Mod/addon ideas!

[ZCaliber]

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;;

[Zeno]

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.

[Hiro]

What is shmup?

[silverkitty]

a misspelling of "shump" which means "shoot 'em up"

[shinygerbil]

"shump" is not correct, "shmup" is

[DragonXVI]

May be some *Spoilers* here, so beware!

---










--

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 Could also have fun with Animations too :p (In fact... I think I might try this one )

[Hiro]

Aquarian DDR FTW! 

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.

[Zeno]

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.

[Kent]

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.

[Zixinus]

 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.

[Zixinus]

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.