DDK: These guidelines are a bit old, and I don't *think* these forums are closed off anymore. They might be, but I forget. Oh well. In any case, we're still following these guidelines, except with an extension of leaking powers to me, understandable with Jake's absence.
Seeing how a lot of the plot is posted in that 35-page thread and the final pieces of the plot will be revealed to the Dream Team soon, I need for each of you to remember a few things as we go about the production. Some of these have to do with plot, others with beta testing. In any case...
Keep quiet about what's going on, and handle public relations through interviews or "press" releases
This includes plot, advancements made in technology (such as managing to implement the MP3 support I've discussed in another thread, or if we manage to implement Schala as a PC), etc. This forum is closed off for a reason. While I will intentionally leak VERY small hints at something in a setting other than a press release, I should be the only one doing the leaking. Cool? Good. Moving on...
-Be ruthless and unforgiving when beta testing
You know those games where you play them intentionally the wrong way just to see if you can break them? Go where you're not supposed to. You'll know what (not) to do.
-Explore every possible opportunity available
While this goes hand-in-hand with what I mentioned above, it needs to be underscored. Every time the game turns your Explore Mode on, get out of wherever you are so you don't trigger the next event, and go explore the whole world that's available to you. Does an town NPC say something that should be changed in the context of where the storyline is at this time? When you exit and re-enter the area where the storyline is taking place, does the storyline start up as if you had never been in the room before? (In other words, do certain events repeat?)
-Publicize on the forum and subject to peer review every development, to include any modifications to the ROM or alterations to the plot, to ensure the entire project is a collective effort and not a fragmented tug of war.
There are a multitude of reasons for this. One of the foremost, as I just stated above, is to keep everyone moving in the same direction. Another major reason for this policy is because we do have a limited amount of space in which to convey our vision of Chrono Break. Therefore, we will need to watch out for unnecessary maps and areas. If we keep those to a minimum, we won't have to reduce the size of a major dungeon or anything like that.