Cypher Story + Dialogue
Prologue
EXT. HOLDING FACILITY - NIGHT
There is a loud explosion. The scene starts with Echo running from a PHC building. He hears a voice in the distance guiding him off the government grounds.
UNKNOWN GUIDE-Angel Rivera-Barrett
(overheard from a distance, cont.)
Hey! Come on, hurry up. We have to go!
ECHO
(shouting in the open, somewhat confused)
What’s happening? Where are you guys?
UNKNOWN GUIDE-Angel Rivera-Barrett
Don’t worry about us. Just try and get outta here! But be careful, there are gonna be some guards in your way. Stop them if you can
ECHO
...alright.
This is where the player gets a basic tool showing the basic controls.
When Echo Encounters Guards | |
Echo | Dammit, there are guards in the way. I gotta find a way to take them down. |
Uh oh. | |
This isn’t good. | |
When Guards Encounter Echo | |
Enemy | Halt! |
Now detaining target. | |
Cease your resistance. | |
Echo continues onward after the first set of enemies.
UNKNOWN GUIDE-Angel Rivera-Barrett
Ay! Echo are you alright?
ECHO
Yeah, I’m fine.
UNKNOWN GUIDE-Angel Rivera-Barrett
You’re almost there, we’ll meet you on the other side. Don’t be afraid to show ‘em who they're messin’ with. Give them hell!
Echo encounters more enemies and makes his way towards the exit when he hears his unseen allies in the background in addition to an unfamiliar voice.
UNKNOWN GUIDE-Angel Rivera-Barrett
(anxious -> startled)
Hey, you there? We’re just up ahead. Time to get outta he-what the…
??? (LIZZANDRA)
(patronizing tone, cont.)
(sucks teeth) Might I suggest you cease this impertinent revolt of yours.
UNKNOWN GUIDE-Angel Rivera-Barrett
(scared)
W-who the hell are you??
??? (LIZZANDRA)
It’s about time I wrap up this little stunt before the heads here of this.
UNKNOWN GUIDE-Angel Rivera-Barrett
Hey, don’t ignore us! What are you about to d-AAAAAAAAAAAGH!
There are multiple explosions from all around the player, as well as screams of pain heard in the distance. Echo stumbles to the ground before the screen fades to white while the camera pans out.
ECHO
Ugh…
—--------------------
Act 1
INT. CLINIC - DAY
Echo jolts awake, the memories of the past events still fresh in his head, but unable to recall more than that. He finds himself sitting in a clinic, with a nurse by his side.
ECHO
(disgruntled)
Agh, my head.
SLUM NURSE-Shalom Thomas
I take it that wasn’t a very pleasant dream you’re waking up from. Regardless, glad to see you’re awake. You were starting to scare us quite a bit.
ECHO
What do you mean? What happened?
SLUM NURSE-Shalom Thomas
You were rescued during a siege on one of the PHC holding facilities. You were knocked out from one of the explosions but someone was able to drag you out of there.
ECHO
How’d I even end up there?
SLUM NURSE-Shalom Thomas
No clue, your best bet is to ask around the slums. You might find out.
—--------------------
Slums | ||
Echo Dialogue (if applicable) | NPC Dialogue Response | Role |
What’s happened here? | You must be the one people are talking about. The one from the explosion. Well consider yourself lucky you got out of PHC’s hands. A lot of people don’t. | Flatly |
I hate it here. | Detached & Dejected | |
Ya know, everyone seems to hate the slums, but I don’t think it's so bad. I mean sure, there’s the homelessness, the ever-present fear of starvation, the slow-realization that the government isn’t there to protect you… Bu other than that, it’s pretty chill. | Positive, almost too positive | |
Why does everyone seem so miserable? | What is there to smile about? Live down here long enough, you won’t even wanna get out of bed in the morning. | Scornful |
(Interact) | Leave me alone. | Detached & Dejected |
How did part of the city get to…this | I don’t know, it still doesn’t make sense to me. Feels like we were all just shoved down here one day. Our old homes, our communities, dismantled one by one til there was nothing left. Why was this allowed to happen? | Dazed |
(Interact) | Everyone keeps saying that one day the main branch will find out about PHC’s little experiments and finally put an end to it. If you ask me, I think they’re in on it, or at the very least they don’t care. You don’t just kidnap a whole bunch of people and not notice. | Somber, slightly venomous |
Somewheeeeeeeeeeere. Over the rainbooooooooow! … I don’t know the rest. | Singing but badly | |
Air in the hands! Oops, I mean handing the air in! No wait, air hands in the...hands? …*sigh* Forget it. | Assertive to flustered to sullen | |
You heard anything about people getting kidnapped? | It started happening when most of us moved here, one by one people started disappearing. At first no one seemed to notice, or even care really. But it got to the point that some people decided to go and investigate. I wonder what happened to them… | puzzled |
EXT. Level 1
This is the cutscene before fighting Lizzandra.
