Barrage Fortress intro

Characters

Doctor Conviction Closure

Backgrounds

1 2

<Background 1>
[Conviction is discussing something...]
Conviction	You didn't leak anything, did you?
[...with Closure.]
Closure	No associated transaction logs in the system, kept clear of everyone while I was working on it...
Conviction	Hide our IDs! They're still visible!
Closure	Wait, hold on! Do over, do over.
[Closure inputted something on the computer as Conviction takes a peek.]
???	You've done well.
???	Ooooh, sweet mama, nonstop days of work and it's finally–
???	Calm yourself. From the moment I agreed to collaborate with you, your success was guaranteed. Have the next test prepared.
???	Right, right, right! Next test is vital... Drag them all here. If any are unwilling...
???	A faulty assertion! This is a test, thus hardly all were suitable in the first place. To be chosen is their privilege!
???	Gonna snap so many pics of the looks on their faces. Gonna save them all!
???	They'll take these gifts of fear, shock, bewilderment, insanity, distress! These ignorant fools!
<Background 2>
Closure	...... So basically, congrats on being our tester, Doctor. You'll be betaing our newest work– Soldiers Assemble: Barrage Fortress!
<Dialogue branch starts here>
Doctor	Can I go...?
Conviction	That's your response?! Your frail body is excused as a commander, but how can you not yearn in any way to revere the arts?! If your help wasn't necessary today, I would have CONVICTED you by now!
Doctor	This is what "needs urgent handling," Closure?
<Dialogue branch>
Doctor	I'm honored, but what is this?
Conviction	Your response satisfies me, for now. But don't get too complacent.
<Dialogue branch>
Doctor	Whose idea was that name?
Conviction	As if you have to ask... Of course it was I, the great Conviction, on wings of inspiration and idea!
<Dialogue branch ends here>
Closure	So here's the thing. A lot of operators report that field missions eat months of their time, and push them into harsh, dangerous working environments liable to take a massive physical and mental toll on them. It's hard to keep a good frame of mind for work when you're away from the landship.
Doctor	First time I've seen you talk so seriously! / Wow, you DO consider RI's working conditions!
Closure	Whaddaya giving me that for, Doc? I wouldn't lie to you... So I thought, if we can update our comms terminals a little, optimize their interactivity here and there, and improve user comfort in the current interface, and then add some simple entertainment programs on top! Then our operators will have both work AND rest in their hands! And the most crucial part of this plan is...
Doctor	How to upgrade the terminals? / How to change our use habits?
Closure	Just what kind of games we should install.
Doctor	......
Closure	Our game dev here affects the operational effectiveness of us all from here on out. Doesn't that call for "urgent handling" to you? I even got Conviction here to help me wrap up all the game planning.
Conviction	It worked out. I've been out of judgeable sins lately. Alright, no need to explain any longer. In short! Initial development has concluded on Soldiers Assemble: Barrage Fortress!, and now we're into the phase that excites us all: testing.
Doctor	So that's why I'm here to test today.
Closure	That's right. Considering the explosion in popularity we're gonna get once it's officially online, we've gotta do intensive testing right now. You're here to help us gather data so we can answer the fans in advance. Don't hold back! If you've got any praise at all, lay it on us! We're ready to take it!
Doctor	Seems a little off, but... whatever, let's do this. / You know, I can jam with that. Let's do this.
[Conviction stops the Doctor.]
Conviction	Hold on! Don't rush into it! As Lead Planner and Art Consultant for Soldiers Assemble: Barrage Fortress, I'm compelled to give you a brief explanation of this work's design concepts and highlights! Its inspiration originates from the experiences of the First Great Convictor...
<Background fades out>
The story takes place in the ancient kingdom of Agamem. A band of wicked artists became the rulers of this kingdom, and monopolized the creation of high art, while forcing all their subjects to eat nothing but tomatoes. As the years went on, a vast sea of artists could no longer bear such spiritual poverty and physical frailty. Finally, they gathered the tomatoes they held, and collectively pelted the wicked rulers with them. It was the first day of April, and thousands upon thousands of tomatoes flew through the air.
<Background fades in>
Closure	That doesn't sound like the version you told me before.
Conviction	Are you sure?
Closure	Whatever, cut to the chase.
Conviction	Closure said she wanted to make a game, and in an instant that scene came to me. As for the finer points, Closure has been hard at work developing, ironing out the details, making my art so suffused with beauty and longing a material reality. Yes, this is the duality of the engineer's spirit. Thus, though it may be a demo version, I say it's already the peak of all magna opera. Fluid controls, excellent feel.
Closure	That's the Closure difference.
Conviction	Appropriate difficulty, impeccable game balance. A sublime experience that both satisfies the wants of high-level players and accommodates for those with relatively less gift for gaming.
Closure	Goes without saying.
Conviction	We've also invited Dusk to provide artistic references for in-game CGs.
Closure	...... But she hasn't agreed just yet. You know. Not yet.
Conviction	Regardless, you'll witness scenes of such exceptional beauty and portraits of such momentous realism, the ferocity of your immersion will overwhelm you. And so, may you hold onto that tension! Your palms sweaty, your heart pounding!
Doctor	...... / I look forward to it like nothing else. / Alright, let's get this going ASAP.
Closure	This way, Doc.
Conviction	One moment!
Closure	What now?
Conviction	I'm not done! I still haven't explained the most important thing! Ahem... games are not just games, but artforms above that. As with sculpture, literature and painting, the creator must infuse them with their concepts and ideas.
Closure	(Huh...? Okay, what are these concepts and ideas we wanna convey, again?)
Conviction	Hm? Can you not sense it, Closure? I'll need to seriously judge if you're qualified to continue being my partner!
Closure	......
Conviction	Of course art is eternal! Justice is eternal! Neither sits above the other! The forms and actions of the in-game characters are all uniformly manifested with grace and elegance by my own Fist, that of Conviction. You'll sense the depths of justice's power. Even if the land of Terra is presently caged by dark clouds, justice will never be taken with! Evil will be convicted! Soldiers Assemble: Barrage Fortress! is, more than adapting operators to their hours free from work, meant to steel the faiths of us all!
Closure	...... (Uh, is it?)
Conviction	So, are you fully prepared now?
<Dialogue branch starts here>
Doctor	......
Conviction	Now let me tell you about what our creative process–
<Dialogue branch>
Doctor	I am prepared, Master Conviction.
Conviction	Hold it! Let me leave you with a tale of what our creative process–
<Dialogue branch>
Doctor	Let me guess: you have something else to say.
Conviction	Yes! Now let me tell you what our creative process–
<Dialogue branch ends here>
Closure	That's enough, Conviction. Can't you see the Doctor's just bursting to go? After you're done playtesting, Doc, we can take our time then! Doc, congrats on hereby becoming the 52nd tester for the all new joint Closure and Conviction-developed game–Soldiers Assemble: Barrage Fortress! Let's get this show on the road!
Doctor	I'm the 52nd already?!