Story for a new StarFox game?

[sroberson]

Hey all, pretty new to the website (as you can tell). Just thought I would shoot a question out there that has been on my mind and since Nintendo has supposedly murmured about a new StarFox game...

What do you think the new game's story should be?

I know there is plenty of material to work with pre-Adventures (I am actually curious about the Titania incident that is mentioned in a popular Japanese fanfic as that sounds promising for a game), but of course the sky is the limit with story development after 'Assault' (haven't played or read over the story of Command but I hear its a load of droll not worth being part of canon).

What do you think?

P.S. while I mentioned "pre" and "post" Adventures story arbitrarily, I did so to try and guage whether anyone was interested in developing Krystal's character or the relationship between her and Fox (I am personally a fan of doing so, but without compromising the story of course)...or to just ignore it for some old school canon to try and regenerate interest in the basic no drama space shooter that it used to be.

Cheers!

[jeth]

I think the Titania incident would be a cool time zone for a StarFox game, but just to let you know Farewell Beloved Falco is not a FanFiction, it's truely part of the SF canon.

[Icy]

I want some backstory on everyone. Post-Assault timeline. Forget Command ever happened/will happen.

Continue on. Make the usual references to James, explain a bit more about Star Wolf, all that stuff. I want a typical SF game but it needs to be more polished, and the story needs to be more "hand-crafted" instead of the generic stuff we got in Assault.

SF64 had a great storyline, even though it was so simple. It packed so much into it.

Adventures had a great story as well. Assault didn't have as much heart in it. It focused more on the gameplay, and Assault had some awesome on-rails moments…… in all of the big, fantastic THREE missions you were on-rails. 10 missions and 3 of them were on-rails.

Yeah, anyway, the Farewell Beloved Falco storyline featured in a game? That would be GREAT, but I still would prefer a continued story. No prologues please. ;)

[sroberson]

I think the Titania incident would be a cool time zone for a StarFox game, but just to let you know Farewell Beloved Falco is not a FanFiction, it's truely part of the SF canon.

My apologies, reading over the Wikipedia description of Farewell Beloved Falco I understood it was taken as a fanfiction. Has Nintendo formerly recognized this as official canon?

Lcy,

I felt that Assault was pretty disappointing (still played and enjoyed it though to fill the void of a SF game). SF64 beat it by miles due to the not so linear gameplay of choosing different planets to visit, the awards felt harder to achieve, etc. The story, sure, was simple, but in 1997 who cared? We thought the graphics were insane and the gameplay was tough. Then I get around to playing Assault, and it was linear, the scripting was beyond cheesy, the relationship tension between Fox and Krystal is never really dealt with since Adventures, controls for foot missions were clunky, and it felt too easy. I mean I loved the graphics on Assault, I like the tips it did give towards developing Fox and Krystal, the inclusion of foot missions was pretty neat and I was hooked when I first played a demo of it...but I feel like it would be a huge shame if Nintendo's lasting legacy to the recognizable StarFox franchise was that. On that note though, I wonder how one would go about trying to convince Nintendo to get their act in gear...they know very well they have a pretty good following...but no new game that we accept as canon?

I feel like the Farewell Beloved Falco plotline would be a very simple way of reinvigorating the franchise and giving little chance for it to be messed up - but I am with you, I would love to have games after Assault and ignoring Command (I hear the endings are all pretty sad if not crappy)....but I feel like there is a lot of work to be done developing out characters from the past (what about Bill? Wolf team? Even James McCloud could have some work honestly).

What do you think about another game that worked like Adventures? Except this time, it wasn't a simple rebranding of a different game (AKA Dinosaur Planet). I feel it would be a neat way of trying to expand out StarFox from a simple space shooter.

[Icy]

^Yeah, I agree with you on Assault/64/Adventures. That's what I was saying in my post.

I'm all for a game like SF Adventures. Best thing to happen to the series, although any other Star Fox fan likely disagrees, one day you'll think back and realize that Adventures was necessary…… IMO.

The gameplay was amazing and it opened up so many possibilities for the story, characters, backstories, locations, etc, etc…

And if we got a game like that, but it wasn't so rushed, and had a more thought-out story? YES. By all means, yes.

[jeth]

I don't see why you people bash Assault, I think it was great, but anyways back on topic.

sorberson if you to read Farewell Beloved Falco, this is the link, http://arwinglanding...p?album=3&pos=0. As you can see, Nintendo would realy have to change a lot if they were to turn it into a full game. Maybe this would be a prologue of sorts?

[sroberson]

I don't see why you people bash Assault, I think it was great, but anyways back on topic.

sorberson if you to read Farewell Beloved Falco, this is the link, http://arwinglanding...p?album=3&pos=0. As you can see, Nintendo would realy have to change a lot if they were to turn it into a full game. Maybe this would be a prologue of sorts?

