PROJECT DUST

PITCH DOC SAMPLE

(Logline, Faction & Region Backstory, Outline)

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Sample of pitch doc for a new region in a dark sci-fi cRPG/ARPG with a focus on branching narrative. Includes initial logline, pitch for faction and region backstories of the area, and an outline of the region’s story and POIs. 

 

LOGLINE

 

Stranded in the Zaphira Rift, the Mercenary must find a fuel cell to power a homestead and survive the coming storm. But when a group of bloodthirsty Scavs move in on the Rift, they find themselves at the center of a conflict between the raiders and the local militia.

 

REGION & FACTION BACKSTORIES

 

Breakdown of the Zaphira region and the factions that populate it.

 

REGION OVERVIEW: ZAPHIRA RIFT

 

Zaphira Rift–a swathe of harsh and barren wetlands, littered with irradiated scrap metal. 

 

Years ago an Imperium ship–the SIN Zaphira (SIN = Sol Imperium Navy)–crash landed into the rift valley, cratering the wetlands within. Though the radioactive particles of the ship’s dying core kept most Scavengers on the moon away, a small settlement of daring scrap traders and machinists eventually formed nearby.

Built around salvaging the imperial ship’s parts to sell to gun runners and mech manufacturers, the outpost thrived for a short time. In recent months, a group of Scavs has moved in on the Rift, wanting to take the operation for their own. Though the outpost has put up a fight, the Scavs’ superior numbers will soon prove its end.

 

FACTION: The ZRM (Zaphira Rift Militia) 

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A local militia group formed by the populace of the Zaphira Rift. Composed mostly of salvage workers and machinists looking out for their own, their ranks are untrained and small in number. 

The group’s continued survival rests on their technical expertise which has allowed them to fortify their outpost with dangerous tech salvaged from the nearby crash site. But with the growing Scav presence in the Rift, their numbers are dwindling. 

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FACTION: Scavs

 

A loose coalition of mercenaries and marauders, the Scavs take whatever they need to survive. Once a fringe group, in the last century they’ve become an unavoidable threat in the badlands of the moon’s frontier.

Each group of Scavs holds a corner on different sources of income–raiding and gunrunning, assault and abduction, mutilation and dismemberment for the organ trade… if it pays, it’s on the table.

 

NARRATIVE OUTLINE

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Note: General flow and outline of the story in the Zaphira Rift. 

• Some of these beats may be approached out of order given player freedom, and we should strive to design things with player freedom in mind whenever possible. 

• “The Mercenary”, or “Merc” for short, refers to the player character for the purposes of this outline.

 

Intro: From Dust

 

The Mercenary limps out of a storm. Stranded. Low on ammo and supplies. They need transportation if they’re going to survive on this moon. And soon.

 

Outside of a homestead structure ahead, Scavs toss bodies into a burning pit. When the Merc approaches, they open fire. If you’re not a Scav, you’re a victim.

• The Scavs are sorting bodies of murdered settlers. 

  • Bodies that have high levels of radiation are being thrown in the pit to burn. 

  • Bodies that aren’t irradiated are loaded into their vehicle to become “donors” for the black market organ trade.

• Faction Impact: When the Scavs are killed, we see in the game’s UI → ZRM reputation up, Scav reputation down.

• One of the dead Scavs drops a set of keys (for a soon-to-be-yours vehicle).

 

The Mercenary tries the door to the homestead. It’s locked. Powered down. It’d make a good shelter if another storm rolls through, but the Merc’s gonna need a power cell for the generator outside to get it working. 

• Around the back of the homestead are some Scav vehicles. The Merc’s got the key to one. They take it.

• As the lights to the vehicle power on, they illuminate the dark road in front of you. The path to the rest of the demo is now open.

• As the Merc drives through the dark road, we begin to see the first wreckage of the SIN Zaphira littering the rift.

