# Story Beats (Overview) RELEVANT LINKS TO OTHER R&D DOCUMENTS: [https://docs.google.com/document/d/1vBQqxie9rsL5yc2GR7xUe8qArSGf4PcoxaKyCgFawQs/edit](https://docs.google.com/document/d/1vBQqxie9rsL5yc2GR7xUe8qArSGf4PcoxaKyCgFawQs/edit) Veezal ALL OF WHAT IS BELOW WAS ORIGINALLY WRITTEN FOR SIDHRIN AND SALAMIN THIS PAGE IS SUPPOSED TO BE MORE DETAILED AND CONCRETE AND LESS ABOUT TIME STRUCTURE THAN THE ABOVE LINKED "timeline for story (abstract)" GOOGLE DOC At the beginning, our immigrant characters arrive. Possible endings: Ending 1: [the Crooked Wings](https://birdsonguniverse.com/books/crooked-wings/page/protagonists-of-crooked-wings) and their allies succeed in allying factions, they are able to make BIG GAINS in their fight against THE ROBBER BARONS Ending 2: the Crooked Wings and their allies fail in allying factions, the labor unions make SMALLER GAINS in their fight against THE ROBBER BARONS 3 acts or 5 arcs Act 1 has Arcs 1 Act 2 has Arcs 2 and 3 Act 3 has Arcs 4 and 5 BEATS TO HIT FOR **ARC 1 (Act 1): Weeks 1-18** *Possible themes to aim for: 'Irony and (Dark) Humor', 'Frustration and Resignation', 'Subtle Hope or Defiance'* BLOCK 1: Weeks 1-6 BLOCK 2: Weeks 7-12 The party has their INITIAL MOMENT OF RADICALIZATION. They ask for help from [Kechi](https://birdsonguniverse.com/books/notable-characters/page/kechi). BLOCK 3: Weeks 13-18 The party is now FED UP with Kechi and his failed methods of change and have decided that a STRIKE is the only way to move forward. *When are [Salamin](https://birdsonguniverse.com/books/notable-characters/page/salamin) and [Sidhrin](https://birdsonguniverse.com/books/notable-characters/page/sidhrin) introduced?* BEATS TO HIT FOR **ARC 2 (Act 2): Weeks 19-54** *Possible themes to aim for: 'Tension and Frustration', 'Righteous Anger', 'Comedy in Chaos', 'Exaggerated Fear or Paranoia', 'Hope/Despair Switching From One To The Other', 'Solidarity'* Salamin approves of the Crooked Wings! BLOCK 1: Weeks 19-24: 'Exploration (Rediscovery?)' CALAMITY ACTION 1 IS PLAYED BLOCK 2: Weeks 25-30: CALAMITY ACTION 2 IS PLAYED BLOCK 3: Weeks 31-36: Salamin and Sidhrin are introduced to each other!! Sidhrin approves of the Crooked Wings! CALAMITY ACTION 3 IS PLAYED BLOCK 4: Weeks 37-42: strengthen and solidify bonds! CALAMITY ACTION 4 IS PLAYED BLOCK 5: Weeks 43-48 CALAMITY ACTION 5 IS PLAYED BLOCK 6: Weeks 49-54 CALAMITY ACTION 6 IS PLAYED SCANDAL DISCOVERED \[comedy in chaos\] BEATS TO HIT FOR **ARC 3 (Act 2): Weeks 55-96** *Possible themes to aim for: 'Chaos and Desperation', 'Outrage and Euphoria', 'Dark Comedy', 'Catharsis and Empowerment'* [Zikora](https://birdsonguniverse.com/books/notable-characters/page/zikora) is deployed by [Tweela Banking](https://birdsonguniverse.com/books/extranational-political-entities/page/tweela-banking). He soon calls in [the Southstreet Boys](https://birdsonguniverse.com/books/crooked-wings/page/the-south-street-boys). BLOCK 1: Weeks 55-60 CALAMITY ACTION 7 IS PLAYED: The Southstreet Boys Arrive in Town BLOCK 2: Weeks 61-66 CALAMITY ACTION 8 IS PLAYED BLOCK 3: Weeks 67-72 CALAMITY ACTION 9 IS PLAYED