This vast decaying megamall has lain outside your home town for as long as you can remember. Your parents remember the days when they used to shop there. You grew up with stories of the wondrous things they bought. The light and sound and colour. The air inside smelled of popcorn and sweet syrup and caramel. It was a magical place. A dream.
Things have changed. The lights flicker and fade. Huge sections of the mall lie empty and dark. Sometimes you think you can glimpse unknown constellations or planets inside the glass domes. Twisted shapes scuttle within. But still, people come. They flood into the mall from all across the country. They can't help themselves. They dream of it. Perhaps somewhere inside, they can finally buy the answer to all their problems.
Shopping centers are, I think, the closest thing to a megadungeon that I've ever experienced in real life. Long have I wandered through endless cyclopean hollow parking lots in the dark, searching for a way back to the outside world.
The Dying Mall is an object of some psychic and symbolic power. A liminal space. They represent cancerous growth and decay. A great capitalist organism struggling to drag itself out of the mire. Reading about them is something that has always interested me. It's a natural fit for a megadungeon.
In recent years, the number of dead malls increased significantly in the early 21st century because the economic health of malls across the United States has been in decline, as identified by high vacancy rates. -Wikipedia.
Influences
I'm heavily inspired by Yuppie Psycho, which is a Corporate Office Horror Megadungeon. You are recruited to a new job. The office building is effectively a haunted megadungeon where you still have to try and get work done despire the horrors inside. (I would love to see this made into an RPG dungeon too, but maybe another time). Silent Hill 2 and Lone Survivor are also big influences.
Characters: Like Bioshock, I would like to have many sections of the mall commanded by larger-than-life charismatic yet unhinged villains who represent specific philosophies. I want the dungeon to have a lot of interesting NPC's with competing goals. Character as a pillar just as much as exploration and probably more than combat.
Soundtrack: The Comet Is Coming. Redesign your logo.Welcome to the Lobby. Silent Hill 2 Chillwave. This.
Moments of hope and normalcy.
I really love this in Yuppie Psycho, Lone Survivor and Silent Hill 2. Yes, it's a horror game. But the horror is elevated by these strange, surreal moments of peace and hope, where things almost seem normal. People have conversations with you as if nothing is wrong. You sit and look at the stars. In Yuppie Psycho, you can rest in the office breakroom and continue an office romance. I would like "safe" areas in the mall like this.
Inspiration Template: American Dream Miami.
American Dream (formerly titled Xanadu) seems like the perfect template to use for inspiration. The floor plan is on page 51 here.
The 6.2-million-square-foot mall, under development by the Triple Five Group, would be the largest in North America with 3.5 million square feet of retail stores, 2,000 hotel rooms, a 370,000-square-foot theme park, 370,000-square-foot water park, a 200,000-square-foot indoor ski slope, movie theaters, a sports center, outdoor fishing center, miniature golf course, live entertainment venue, plus attractions the developer is calling Submarine Lake, Art Deco Village and Tivoli Garden. - Sun Sentinel.
Escalators that lead to nowhere. Liminal spaces. It's perfect. American Dream might be a bit too on-the-nose as a name even for me, though. Xanadu isn't bad. For now let's give this megadungeon the working title of Dreams MegaMall.
I think the easiest way to get started making the dungeon will be to take a map of an actual mall layout, print it out, and just scribble all over it. New pathways, blocked passages and corridors creating a new landscape. Like the maps in Silent Hill.
The players would get the printed map of the mall, but the situation on the ground would be very different. They would need to mark their map to show the different blocked passages, etc. Ideally it would be nice to create a full information pamphlet with hints about the different areas and cool things to find, like this.
I'm not sure whether it's better to have a horizontal layout, like American Dream, or vertical levels like a classic dungeon. What do you think?
Potential factions
- Living adverts. Digital after-images that have gained sentience and can follow you in reflections, TV static, computer monitors. They can mess with your digital life (your social media, email, online bank account, etc) or influence you through dreams and subconcious thought. They live perfect but hollow ad lives and desperately wish for the gritty trauma and grief of real life.
