesome at the same time...
(http://www.metalunderground.com/images/covers/Gojira_-_Mars_To_Sirius_cover.jpg)
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Here's a mod idea, that I'll never get around to make myself, anyway:
Boss Rush
You put every single boss in fitting rooms and have the player do each of them, with full equipment/songs. And inbetween every second boss or something, you can give them a small room where they can refill ingredients.
And another oen for the pot:
Li's Adventure
I bet he was doing more diving stuff than just dumping around in the Veil before encountering Naija. Maybe a small adventure that describes how he ended up in the Veil. (Except if that is explained in the ending already, though. The last boss still keeps owning me :p)
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I'd also like to see an economy in the system. Not anything fancy, just some shops and money (maybe pearls) that drop off of creatures.
There would be various vendors throughout the world including some that sell recipes and new songs.
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Something to make saving easier. Because save points = major irritation.
Maybe a save song. And if possible, make it only work when you're out of combat.
Also, some new animations for Naija's abilities, if that's possible.
An advanced or different Bind song that makes the rock circle you constantly.
Some different animal-type forms. Or, have one song to select a creature, and then another to turn you into that creature whenever.
A song to create a rock.
Also, *spoiler*, I think that when you eat stuff in Beast Form, it should heal you slightly.
Now I gotta go learn the editor to make this stuff happen...
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Looking through the examples it wouldn't be too hard to create a Song that acts as kind of "Town Portal/Hearthstone" deal, teleporting you to somewhere safe. Couple a few more songs in and you could have Zelda style method of warping at your toes... Would make for some interesting puzzles (How about finding some ancient Gates that respond to music that must be linked together and activated via song to overcome a maze?)
A Stealth Song, allows you to sneak past certain tough enemies (Or even bosses) for a short while. Changing the alpha of Naija would be easy, getting the enemies to ignore you... (Unless there's someway to override FindTarget), but then that's what messing about with the code is for :D
New Characters - Liking this idea... Even just minor reskinning of Naija could open things up a little. While it may not be strictly canon that's often the fun thing about
Machinima! :p Basically one big Cutscene. Anything with a scripting engine can pretty much do it, and while some people'd prefer the shooting and the puzzles, there's always room for telling a good story or basically practicing your Cutscene scripting and animation. Try recreating Star Wars with fish? Tis surely possible :p (The tentacled wrath of Darth Octopus surely threatens, but maybe I've just a lack of sleep)
Boss Rush/Arena sounds a good idea... Could also be a nice little staging ground for custom Bosses and/or interesting ways of defeating them (Like the "Lure Guy Into Laser wall" puzzle)
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Boss Rush/Arena sounds a good idea... Could also be a nice little staging ground for custom Bosses and/or interesting ways of defeating them (Like the "Lure Guy Into Laser wall" puzzle)
I was actually thinking about making a boss out of the Simon creature. Basically, it does a random Simon says sequences, which you then have to do. If you manage to do it, it gets irritated and vulnerable (shoot it to death), if however you slip up, the creature either damages you or summons a bunch of hard enemies. Same of course if you take too long xD
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Boss Rush/Arena sounds a good idea... Could also be a nice little staging ground for custom Bosses and/or interesting ways of defeating them (Like the "Lure Guy Into Laser wall" puzzle)
I was actually thinking about making a boss out of the Simon creature. Basically, it does a random Simon says sequences, which you then have to do. If you manage to do it, it gets irritated and vulnerable (shoot it to death), if however you slip up, the creature either damages you or summons a bunch of hard enemies. Same of course if you take too long xD
That sounds pretty good! :)
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You know, that giant turtle seems sick. Wouldn't a temple to help heal him sound like an interesting mod? Small in scope, not too ambitious, but worthwhile regardless...
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I think it'd be neat if every Form had an alternate form(like the last form has, spin to switch).
For Energy Form, I'm thinking rapid-fire instead of a charge shot. Or, charging creates a single, slow-moving projectile that does lots of damage.
Nature Form, instead of that thorn tree thing, some kind of vine that grabs enemies (like the tentacles in the Body).
Beast Form, a slower form with higher defense, can't swim through strong currents but can crawl along walls. Attack is the same.
Spirit Form isn't really a form, so I don't think it needs anything else. Also, there's not much to do with Fish Form.
I have a few ideas for Sun Form. It could be an offensive form (since she's light-based, I'm thinking a laser that can be charged), temporary invisibility that you have to charge up, or short-range teleport (light-speed movement, but not through walls, obviously). In any case, the alternate form wouldn't have the light effect like the regular form.
I think that maybe these could be gained by either having Li with you when you gain a Form, or taking Li back to the spot where you gained it initially. Alternate forms would look more Li-like.
Also: A mod that takes place in Aquaria's past, with all the races still living. Maybe just consisting of a few short stories, and in each one you play as a different race.
