GiggleForce Announcement and FAQ
A few days back, I announced a project I've been working on with a handful of friends called "GiggleForce". Reception so far has been beyond what I could have imagined: to some it might not seem like much, but I haven't really gotten this kind of response on a game in a while.
Maybe that's because I've been focusing mostly on smaller web games for the past few years? Maybe it's because people just like the superficial Earthbound look? I dunno, but I'm glad people seem to like it.
In short:
Giggleforce is a parody of the "Quirky Earthbound-inspired RPG" subgenre. You play as a recently-let-go everyman: Guy Parker, a provocative young wrestling enthusiast: Dani Shapel, a masked serial killer: Robert Pilkington, and an ex-stuntman: Jickie Choon. These four unwittingly end up hunted by an obsessive cult hellbent on making sure they can't bring to fruition a prophecy that would prevent the rise of their utopia.
!FAIR WARNING!
Giggleforce features a lot of crude humor and adult subject matter. There's no shame in being uncomfortable with this kind of content, but I would recommend against playing the game if this sounds unpleasant to you.
RELEASE / DEVELOPMENT
Q: When will the game release?
A: At the moment, there is no set release date.
A: GiggleForce will only available on Gamejolt as freeware. Certain scenes absolutely require the use of copyrighted assets.
Q: Where can I follow this game?
A: I post monthly updates on the game in the Unique Indie RPGs Discord server.
I try to post semi-regularly on Twitter, though as GiggleForce is largely a comedy game I might go dark when I'm working on sequences that are better experienced blind.
GAMEPLAY / GAME DESIGN
Q: Can you rename the party members?
A: Yes, at the beginning of the game, you are able set unique names for all the main party members, as well as a few words that appear in dialogue ala the favorite food/thing in Earthbound.
Temporary party member names can't be set, with one exception.
Q: Are there any other party members?
A: Yes! At the moment there are 5, but there could be more:
Karlov Smitovski: A sweet and endearing foreign man who guides Guy and Dani in the ways of his tribe of Elvis impersonators, who he struggles to fit in with.
Rosa Witt: One of countless true-crime fanatics, Rosa is utterly enamored with Robert Pilkington.
Dubya: An unfortunately-named monkey sold to you for a mere 20 dollars. If you truly hate George Bush, you can change his name.
Sir Buffcoat, the Lion of the Codlands: A legendary knight from a snowy land to the north. He seeks to bring an end to the tyrannical rule of the sinister and illusive Green Wizard.
Sergei: Sir Buffcoat's squire and pack-mule.
Earl F Brown: You like the name? His mother does too! An obnoxious fourth-wall breaking public defender once employed by the Church of Scientology who hasn't lost a case yet!
Q: How long is the game going to be?
A: I'm aiming for something around 9 hours in length, but I may cut or add content that changes that.
A: It's hard to really give specifics without spoiling some of what I consider the game's best moments, but personally, I feel like it's about on par with something like Da Ali G Show.
Characters cuss, there's nudity in certain sections, and the player can take pills to cure status effects.
Q: I thought you were working on a sequel to Beetle Ninja? When is that coming out?
A: Admittedly, Beetle Ninja 2 was mostly born out of the over-enthusiasm I had for the original game. The project has lingered on in development hell for about 3 or 4 years now, and while bits and pieces of it are still technically impressive to me, I wouldn't hold your breath expecting it to release.
Q: Who's who?
A: Guy is the man in blue with the yellow tie, Dani is the red-haired girl in the yellow jumper, Robert is the guy with the metal mask, and Jickie's the guy with the boxing glove and the wifebeater.
Q: Is this set in the same universe as Beetle Ninja or Where the Moon Goes at Night?
A: GiggleForce is very much a separate continuity from my earlier games.
Aside from those: Jesus Christ Superstar and Fallout New Vegas inform some of the dialogue writing, and I try to draw as much from Monty Python, old school SNL, An Idiot Abroad, and The Muppets as I can without it feeling too obnoxious.