- Market Research Cabal. Forced out of the offices and into the sewers, they try to regain control over their rogue creations. Through experiments in behavioural psychology they are attempting to finally gain a perfect understanding of Humanity. When they achieve this, it will give them total control and influence over Consumer Behaviour. Their areas of the mall are GladOS style, full of tests and traps, elaborate framed situations with Secret Shoppers pretending to be in danger to gauge your response for their research. They are led by the Head of Marketing, one of the 7 founders.
- Cargo Cult Trash Folk. They worship the trash queens and live in the garbage dimension. They steal things from the mall and are attempting to create a utopian society in the ruins of the old. They primarily use guns and hunting tools recovered from the camping, boating and fishing sections. Their survivalist society is led by the Head of Outdoors, one of the 7 founders who seceded from the rest.
- Mall Cops. Bio-mechanical surveillance camera horrors that attempt to safeguard the sancity of the mall. They command an army of machine-insects of every type that patrol the halls at night. Work for the mysterious CEO, one of the 7 founders. The CEO hears the voice of The Board and carries out its will on earth.
- Consumers. Hapless shoppers who are still drawn into the mall, even now, by the intoxicating dreams they suffer each night. As long as they continue to pay, follow the laws, and avoid the restricted sections, they will remain unharmed by ancient compact. Slowly their obsession with the mall will consume them, converting them over time into feasting horrors ala No-Face from Spirited Away.
- Booth Babes. High Fashion models of all genders, superhumanly attractive. They believe fashion is Sin - Original Sin. Each piece of clothing is literally a bound demon, cut and sewn into intoxicating shapes and colours. Every outfit is a masterpiece, and can twist and change to give them terrifying abilities and transformations. They are slowly spreading their clothing throughout the mall and the world - on command, each piece of clothing will devour its wearer and usher in a new age. Ruled by the Head of Apparel, one of the 7 founders.
- Gremlins. These grease-monkeys look like chaotic many-limbed soot-creatures.Their nature and goals are unknown. They attempt to control the rogue subway that distorts time and space as it pushes through the ruins of the megamall for unknown ends. They infest the maintenance tunnels, elevator shafts and byways of the mall. Machines spark and go havoc at their touch. They have kidnapped the Head of Distribution, one of the 7 founders.
- Warehouse workers. Leaderless without the Head of Distribution, they still soldier on and attempt to keep the mall stocked with goods. They are slaves to The Red Tower, the heart of the mall, a dripping meat-factory that endlessly produces things of no discernable purpose. Perhaps once the tower kept the mall supplied with valuable inventory, but increasingly now it churns out revolting hyper-organisms which the workers (terrified for their jobs) keep pushing out onto the shelves. They are paid in scrip which can only be spent at the mall itself. Their goal is to survive and keep their jobs at all costs.
- Gardeners. Hermetic fungus-folk. Some of them may look human at first, but with many small holes or pores throughout their body. They open up their bodies to reveal beautiful gardens sprouting in their chest cavities. They rule over the supermarkets and food courts, which have overgrown into lush gardens of fat and sugar. Their goal is to live in harmony with nature and destroy all machines - but their version of "Nature" is fundamentally artificial. They have not seen the outside sky in decades. They whisper of the Head of Produce, one of the 7 founders.
- Teeth Farmers. Rulers of the pharmacy, medical and dental sections. Masters of turning your own teeth, your own skin, and your own blood against you. They nuture the teeth-golems, former patients. There is nothing to worry about, the Head of Medical assures the members of the board. The teeth are completely contained.
- The Beverage Partners Worldwide Paramilitary Death Squad are responsible for protecting the interests of Beverage Partners Worldwide and ensuring there are no issues with the coke supply. All water in the facility has been replaced with a supply of delicious, fresh-flowing coke. Soon, the entire water supply of the entire country will be upgraded in the same way. The coke is laced with paristic entities (To be detailed in a later blog post). This mall is their test case and they will not brook any interference.
- The Board. A shadowy paranatural entity from outside space and time. It controls the mall and pushes it to grow endlessly for unseen ends. It appears in the dreams of all high-level mall executives and issues cryptic commands. It can be seen in endless graffiti and shadows and reflections all around the mall. It's true purpose and nature is unknown.
- Creditors. The mall is deeply in debt and these executives are here to recoup their investment - by force, if necessary.