I just felt Assault was lacking pretty seriously compared to SF64. As I said, I did enjoy it honestly but you know what they say: "everyone is a critic". If I had to give advise on how it could have been better, those would have been the complaints I would have to offer. I think if they just didn't make it totally linear my biggest gripe about it would have gone away and I would be playing it more instead of typing here haha.

I need to read that actually, I haven't gotten the chance to before (the lack of Krystal in any story-line lately has had me going "eeeh"...maybe later). I just heard the summary of the story and thought it sounded like a great idea to run with for a new game. Thanks Jeth!

P.S. I read over the endings to SF Command and all I can think is "wut?". I appreaciate Nintendo diving into a bit of bitter reality in the world and suggesting you can't always have everything with rainbows and roses, but come on...Please somebody tell me that nobody seriously accepts Command as a part of the series *inserts frowny face*

[Gestalt]

I just felt Assault was lacking pretty seriously compared to SF64. Please somebody tell me that nobody seriously accepts Command as a part of the series *inserts frowny face*

I can speak for this entire forum, when i say...no one considers command's endings as cannon. However, story-wise, i'd like to see more about James McCloud in a new game :)

[sroberson]

I can speak for this entire forum, when i say...no one considers command's endings as cannon. However, story-wise, i'd like to see more about James McCloud in a new game

*Breathes sigh of relief*...there may be hope still...

I think a game based around the original SF team might be another easy way for Nintendo to get back into developing the franchise (and after reading some posts it would be an easy way to try and avoid pissing off Krystal fans/detractors - though I still think Nintendo owes her and Fox more time and a legitimate happy ending conclusion for them). My brain isn't working too well at the moment - but there was a conflict with Venon before the 'second generation' of Star Fox came around right? (Second gen being Fox, Slippy, Falco,Peppy). I fear that it could end up like a rebadged SF64 is the only thing I am concerned with on developing James McCloud or a pretty bad ending that leaves everyone feeling like they fell off a cliff (which is obvious this should sort of happen as the protagonist is believed to have been killed). I haven't made myself familiar with any good and popular fanfiction based around James McCloud (hint: if anyone has some good ones i'm all ears)

[Gestalt]

I haven't made myself familiar with any good and popular fanfiction based around James McCloud (hint: if anyone has some good ones i'm all ears)

well my fanfic will...eventually...aim at that rather well. I'll let you know when i get there

[Dublinthefox]

I think a game based around the original SF team might be another easy way for Nintendo to get back into developing the franchise (and after reading some posts it would be an easy way to try and avoid pissing off Krystal fans/detractors -

In other words "Star Fox Zero".........That........actually sounds pretty cool. :cool:

[sroberson]

well my fanfic will...eventually...aim at that rather well. I'll let you know when i get there

Awesome, I will have to keep up with the fanfiction forum to watch lcy and your upcoming posts.

I read through the Farewell Beloved Falco and agree with you Jeth that it might need some embelishing to get a full game together. Otherwise it could be an interesting flashback maybe? Something to fill in on a different story? Great material there for sure though.

I did find some bizarre fanfiction a while ago that gave Fox supernatural powers and thought that could be an interested direction to go (though the relationship drama in the parts I did read was a bit over the top).

Keep in mind I have only read a part of it, not fully understanding the origin of his new powers (and the realization it comes after 'Command'), and just now considered some sort of RPG deal that played like 'Adventures'.

http://www.fanfictio...ng_or_Yang_Real

The story kind of sucks and probably elements of it could be taken for a different game, but despite that I felt some sort of interest in the darker story it tells.

Dublin,

That actually doesn't sound like a half bad title. I just wonder if new fans to the franchise might get confused between the character Fox McCloud being the main protragonist and the title "StarFox" relating the two together. Kind of like how everyone relates Link to Zelda because of the game title.

[jeth]

I know I'm a little late to say so, but no one I know considers command's endings cannon. Gladly. I don't mind a sad ending but when they are so crappaly (Is that a word?) done it's just annoying.

[sroberson]

I guess I can accept a 'not so picture perfect ending'...but I feel there has to be some sort of compromise that saves face for all characters involved and allows everyone to be happy to some extent. Just all the endings I read either felt pretty hollow (Fox and Krystal getting back together in any fashion the game presented just felt blah), or just a bit gut wrenching (Fox and Krystal separate and Fox is either alone or a Captain Falcon racing wannabe with no chance of a followup game, etc).

Any by the way i usually spell it "crappily" even though spell check is letting me know that isn't a word either :)

[jeth]

That's what I ment, none of the endings were at all well done, and the sad ones were just as crappy and depressing as well.