Also also: More regular songs, to make Naija's regular form more useful. At least some kind of offense. A "charm" song to make an enemy fight for you.
You know, I have a lot of ideas, but I'll probably never actually get around to carrying them out, so anyone who wants to go ahead and do any of this is welcome to it. I haven't even begun to learn modding yet (waiting till I beat the game), but I'm an epic procrastinator.
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I seriously think that if the Japanese get wind of this game (And hopefully they will) they'll most likely make a shmup TC mod.
I can imagine a Touhou Total conversion where you're flying around as Reimu Hakurei or Marisa Kirisame... I think this engine would lend itself well to a Metroid-esque manic shooter... Come to think of it that would be a very interesting combination. o.o;;
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I seriously think that if the Japanese get wind of this game (And hopefully they will) they'll most likely make a shmup TC mod.
I can imagine a Touhou Total conversion where you're flying around as Reimu Hakurei or Marisa Kirisame... I think this engine would lend itself well to a Metroid-esque manic shooter... Come to think of it that would be a very interesting combination. o.o;;
There's a room in the Energy temple that strongly reminded me of a shmup, not sure if that was intended or not.
It's the room with the barriers that require you to switch between normal and Energy form. It's vertical and full of blaster pegs, so I thought it was very shmuppy.
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What is shmup?
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a misspelling of "shump" which means "shoot 'em up"
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"shump" is not correct, "shmup" is :P
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May be some *Spoilers* here, so beware!
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Prologue
- Set before the events of Aquaria, what destroyed Eric's city? Freak Storm or Something Else? Before the world below the sea was modified by the Creator, was it just a blank canvas or was there already something ancient living within? What is it's story? Currently not much has been explained about this time so you're free to go nuts (Although, without the aid of Time Travel, it's not possible Naija would exist here, so new characters abound)
Beyond the Veil
- The sequal seems to promise an answer to this question but the world is a big place. What other mysteries lie on land and in the sky?
A day at the races
- Naija enters a series of underwater tournaments to determine the champion of the sea. Race with Seahorses, forms, overcome obstacles and puzzles the quickest and win supreme glory against the other races (Think Aquarian Olympics)
Mithalian Delivery Service
- Crazy Taxi in the City of Mithala, why not? :p
Boss Rush
- Has been suggested, still a good idea. Possibility to including rewards/rankings based on Time/Damage
Evolution in 60 seconds
- Start of as a fish, and evolve your way up the Aquarian food chain by eating other enemies (A bit like Feeding Frenzy)
Mithala defense
- Sing songs to create buildings (Entities) like Turrets and Shields - Defend against waves of incoming enemies
Aquarian DDR
- Various coloured shapes move up to Naija. When they reach her you must sing that particular note. Could either be a minigame or just disable movement and have the whole thing as a few levels of this :D Could also have fun with Animations too :p (In fact... I think I might try this one :D )
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Aquarian DDR FTW! 8)
My ideas that I'd like to try (but I suck at sticking to things, and I don't know anything about modding yet having just finished the game so anyone is free to try it if they like) if I have the time:
DOOM Aquaria: A mod just like the Ultimate DOOM game. Except you are the space marine with jetpack/jetboot/something jet-y addon (to fit with the y-axis freedom of aquaria. Boosting is a jet 'overload' or something)
Would be best played with W,A,S,D and using the mouse to aim I think. And I think the 'switch mouse buttons' option should be turned on, so shooting is with the left mouse button (and if you desparately want to swim with the mouse then it's right click).
Archaepelago: ...A series of islands. This mod would rely on more ground travel and less swiming than Aquaria. Sort of like half on land half not. One thing I'd like to try is a 'samurai' form, like beast form except instead of eating when you boost, she holds her sword out in front of her. And right click would make her swing the sword in the direction of the curser.
Question: Is it possible to enable Naija to walk/crawl when on land?
Paradise: Naija finds the shoreline. Rockpools abound. :)
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I'd like an Ice Form. I'm thinking it'd be very similar to nature form, with a weak regular shot, then a charge shot that creates an ice-wall free-floating in the water. The icewall would stay put if left alone, but you can push it, bind it, etc. to throw it into enemies.
Maybe the normal shot would just make a small icicle on a surface, which does a small amount of damage.
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How's this for a prologue story?
Naija is living at home with Mia, who is constantly plotting to take over the world. Mia is concerned about the lack of enthusiasm from her daughter who seems happy just bringing home random things from the ocean. Especially distressing to Mia are the ones that grew up into large animals, namely the disguised rock monster in the hallway and large angler fish in the basement. If you click on Mia she will guilt trip Naija about all the loans she had to pay off to get such a large house, only to have it filled with things that keep trying to eat her.