 

Part 1: Zaphira Rift

 

The Merc rolls into town. It’s quiet. A breath from desolate. High tech defenses, turrets, mines, or fortifications, protect the small town. The Merc is forced to leave their vehicle and approach on foot.

• Few people populate the town at a glance. A few ZRM riflemen, some civilian scrap traders, and the militia’s captain at the center of town.

• At the gate, or town border, one of the riflemen asks the Merc their business. 

  • If needing a fuel cell is mentioned, they tell you to speak with their Captain. 

  • If you answer differently, they warn you to finish your business quickly and be on your way.

• The vendor in town is protected by the ZRM and therefore will not sell his *best stock* to you unless you’ve gotten your rep with the faction up.

  • ZRM rep can be increased by helping the Captain or convincing the old man in the woods to join the ZRM (see later parts of outline). [Basically sells cooler stuff when aligned with ZRM].

 

A woman waits at the center of town. She tinkers with the turreted arm of a scrapwork mech, otherwise covered in tarps. This is Captain Vera--leader of the ZRM.

• The Merc can ask her about the town, if they’re so inclined, and Vera will tell them a bit about the Scav situation. Though, she’s noticeably untrusting of you. Seems on edge.

• If the Merc asks about a fuel cell for the homestead, she’ll tell them the Zaphira’s wreckage has some Imperial Reactors. Too potent for the homestead, but she has the expertise to convert it, if the Merc helps her out.

  • Captain Vera needs fuel as well for the town’s defenses, but the Scavs have blocked off the way to the crash site (the swamp).

  • Bring her back a reactor, and she’ll convert it to fuel cells for them both.

  • She gives you a RAD-shield (key item that shields from radiation)

 

Up the road from the town, the Mercenary finds a small, boarded up dwelling. They knock. An elderly voice answers. The man is terrified of the Scavs nearby. Won’t come out. 

• If asked, the old man will mention Scavs have been suckering in passersby with ambushes at a nearby facility, pretending to need help. [Gives Opt C* Scav Dialogue]

• Old man outcomes:

  • OPT A: If the player takes it upon themselves to kill many of the Scavs in the area (Tech Area in beat below), they can return to the old man and he’ll feel safe enough to open the door, and gift them = NIGHT VISION GOGGLES**

    • **Can move through the dark tunnel later without using a flashlight.

  • OPT B: [If Merc has learned the old man is a thief from Scavs] Can confront the old man.

    • OPT B1: Can intimidate him to hand over the gear he stole. [Night Vision].

    • OPT B2: Can kill him, taking his head for the Scavs. [Scav Rep up].

    • OPT B3: Can convince him to give his gear to the ZRM for shelter [ZRM Rep up].

Far off the road, the Mercenary approaches a ramshackle facility (Tech Area). A young woman pleads for help as they near the entrance.  

• Seeing the seemingly alone, distressed woman, the Merc has a few options:

  • OPT A: Approach to help her.

  • OPT B: Shoot her. 

  • OPT C*: [Only available if Old Man already talked to] Call out the Scavs--know it’s an ambush.

• If OPT A or B are taken, the Scavs come out and attack the player. Though with OPT B the Scavs are caught off guard and you have one less to deal with (the Scav woman).

• If OPT C is taken, the Scavs will talk to you:

  • The Merc can intimidate them, getting them to back down. [Scav Rep Up]

    • If intimidated, they’ll let you into the tech facility behind them without a fight.

  • The Scavs will tell you they’re looking for a thief who took some gear from the base. They can put in a good word for you with Pox (the Scav leader) if you take the thief’s head. [Gives OPT B for old man].

  • The Merc can also choose to just attack after speaking with them.

 

Part 2: The Crash Site

 

Outside the tunnel to the Zaphira crash site (swamp), the Scavs have blocked the road. Led by a charming if terrifying man. They have an offer for the Mercenary.

• The Merc speaks with the Scav leader, Pox. They’re no stranger to hiring freelancers.