- Ghost Branch. The mall is haunted by the collective ghosts of all the stores it put out of business. They roll across the mall, causing abandonment zones. When you enter a haunted zone the fog rises. The mall around you immediately seems abandoned, decayed, empty. Their goal is to finally drag the mall into bankruptcy in revenge - then they can pass on in peace.
Potential Sections
- Subway. A mobile dungeon level. The plan was to have a monorail inside the mall that could quickly whisk you around the complex. Now this train distorts time and space as it pushes through the ruins of the megamall for unknown ends. You can use it for transport but it obeys no human whims and may disgorge you into unknown places that you will not survive.
- Food Court. The garden overflowing and lush now, the whole floor flooded with koi ponds, fragrant sugar and crackling fat, delicacies of every type.
- Groceries. Supermarkets and produce stores.
- Theme Park. A theme park inside the mall that still works, barely. Includes sections for bowling, minigolf, ice skating, etc. Roller coasters, water slides, rides, concession stands, carnival games.
- Submarine Lake. An artifical lake inside the mall. Boat rides and jet skis.
- International Ski Dome. A working indoor ski-slope and snow zone, with a ski lift. Powered by faulty wiring.
- Central Control. Marketing, centre management, the hub that controls the entire operation. The centre of the glass onion. A dome of concentric steel helixes, very difficult to enter. Has descended into a cargo cult that worships the mall. Office space, marketing, executive suites, a warren of cubicles.
- Maintenance. The maze of tunnels and byways and secret hatches that connects the entire complex, still patrolled by weary workers that are being slowly converted into machines. The dungeon levels are all connected by elevators, but most of them don't work. To get them working again, you might need to clear blockages in the elevator shafts (eg destroy a giant mechaspider in a shaft) or reactivate power.
- Includes: Parking. Endless, cavernous underground spaces that seem to go on forever without limit.
- Distribution. Distribution center, deliveries, and the Red Tower that provides goods for the whole mall.
- The Avenue. An Art Deco high-class luxury section, ultra expensive. High fashion, apparel, furniture, expensive homewares.
- Includes: Luxury Hotel. A hotel in the mall itself, including guest rooms, restaurant, spa, pool, gym, and a golf course.
- Theatre. On one side is an arcade and movie theatre. On the other side is an actual stage production theatre. Arcade, movies, parts where you can dive into virtual reality and explore a virtual world for secrets.
- Includes: Entertainment. Books, toys, board games, electronics, hardware and software.
- Medical centre. Pharmacy, doctors, Teeth Farmers.
- Includes: Pets. Animals gone wild and rabid.
- Trash Dimension. Remains of the outdoor department (fishing, camping, boating, etc). You can only enter it if you're kidnapped by the Dimensional Trash Anomalies.
Finally, here are some tables to help inspire me on this journey.
100 room ideas
- Art Gallery
- Automotive Showroom
- Bakery
- Beauty Salon
- Barbershop
- Book Store
- Cafe
- Cake Shop
- Candy Store
- Clothing Store
- Collectables
- Confectionary
- Convenience store
- Craft Shop
- Delicatessen
- Discount Shop
- DIY Shop
- Donut Shop
- Dress Shop
- Dry Cleaner
- Duty-Free Shop
- Electronics Store
- Fabric / Sewing Supplies
- Farmers Market
- Fashion Boutique
- Fast Food Restaurant
- Fruit Market
- Furniture Store
- Garden Center
- Gas Station
- General Store
- Gift Shop
- Hobby Shop
- Home Decor
- Home Improvement
- Imported Goods
- Jeweller
- Junk Shop
- Pop-up Kiosk
- Kitchen Store
- Liquidator
- Mattress Store
- Mechanic / Garage
