CLOCKBOUND EP Dev Diary #3 — Reintroducing the Town of Arbordale
It’s been two months since I last posted a development diary, huh? Time to fix that. Previously I’ve written about the battle system and exploration in CLOCKBOUND EP Track One.
But, let’s take a detour. What is the story of our first track? Who are the key characters?
How it starts…
It’s nearing the end of summer vacation. This next year is your first in middle school, and you’re just trying to enjoy your last days of freedom with your friends.
You’re Austin Parker, a 12-year-old kid living the fictional town of Arbordale, Massachusetts.
You’ve got plans on August 30th — meet up with your friends Cole Johnson and Mike Keery. Cole’s a little shy, but he’s also incredibly empathetic and charming. Kid’s also really good at rhythm games. He’d probably be one of the first to beat “Through the Fire and Flames” on expert in Guitar Hero III.
Mike’s older, a little quiet. He’s entering his sophomore year of high school. He introduced you to some bands that in a couple of years you’ll realize are crap. That doesn’t mean they don’t inform your taste though. It’s maybe weird that he hangs out with younger kids, but you don’t care.
But, August 30th, 2002. That day, when you’re going to meet your pals at the Cafecade (a coffee/milkshake/pizza place with video games!!) you learn something devastating. Hell, you don’t even believe it when your mom tells you.
Mike’s been found dead.
You’re heartbroken, but you’re told to carry on with the day. You meet Cole, and the adventure begins. You make a decision to figure out what happened — who can really trust adults anyways? Cole agrees to help but reminds you of your plans with your other good friend, Lizzie.
Lizzie — she’s tough and doesn’t take guff from anyone. She values honesty and integrity and doesn’t stay quiet if you do wrong by her. Ditching her might be a mistake, so … keep that in mind.
Where it goes…
Whether you go find Lizzie or not, events are set into motion — it becomes clear something’ going on. Mike’s death wasn’t self-inflicted and not an accident. Another person dies. A strip mall is being built and something feels… off.
You’ll meet enemies, rivals, and allies along the way.
A detective who gets lost in thought a lot…
A local shop owner who likes his coffee black… like midnight.
A jock.
A sleazy politician.
The local pot dealer.
Arbordale is a wonderful place to live, allegedly. But, like many small towns in the US, it has some dark shadows (#darkshadows) lurking just behind its sunny exterior.
But that’s not the only story…
Others in Arbordale are doing their own thing. Kurt, a kid your age, is doing his own thing and may need your help from time to time. The town of Arbordale and its founder has a history to explore. There are other people living their lives and other stories to hear.
Stay tuned for more developer diaries in the near future — we’ll be talking about the game’s art, music, and more. And we have a podcast coming! The first episode is all about Riverdale, and we’ll be posting across our social channels when it’s available.
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