[Peter]

I didn't like any of Command's endings because, except for the 'Fox and Krystal' and 'Dash Makes a Choice' endings, there's really no hope for a new game. And 'Dash Makes a Choice' would really be the only one that would somewhat resemble past games. I mean, the only way 'Fox and Krystal' would work would be to make a life-like game, in which you manage bounties, repairs, supplies, etc. Kind of like Grand Theft Auto with less, um, 'gangster-ness'. No stealing spaceships from other people, stuff like that. And, it would have to be LONG. I mean, none of this, 'I finished the game in 2 days!' crap.

[sroberson]

That was my issue with Command, no way to continue the series. I have to wonder if Nintendo was attempting to kill off StarFox with that move or what they were thinking. I am partial to believe they didn't really want to kill it off if they are sort of considering a new game for the Wii console.

I'm not really seeing a GTA way of approaching StarFox, it would be a huge leap.

After having a metaphorical apple fall on my head, I considered a game following Assault. The focus is the remnant Venomian army (an allusion to your fanfiction actually, Peter. Since Assault never really dealt with the uprising Andrew started after the Aparoids showed up). The Cornerian army is pretty much bunk so its up to StarFox team yet again to fix it, but facing odds that dwarf that of Assault (more like hard mode of StarFox 64).

Taking off from an idea I saw in another thread much like mine (whoops), I figured Fox and Krystal need to be separated for character development and for an appreciation for both of them beyond the romantic thing they have for each other. I'm thinking Fox needs to be captured to some degree or another (I was thinking he dives headfirst in to battle and allows himself to be captured to take the enemy out from the inside) and allowing for Fox to be on foot again much like in Adventures. He will have a gun, and Nintendo will figure out some better way of implementing a FPS than they did with Assault - but taking from another fanfiction I was reading over, he somehow develops a set of powers very much like those he is given in the Super Smash Bros franchise (helps bring in the other people who don't really know Fox for anything but the character from those games). It could leave room for an RPG element and allows for some players to experience something other than space shooter.

Then we have Krystal as the other main character (parallel stories with Fox), still part of the StarFox team and serving as the traditional space shooter part of the game with Peppy, Slippy, and Falco...I figure the role reversal would allow fans to appreciate her more.

In the end they can be reuinited after all is saved and the fan service can be delivered by them ending up together in some respectful way that allows for another game without allowing another stupid beginning like what happened in Command. I mean Fox is supposedly only mid-20s in Assault right? Plenty of time to develop another game with him in it, perhaps next time as a simple mercenary not fighting some almighty force basically alone.

If I could write better I would consider developing out into a story but for now I don't even really know about good details...perhaps if I get brave I might make something more "story-like" since I rather like the direction its going.

(Spit balling of ideas fully accepted)

[Peter]

Yeah, I'd like for Star Fox to implement a few things from FPS games into a future Star Fox game, along with improved space flight levels, both with more of a sandbox environment than they would have had in previous games. It would be something similar to Battlefield, for example. But, instead of just Fox and Krystal, I'd like to see the player controlling various characters, who don't have anything to do with each other at the beginning, but all meet up at the end. At that point, you control Fox. People like, say, a Cornerian Army soldier, Bil Grey, Katt Monroe, and possibly a Cornerian spy, similar to the ones I have in my fanfiction, along with Fox, Falco, Krystal, Slippy, and Peppy.

[sroberson]

Hmmm...My problem is coming up with a reason for why different playable characters would be all separate at the beginning. A surprise assault on Corneria while they are attempting to recover? I suppose you would be interested in playing with different ships as well as characters? Having said ships with different abilities compared to others? (I could see some very interesting multiplayer aspects to that...Expanding greatly on the progress Assault made in that area). I guess the means of playing with said space craft would have to change a bit to really feel the difference between ships - maybe closer to a flight sim while in all range mode? (wont happen since Nintendo wants to implement their Wiimote for the novelty of it =/...)

What do you think about the possible addition of an RPG element when using Fox? I just got this idea in my head that it would be neat to run Fox around on Venom using special abilities from SSB that you can learn or upgrade through various means. Not sure how well it would translate over to the space shooter aspect. I just feel like playing multiple parallel stories would be the safest bet since the franchise sits pretty heavily upon Fox (therefore giving him a majority of play time)...of course then he also needs some pretty epic moments while in combat to, well, make him more epic.

[DZComposer]

A story that isn't full of plotholes or emo bullshit. The details I don't really care about.

But that will never happen, because it is Star Fox.

[Gestalt]

agreed

[sroberson]

A story that isn't full of plotholes or emo bullshit. The details I don't really care about.

But that will never happen, because it is Star Fox.