LIZZANDRA
Are you the child that’s been causing such a commotion among this facility?
ECHO
What the-that voice! You were the one who killed those other escapees!
LIZZANDRA
Guilty as charged. However if you’d like an early reunion, I’m plenty capable of providing the means for that.
ECHO
Bring it!
—-----------
This is the cutscene following the defeat of Lizzandra.
LIZZANDRA
(angry)
GAAAH! I don’t believe this!
ECHO
(exasperated)
Who the hell are you!?! Why are you holding all of these people hostage?
LIZZANDRA
Shit! How am I even going to begin explaining this to-GAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH! I never imagined heartekk would be capable of this much raw destructive output on its own.
ECHO
Heartekk?
LIZZANDRA
(frantically)
No no no, this is fine. I can remedy this. We’ll just have to reallocate our resources to the other locations. This new development just might be a blessing in disguise.
ECHO
(agitated)
What the- Are you even listening to me?
LIZZANDRA
Hush child! You wouldn’t even begin to understand the catastrophe your idiotic actions have just caused.
ECHO
My actions!? You’re the one who’s got a whole bunch of people locked up in-
LIZZANDRA
Oh please with the hysterics, your overemotional drivel is making it hard to think. This little stint of yours is hardly a footnote to what will become a glorious & revolutionary advancement to technology! Oh and your helmet is tacky.
ECHO
!?!
LIZZANDRA
(boastful)
I’d highly recommend you never interfere with PHC again, or you’ll find others many not be so forgiving to your tantrums. Pray we never meet again!
Lizzandra departs.
ECHO
...
—--------------------
Act 2
EXT. Undercity - NIGHT
Having dealt with Lizzandra, Echo finds himself in the undercity trying to learn more about PHC
ECHO
PHC…Heartekk…I still don’t know anything about these people or why they are being targeted. She mentioned something about “other locations” around here. I need to ask around and find out where this other location is. For all I know, they could have more innocent people trapped.
…
This is gonna be hard, but I have to try.
—----------------------
Undercity | ||
Echo Dialogue (if applicable) | NPC Dialogue Response | NPC Emotions |
You know anything about an organization called PHC? | You talkin’ bout PHC. Yeah I know ‘em, I actually work at one of their factories nearby. Took it over not too long ago, and were lookin’ for people to fill some seats. Couldn’t tell you what it is we’re actually makin’ tho, some real weirdo stuff. Pays well. | Informative |
You mean THC? You can just say weed dude, there are smoke shops all over the goddamn place. | Bemused | |
Not interested in joining your group, sorry. | Uninterested | |
Yeah, just another company trying to capitalize on the magical tech industry. Supposedly they’re backed by the government, but you know how these companies say anything. | cynical | |
You mean the company that makes the security robots? Those things are freaky man! How they think we feel safe around them is wild. | Worried/Uneased | |
Nah, not really. You got so many businesses and offices opening up back to back to back, makes you not even pay attention to the rest. | Incurious/unimpressed | |
Enough to know I don’t wanna know more. Don’t trust any organization that uses abbreviations. | Cautious | |
(Interact) | I don’t speak english, sorry. | Flatly (This person is lying.) |
What’s it like living here? | It’s a place. | Half-hearted |
You ever feel like the world is leaving you behind? All these new robots and flying cars but it still feels alot of us aren’t going anywhere. | Tired | |
You look familiar? Didn’t you reside in the slums? | Sure did, but I managed to land me a gig that paid enough to get outta there. Never looking back, and if I were you, I’d do the same. | Prideful, as if satisfied with a decision |
(Interact) | … … … So you just like walking up to any stranger for no reason and expect them to start tellin’ you stuff? Is that your thing? | Shalom Thomas Female: Agitated |
This cutscene plays when interacting with the NPC in front of the cypher that unlocks the next level.
ECHO
You know anything about an organization called PHC?
UNDERCITY ALLY- Thomas Vu
You kidding? I was here when they moved in and kicked out my entire block to the slums. I’ve stayed nearby and have been trying to uncover as much as I can about them ever since.
ECHO
You find anything out?