  • *If Scav rep is high from killing the thief, Pox will be more accommodating*.

• Pox will tell the Merc they’re looking to move in on the ZRM’s salvage operation here and have a buyer outside the Rift that will pay top dollar. They’ll cut you in for some help.

  • The Scavs don’t have proper RAD-shields to approach the ship.

  • Bring them the Imperial Reactor, and they’ll pay you top dollar.

    • If Merc mentions needing a fuel cell, they tell you they have some on hand they can trade–if you work with them.

• After speaking with Pox, he’ll let you pass.

 

The Merc trudges through the tunnel. It is plagued with irradiated creatures out for flesh.

• The tunnel is pitch black and full of creatures mutated by radiation (dog monsters). Navigating the tunnel will require either using your flashlight or the *Night Vision Goggles, if the Merc acquired them.

  • Using Flashlight: The flashlight allows you to see, but the creatures in the tunnel will notice the Merc right away, making them much more aggressive. (Must fight).

  • Using Night Vision: The creatures won’t aggro right away, letting the Merc either get the jump on them, or sneak by them in some cases.

 

The Mercenary wades through wreckage of the SIN Zaphira. Mutated horrors and deteriorating Imperial defenses roam the polluted swamp. This place is a death sentence.

• The Merc is forced through a high density combat area as they explore the swamp, searching for the Imperial Reactor.

• At the deepest part of the wetlands, a reactor remains lodged into a part of the ship jutting from the earth. 

 

The Mercenary pulls the reactor from its vessel. The Zaphira’s defenses respond with force.

• Ambushed by old, automated Imperial defenses–the Merc must escape the wetlands with their prize.

• With the reactor in hand, the Merc must make their decision. Return the device to the ZRM, or place their bets on the Scavs instead.

 

Part 3: The Choice

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Here the demo branches slightly depending on whether you deliver the reactor to Captain Vera of the ZRM or the Scav leader, Pox. 

 

ZRM ROUTE:

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The Mercenary returns the reactor to Captain Vera, and the pair face down an onslaught of Scavs. [ZRM Alignment Locked-in]

• When the Merc returns the reactor to Captain Vera, one of her men informs them a Scav raiding party is approaching. 

• Vera quickly fashions some fuel cells from the reactor, and powers up the guns of the broken down mech she’s been tinkering with.

 

As the Scavs push into town, the Merc mans the mech’s armor piercing guns.

• The Merc uses the mech’s guns (like a stationary turret) to gun down the approaching cutthroats, defending the town border from an onslaught of Scavs. 

• After the town is successfully defended–Vera thanks the Merc, saying with the supplies they’ve given them, they’ll hold out a while longer. She gives them the fuel cell as promised.

 

Scav ROUTE:

 

The Mercenary returns the reactor to Pox. The only thing standing in the way of their biggest payday yet are the ZRM. [Scav Alignment Locked-in]

• Impressed that the Merc’s returned with the reactor, he offers to double their pay if they ride into town and take out the ZRM–with some Scav weaponry to beef them up.

• Newly outfitted from the Scav’s stockpiles, the Merc drives back to town to wipe the ZRM from Zaphira Rift.

 

As the Merc rolls into town, the ZRM attacks on sight. And Captain Vera unveils her ramshackle mech, shooting the Merc with its turrets.

• The Merc pushes through the ZRM defenses and rifleman, eventually coming face to face with a furious Captain Vera–who fights from a stationary, but high-damage, high-health mech.

• Defeated, the Scavs roll into town to take over the ZRM operation. They pay the Merc the promised fuel cells, with some hazard pay on top.

 

Area End: Returning Home

The Mercenary returns to the homestead. Fuel cell in hand. A storm on the horizon.

• Approaching the homestead, the weather picks up. The dust storm of the century is minutes away.

 

Plugging the fuel cell into the homestead, the building powers on, shelters them from the storm.