Not to sound like a racist, but I do believe that that the emo stuff will not end so long as there is a Japanese story writer that writes like every anime I have ever had the mistake of being set down in front of (No offense, I just don't really get it). All I see is the generation of angsty and pathetic male characters in all animes I have seen. It's not healthy for decent franchise development, and especially not healthy for a decent yet basic space shooter. I can deal with some of the emo fanfiction only because I like the idea of Fox going a little off the deep end to generate some ideas that bend his character into something that resolves to be "bad-ass" and actually doing just that....but with anime I never really see that. I just see "Oh I am so sad, I guess I will continue being sad and do nothing else about it but mope around and cause more problems". Maybe this isn't the case in animes not related to some romantic genre - but since Krystal got into SF that would be pretty tough to pull off getting a not so emo story together. As I have probably repeated a bajillion times already, I am a fan of keeping her and just getting better story writers(!!!), but after understanding this isn't the first time Fox has had a love interest (Fara? I haven't played SF 2 so i'm not sure) maybe its best for reviving the franchise is to remove her (gracefully) as much as I hate to say it.

If someone feels like I stepped into 'racist' territory and that I am wrong in assuming that Japanese animation story writers do exactly what I think they do...please just explain it to me rationally. I'm not trying to be mean when I say it.

[CrypticQuery]

If someone feels like I stepped into 'racist' territory and that I am wrong in assuming that Japanese animation story writers do exactly what I think they do...please just explain it to me rationally. I'm not trying to be mean when I say it.

Don't worry; you're just explaining your view on certain types of Japanese writing styles; that's not to say that it is a purely Japanese phenomenon, however. Also, being Japanese does not count as what is defined by society as a race; it is either an ethnicity or nationality depending upon the circumstance.

About the emo thing; I personally would not want the series to take this direction. StarFox has traditionally been a lighthearted, bright-adventure type game. I think that it would be best to set future games in a similar tone, with a bit of seriousness and drama sprinkled [none to heavily] throughout.

[Peter]

Well, what made me think of the multiple people on different paths, where they all meet up at the end sort of idea was, actually, Call of Duty. Usually there's two sets of good guys, and you play both of them. I'd like to see something like that, except that, unlike Call of Duty, where at the end it's just; "THE BAD GUY DIED OMG WE WON", I'd like for it to be more organized, where eventually all the characters run into each other somehow, and make some giant super-main character army of sorts that goes and defeats the main bad guy. Additionally, I'd like to make Fox and Krystal a big focus of it. As in, they both crash land onto Titania or Fichina on other sides of the planet or something, with no hope of being rescued soon, because for example, all the Arwings are destroyed, and a huge Venomian fleet pulls in, forcing everyone on the Great Fox to retreat to Corneria for repairs and supplies. Fox and Krystal would have to find each other to survive, progressing in their somewhat rocky, awkward relationship once they locate each other.

[sroberson]

Don't worry; you're just explaining your view on certain types of Japanese writing styles; that's not to say that it is a purely Japanese phenomenon, however. Also, being Japanese does not count as what is defined by society as a race; it is either an ethnicity or nationality depending upon the circumstance.

About the emo thing; I personally would not want the series to take this direction. StarFox has traditionally been a lighthearted, bright-adventure type game. I think that it would be best to set future games in a similar tone, with a bit of seriousness and drama sprinkled [none to heavily] throughout.

I guess you are right, I tend to generalize pretty badly. I just recall seeing an article that suggested its a very pervasive writing style for them and I guess it stuck (also the existence of herbivore men kind has me wondering...).

I agree with the emo thing. Probably best not done especially when there isn't that large of a fanbase (especially for Nintendo's apparent development of light hearted games since the Gamecube and Wii). I just kind of pictured something like Shadow the Hedgehog being a much darker spin off from the original Sonic franchise. I will admit though, I wasn't very impressed by it so I guess that's a bad example. Still, there is a certain allure to the "evil" Fox concept that maybe hits me at home somewhere, psychologically anyways (ok, I sheepishly admit I am kind of an emo in relationships). More so than just "evil" Fox, but just an epic Fox that has abilities that allow him to accomplish so much more in the galaxy and further instilling in fanbase and dwellers of the SF galaxy that Fox's mission is "Killing is my business, and business is good"....but that's just me

Peter,

How do you figure one would go about resolving the emotional tension and character problem with Fox and Krystal if they are together in a game again? I mean, if someone can come up with a script on how they can make their relationship more mature, established, and secure then I am all ears (which it kind of confuses me hearing you talk about a Fox X Krystal relationship after going through your fanfiction, you struck me as a person who would be ok with removing her). I just feel the best way to allow both sides of the Krystal fandom to be happy would be to separate her, make her a playable character that isn't totally sex symbol, and allow players to develop an appreciation for her feelings/characteristics/gametime. I do like the idea of allowing players to control several characters/ships throughout the game as that opens up some promising multiplayer options that would make it more fun. I could see some interesting "stealth" missions to play through in the scenario you are talking about (and mine too really since I pictured him crash landing directly on Venom to be a bad-ass).