UNDERCITY ALLY- Thomas Vu
Yeah, that entire company is bullshit. They claim to be another advanced robotics plant but ever since they moved in, there's been a slew of disappearances. But what’s more? Of all the people that have been reported missing, every single one was reported to have shown some Heartekk capabilities.
ECHO
Heartekk? I encountered a PHC exec and they said the same thing? What exactly is Heartekk?
UNDERCITY ALLY- Thomas Vu
Can you shoot fire and lightning from your hands?
ECHO
ummm…yeah…?
UNDERCITY ALLY- Thomas Vu
That’s Heartekk. Can’t say I know more about it than that but whatever it is, PHC wants their hands on it.
ECHO
I managed to escape a PHC facility and since then I’ve been trying to figure out why they kidnapped me among others.
UNDERCITY ALLY- Thomas Vu
Well if you have Heartekk abilities and were in PHC’s hands, there’s your answer right there.
ECHO
Do you know where the facility is?
UNDERCITY ALLY- Thomas Vu
Yeah it’s further down this street. I’d be careful though. They have a whole bunch of drones all over the place. Don’t know what kind of robotics business has a plethora of armed drones but I’d be safe regardless.
ECHO
Thanks, but I’ll be fine. I need to do everything I can to stop them, no matter what.
—-----------------------
This cutscene plays before Echo fights Kanss.
ECHO
Are you the leader here?
KANSS
You must be the one Lizzandra was mouthing off about. A feisty one you are, aren’t you!
ECHO
Let all these people go!
KANSS
I’ve no mind control. Every participant here is here of their own volition. Right now you’re standing in the way of progress and I kindly ask that you step aside.
ECHO
Ain’t no way I’m ever letting ya’ll get your hands on us. You’re gonna have to catch me dead.
KANSS
If you insist.
—------------------------
This cutscene plays after Echo fights Kanss.
KANSS
(tired)
cough cough It’s an assuring to know our research into Heartekk hasn’t been fruitless. For you, young man, truly stand leaps and bounds above other subjects.
ECHO
Heartekk? That’s why you guys are doing this? Kidnapping all these innocent people? For science?
KANSS
Kidnapping?? I haven’t a clue what you are talking about. I’m here to study the potential of Hearttekk for the betterment of society, nothing more.
ECHO
Hearttekk? What is you guys’ obsession with Hearttekk that has you-
KANSS
You’re telling me you don’t-!?! Beating inside your chest is a living machine with the capability to output energy amplitudes above what our society is currently capable of. These flashy spells of yours amount to parlor tricks in comparison. To fully understand this new concept could take an immeasurable amount of research.
ECHO
You call taking a whole bunch of people and locking them in weird ass labs research?
KANSS
It bears repeating that I haven’t the foggiest of what you’re talking about, nor will I let myself be accused of such a wild proclamation.
ECHO
Well if I were you, I’d be a little more informed about the people you're doing ‘very important’ research for.
KANSS
Hmph. So be it.
Echo and Kanss depart.
End Scene.
—-------------------
Act 3
EXT. City - DAY
Having dealt with Kanss, Echo continues to the main city on his quest to find more PHC facilities and liberate those trapped. There he encounters UNDERCITY ALLY (will name later) who informs Echo of the new location.
ECHO
Hey it’s you, from the undercity. What are you doing here?
UNDERCITY ALLY- Thomas Vu
After we last talked I decided to do a bit more research as to where these PHC locations were and why they are making so many so quickly. As it turns out, PHC actually has a major location here, easily the biggest one I’ve seen.
ECHO
Sounds like it’s another location I need to bring down.
UNDERCITY ALLY- Thomas Vu
I heard about the collapse of one of the PHC plants close to the undercity. I had a feeling it was you. I appreciate your relentlessness but I have to warn you. This is easily the plant that produces most of the drones. I don’t know what PHC has their hands on to be making this type of stuff, but I’d be careful regardless.
ECHO
Thanks for the heads up, but I’m not worried even for a second. I’ve been slowly figuring out who these people are, and now that I know, I know I gotta take them down no matter what.
UNDERCITY ALLY- Thomas Vu
Well then? Good luck.