BLOCK 4: Weeks 73-78 CALAMITY ACTION 10 IS PLAYED BLOCK 5: Weeks 79-84 CALAMITY ACTION 11 IS PLAYED BLOCK 6: Weeks 85-90 CALAMITY ACTION 12 IS PLAYED BLOCK 7: Weeks 91-96 CALAMITY ACTION 13 IS PLAYED BEATS TO HIT FOR **ARC 4 (Act 3): Weeks 97 to 102** *Possible themes to aim for: 'Bittersweet Reflection', 'Cynical Humor', 'Satisfaction with a Twist'* BLOCK 1: Weeks 97-102 BEATS TO HIT FOR **ARC 5 (Act 3): Weeks 103-108** *Possible themes to aim for: 'Ambiguous Triumph', 'Hopeful Cynicism', 'Irony of Change'* BLOCK 1: Weeks 103-108 ### **TIMELINE**
**CHARACTER(trait) OR INTERACTION OR EVENT OR STORY-FEATURE OR GAME MECHANIC OR DESIGN-FEATURE** | **THEME||QUESTION||STATEMENT TO EXEMPLIFY** | **HOW IT IS DONE** | **Q&T&C notes (to process)** |
STORY BEAT: Intro cinematic \[Week 1-M?\] | |||
STORY BEAT: Soft gameplay tutorial (day cycle): Veezal & Co learn their job 'on the go' from Rrajak, Lornix, and Pryden \[Week 1\] | |||
STORY BEAT: Soft gameplay tutorial (night cycle): Veezal & Co learn to allocate their nighttime activities \[Week 2\] | |||
STORY BEAT: Veezal, Kaiyara, Zelrik, and Tawnette's reacting to the plight of the blue-collar workers by saying 'if we don't help them, who will?' \[Week 7\] | 'when can an individual throw up their hands and say 'this is not my problem'?' | ||
STORY BEAT: Veezal & Co are introduced to Sedrin by Salamin \[Week 8\] | |||
Failure Ending 1: (the labor union lacks both institutional and popular support. Sedrin and Salamin lament how the newly formed labor union is yet another creation of the existing system, a bandaid that only exists so that further exploitation can happen. \[Week N\] | |||
Good Ending 1: (institutional support for the labor union is high enough, but popular support is not high enough): the protagonists and their allies rejoice! However, Sedrin and Salamin are aware that their victory is an exceedingly temporary one. The good guys are determined to defend the labor union from the attacks that are to come. \[Week N\] | |||
Good Ending 2: (popular support for the labor union is high enough, but institutional support is not high enough): the protagonists and their allies rejoice! While the labor union they have formed appears weak on paper, momentum is in their favor. The good guys are determined to continue their fight! \[Week N\] | |||
Good Ending(?) 3: (both institutional and popular support for labor union are high enough) the protagonists and their allies rejoice! But, they are so successful that <some antagonist> Opens The Door and now there's a giant hell-fortress in the middle of New Yirooburg. \[Week N\] | |||
STORY BEAT (Good Ending 3(?) achieved): Defeat the giant hell-fortress in the middle of New Yirooburg! Everyone throws a party. Hooray! \[Week N+1\] | |||
STORY BEAT | |||
**CHARACTER(trait) OR INTERACTION OR EVENT OR STORY-FEATURE OR GAME MECHANIC OR DESIGN-FEATURE** | **THEME||QUESTION||STATEMENT TO EXEMPLIFY** | **HOW IT IS DONE** | **Q&T&C notes (to process)** |
The Orphan Crushing Machine | |||
Zikora arrives | |||
**Zikora Involves the Nordvikens** | |||
Good News For Zikora | |||