Their house is filled with a completely different set of treasures from the original game. Some are gadgets and weapons to be used in Mia's schemes (both mechanical and mystical), including a pair of segways which will enable them to move in a straight line on the surface. Others are things Naija compulsively collected -several of them dangerous- like a poisonous clam from the Mithalan cathedral.
Most of the game would be spent collecting treasures in no particular order. Collecting a certain set would trigger an event in the house. For example, after you collect a great white shark egg and parts for a nuclear death ray, Mia will be in the Sun Temple style room assembling the latter. Talk to her and she will declare they are now ready to conquer the surface with this mighty weapon, only for the now fully grown great white to burst in and (narrowly missing Mia) swallow the gun. The shark swims out of the house spitting lasers, permanently destroying several of the other creatures and treasures. Naija is sent after the shark to retrieve Mia's weapon, following the trail of rampant destruction to the designated boss fight area. Unfortunately the shark has also eaten all the turtle soup and tough cakes Naija left in the kitchen making its only weakspot the death ray strategically lodged in its mouth. Destroying it explodes the shark from the inside but pushes Mia closer to a nervous breakdown.
Basically each event ends with Mia growing angrier and the house becoming more empty. It all culminates to Naija bringing home a pet hobo from the surface and getting knocked unconscious by a liquor bottle while she's not looking. Mia comes home to find her house empty with Naija an amnesiac, driving her to a psychotic episode screaming about how much she hates raising children. She spends the next several weeks in therapy after dropping Naija off at Aquaria's intro stage.
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Well, there is one thing I found a bit lacking in Aquaria: the lack of dynamics between Najia and Li. They are a couple after all, and I think there is a very romantic basis for the relationship of the two.
I'm mostly thinking animations, like dialogues or games between the two.
Games I think of something fun and simple. I don't know suddenly, but tag or perhaps some sort of ball game? There might be or might not be a reward, but the games have to be fun to play and simple. Don't think of any arcade-stlye games with big-letter scores and proper fields or something like that.
Just at one moment Li might pick of a peice of dead sponge or something and starts throwing it back. You pick it up (by hand, not with the blind spell) and throw it back. He catches it, and tada: instant tennis. Well, as successful as underwater tennis can be. Perhaps with a creature instead or something?
Perhaps some stuff that is typical in a relationship, like making a fuss, misunderstandings (there should be a few, people in practically identical culture have misunderstandings, two people a world apart should have plenty) someone having anxieties and yes, the big three letter act called "sex" (nothing explicit of course, hell, if I knew how, I could make a very suggestive scene with all the things that game already has).
What would be the point? Not much, just to make it look nice. Or maybe not?
On the other hand, handling the relationship can have effects on both Naija or Li, or perhaps just Li as we control Naija.
What I had in mind, is that for example, Li would be influenced on what Naija wears. If she wears something cute or lovely, Li might want to hug or kiss Naija more. If she wears something fear-inspiring like armor, he would be more braver (shoot more or make his shoots more powerful, etc). Perhaps he could also react to the different forms of Naija, I'm pretty sure I would be at least a little freaked when my girlfriend turns into a fish.
Kissing might increase Naija's health by a very little?
What I would want to see is more small animations. Like when Naija takes a nap and Li joins, Li embraces Naija or vice-versa.
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An extension to the previous idea: an anxiety state or emotional state system. When Naija and Li is happy, there are beneficial effects. If one of them is anxious or has a problem, then they have difficulty with both eachother or themselves. If you get Li overly anxious, he may go back to his place or the Naija's.
Essentially, Li's abilities would expand. He would get a diver's knife and would be able to hurt anything that comes near him. If he's happy with Naija, he would expand that protection to her. He would also be more aggressive, and attack more. Perhaps with expanding right, you can make him attack what you target in energy form. If he is sad, then he will attack less and be more placid.
Naija is effected by her speed. If she is depressed then she will be less able to make boosts and be a little more slower (except during boss battles, then its certainly vital, besides you don't exactly have the problems of your private life in mind when fighting for your life).
Most obviously the familiarity of the two would be different in gestures. When the couple is happy, they will hug and kiss if allowed the time. When not, they will keep some distance.
This would be a minor part of the whole system, what I really would like is more dynamics between the two. Any change in behaviour is permanent and not erratic, and you solve problems by working on them, mostly by talking. There are spots in Aquaria where Naija can sit down, and perhaps there would be the place where the two would talk.
What these problems would be, would vary. What I have in mind is that they involve "questing" and special occasions. Like getting special items and doing special stuff. For example, I would wager that Li is a scientist of some sort and would have a camera or something to make pictures for research, as well as occasionally collect samples of stuff. You could take control of that with modding the screenshot mechanism.
Or there would be instances where you take control of Li for some reason.
Allot of things can happen, like Li's friends showing up, Naija having nightmares that she has to face, Li having some insecurities with Naija.
In the future expansion I would also would like something with going on the surface. Most specifically, walking.