City | ||
Echo Dialogue (if applicable) | NPC Dialogue Response | NPC Emotion |
(Interact) | Um…do I know you? | Bothered |
What’s it like living here? Maaaan I barely can. I move closer to the city for a new, higher-paying job, and now I'm spending like 90% of my salary to basically live in a box? Isn’t life supposed to get easier? Ain’t that some shit. | Drained | |
What’s it like living here? | Call me a hater if you want to but it’s really not all that. Like we have all these advanced androids and flying cars, yet I still gotta worry about being harassed by some homeless dude? Make it make sense. | Casual |
You know anything about PHC? | I do actually. I was in my first year of med school when they randomly started making the rounds in our field. Didn’t last long though. They got under some fire a while back after a whole buncha people came out against them for unethical tests and stuff like that sooner. Vanished right after just like how they came. Now they’re supposed to be some manufacturing company that specializes in magic robotics? Weird company for sure. | Nostalgic |
Everything is so expensive now. Bought me one of those “new and improved” hovercars and I can’t even use it outside a handful of streets. Spent a pretty penny on it too. Talk about a waste of money. | Disheartened | |
Oh. my. god. Have you been to the new food spot that opened up? Get this: It’s a burger, but made as a salad bowl. It’s so good, it’s like you taste all the ingredients at once! | Excited | |
Dope helmet! Where’d you get that? | Intrigued | |
I’ve been hearing about a couple of riots that’s been happening south of the city but no one seems to ever know what I’m talking about. Normally I don’t care about this type of stuff but it just feels weird. | Hushed | |
You ever notice people in specific locations tend to dress the same? Why is that? | Puzzled | |
The other day I started plugging in the vacuum and then a whole bunch of sparks came from my hand and turned on the vacuum for minutes. No one I’ve told believes but I swear to god it happened. | Shocked/dumbfounded | |
Why did the chicken cross the road? … ‘Cause seven eight nine! | Enthusiastic | |
What do you call cheese that’s not yours? … Time for you to get a watch! | Enthusiastic | |
ECHO
Hol’ up. Aren’t you…
KANSS
I suppose I never did give a proper introduction. Kanss.
ECHO
Judging by your face, I take it you found out what PHC was really about.
KANSS
Indeed. After a bit of digging, it seems PHC plans on using their research into Hearttekk to augment all of their future drones with capabilities similar to Hearttekk. For what purpose I don’t know, but the thought of my efforts being put into such an act makes me ill.
ECHO
Well then what now?
KANSS
I can get you into the facility, but you’re on your own after that. The head of PHC in this area, he likely knows about your activities. Who knows what might be waiting for you inside.
ECHO
Thanks for the heads up, but I’ve already decided. I gotta put a stop to this.
—--------------------
This cutscene plays when encountering Noele Mahc.
NOELE
(annoyed)
You.
ECHO
You must be the one behind all these. The one that’s been taking a whole bunch of people from their homes. The one I get to finally pummel.
NOELE
Ever since that damned raid on our first facility. You’ve become more and more a thorn in my side, one that I have been yearning to finally remove for good. And to think all this happened because we plucked all the subjects with potential and pushed away all of the rest.
ECHO
Seriously? You and your shitty company have been kidnapping a whole bunch of people, and you don’t even care? All those innocent people stuck living in metal shacks and you-
NOELE
Those people are but a passing leaf in the wind. We have ambitions beyond the community of a few. The potential to shape the future of millions. Billions! Yet here you are, stomping around like a wild animal, destroying everything. I’d say it’s time to put you down.
*adjustment* Those people are but a passing leaf in the wind. We have ambitions beyond the community of a few. The potential to shape the future of millions. Billions! Yet here you are, stomping around destroying everything! Like a wild animal, I’d say it’s time to put you down.
ECHO
Couldn’t have said it better.
—---------------------
This cutscene plays after defeating Noele Mahc.
ECHO
It’s over! Put a stop to this.
NOELE
HAHAHAHA! You think taking me down is enough to disrupt our entire organization? That ridiculous helmet must’ve have cut off your brain as well?
ECHO
(stunned)
What do you-
NOELE
Heartekk was your ticket out, your ticket to placing yourself into the forefront of evolution. We’ve already plenty of willing participants lining up for our studies. Our hands are dipped into weaponry, robotics, automation, medicine. It’s already bigger than me AND you.
ECHO
It doesn’t matter. You could have the entire world on your side; I won’t stop until I free every single person forced alongside this sick experiment, no matter who’s in my way. I’ll do whatever it takes.
*to be continued screen*
ADDITIONAL TERMS
Heartekk - Term coined by PHC to define the latent abilities of those with it | Also the name for the ability system (I made this because I didn’t wanna just keep saying magic hearts.)
Hearteksians
Amplium - Manmade element that has the ability to amplify whatever it is fused | this is what helped created advanced technology and is what affects normal hearts to give them magical abilities (this isn’t an important aspect to the slice but is lore to give us clarification as to how things work.)