When Boss Saga launches, it will be a single purchase with the complete game experience included in it from day one. However, within that complete experience, Boss Saga will make use of episodic storytelling, literally. Every story (and its associated boss fight) in the game will be its own “episode” that you experience through something called the “Boss Channel,” and today we’re going to talk about the function of the Boss Channel, how you yourself are a character in the story, and how Balzac will be your guide through an odd TV universe.
Channel-Surfing Episodes on the Boss Channel
Basically, within Boss Saga, there will be a CRT-style TV that lets you interface with the Boss Channel. The Boss Channel is kind of like an imaginary on-demand streaming service, except instead of watching a typical TV show, you’re viewing what’s happening in a different world across the multiverse. And on top of that, you as the player will interact with that world, taking direct control of the boss or bosses to ensure that they win their battle with the heroes.
Most boss episodes occur in separate, distinct worlds. However, now and then, an episode will have an unlockable sequel episode. Furthermore, sometimes an episode will allow you to choose between two different endings, branching off into two different sequel episodes. However, once you pick one ending and unlock one sequel episode, the game will still offer you an opportunity to also see the other ending and unlock the other sequel episode. (There will be extra challenges involved in unlocking the other ending though, to keep gameplay fresh!)
At the outset of the game, you will only unlock one episode to play at a time, but as things go on, you will have more options available to you. The more episodes you complete, the more episodes that will be unlocked for you to play!
Balzac Is Your Biased Guide to the Boss Channel
When you first fire up Boss Saga, the little red devil Balzac will be the first person to greet you and introduce you to the Boss Channel. Bit by bit, he’ll teach you about the mythology that surrounds the channel. And before and after every boss episode, Balzac will have a chat with you. Before an episode, he’ll tease what to expect in the story. And after the episode, he’ll do a sort of “debriefing” with you, asking you your thoughts about how things turned out.
However, Balzac is not an impartial observer! He has specific thoughts and attitudes and will tell you when he disagrees with your perspective. Your answers to his many questions may have an effect on something that occurs at the end of the game as well.
Great Stories Are Everything in Boss Saga
To be honest, I’m still working out the mythology and the meta-narrative that surrounds the Boss Channel. My primary focus so far has just been crafting the individual episodes and making them as impactful and memorable with their characters and themes as possible. After all, if the individual stories are no good, who cares what the surrounding mythology of the game multiverse is?!
The scripts for each episode vary significantly in length. A few scripts are fewer than 1,500 words long (including “stage direction” text). Meanwhile, the current longest script is 16 pages and nearly 4,800 words. I never write with any specific length in mind; I just aim to write the best possible story, while also being concise. Then when I’ve finished writing the story, the dread sets in at how many new art assets will have to be created to bring it to life. 🙂
We do have a specific total number of episodes we’re targeting to include Boss Saga, but we’re holding off on any announcements for now. Basically, we want to make sure we can accomplish what we hope to do before making a firm commitment. The last thing we want to do is over-promise and disappoint players!
However, I will say that, at the current time, I have finished writing one-third of all the episodes we plan to include in the game. One-third may not sound like a lot, but it feels like a lot to me!
There’s a long development journey ahead of us still, but if you’re at all excited by Boss Saga, we would be so grateful if you follow the development of our game here, on Twitter, and/or on Facebook! 🙂
Boss Saga 