- Music Shop
- News Agent
- Fishing Store
- Camping Store
- Boating Store
- Patisserie
- Pharmacy
- Pop Culture
- Service Center
- Software / Video Game / Technology
- Souvenir Shop
- Stationary
- Sports store
- Supermarket
- Tailor
- Rainwater Harvesting System
- Tattoo Shop
- Travel Agent
- Hunting / Gun Store
- Vegetable Market
- Wholesaler
- Ski Slope
- Arts Center
- Concert
- Spa
- Go karts
- Balloon rides
- Bowling
- Billiards
- Underwater Aquarium
- Dinosaur Walk Museum
- Steakhouse
- Elevators / Escalators
- Parking
- Footwear
- Make-Up / Cosmetics
- Parenting and Babies
- Banking
- Nail Salon
- Pet Store
- Office Space
- Hotel / Guest Suites
- Toy Store
- Electronics and Hardware
- Arcade
- Movie Theatre
- Mechanical Rides
- Security / Info booth
- Water Fountain / Waterfall / Koi Pond
- Tobacconist
- Tattoo Artist
- Hardware store
- Optometrist
- Perfume
- Mall Santa kiosk
- Restrooms
- Picture Booth
100 Inspirational Concepts
- Doppelganger
- Radioactive
- Control
- Fungus
- Contrast
- Drowned
- Non-Euclidian
- Recursive
- Unhinged
- Cyclopean
- Sweet
- Childhood
- Time
- Excess
- Decay
- Corpse-fat
- Ghost
- Humanity
- Warmth
- Null-Space
- Bankruptcy
- Limited Time Offer
- Bloom
- Meat
- Ash
- Prophet
- Stars
- Mask
- Sacrifice
- Gold
- Incense
- Glass
- Cancer
- Psychographics
- Emptiness
- Bankruptcy
- Loneliness
- Beauty
- Souls
- Smoke
- Laughter
- Lust
- Primordial
- Bones
- Blood
- Ocean
- Chaos
- Pit
- Empire
- Hive
- Research and Development
- Family
- Rotting
- Shortcut
- Pitch Black
- Advertainment
- Gamification
- Frozen
- Light
- Bridge
- Growth
- Cargo Cult
- Mouth
- Monolith
- Eldritch
- Art
- Tomb
- Sleep
- Bog
- Moonlight
- Dreams
- Babel
- Meta-Narrative
- Infinity
- Quantum Mechanics
- Obsession
- Corruption
- Hollow
- Grinding
- Mystery
- Secret
- Rebirth
- Demon
- Ghoul
- Vampire
- Fire
- Oil
- Glory
- Trap
- Grave
- Asylum
- Space
- Grief
- Hope
- Despair
- Bravery
- Resignation
- Comfort
- Tears
- Curse
52 potential zone inspirations
- Annihilation fungal mutation zone
- Space abyss star galaxy gravity zone
- Fire chaos organic wild growth twist zone
- High fashion Grafitti art living statue surrealism escher zone
- Slow death frost shadows in the ice zone
- Gold chrome molten ornate jewellery zone
- Archaic aquatic corrupt sea vampire zone
- Radioactive dark matter zone
- Time warp memory nostalgia fog zone
- Comforting warm family home unheimlich zone
- Rotting poison disease insect blight zone
- Soft dark quiet tangled forest root zone
- Pitch black ancient cyclopean tomb zone
- Overwrought victorian cathedral blood zone
- Soft crumbling grey ash and quiet zone
- Crooked witchy village pagan sacrifice zone
- Crushing pressure ocean depths bends zone
- Pale skin flap disinfectant sterile zone
- Papery labyrinthine wasp hive zone
- Reflective mirror maze mental prison zone
- Stuffed artefact library museum zone
- The black throne of Azathoth
- Slowly flooding coral cave zone
- Ancient saltworn desert ruin mummified zone
- Twisted carnival zone
- Film noir black coffee lynchzone
- Gambling fortune ritzy blackjack zone
- Psychonaut mental world psychic zone
- Psychological horror hypnosis unreliable narrator distorted perception zone
- Crawling veins of the earth claughstrophobic tunnel zone
- Psychedelic acid trip incense zone
- Boiler room rust moisture heat zone
- Silent Hill fog flesh zombie zone
- Cronenberg flesh mound zone
- Moonside zone
- Mesoamerican neon light nazca lines zone
- Giant board game zone
- Office cafeteria break room chat zone
- Gladiatorial arena blood sport zone
- Panopticon surveillance needle static zone
- Sparking technological wire-warren zone
- Synesthesia zone where music appears as colours and shapes
- Hunger zone where food rots and you become unstoppably hungry and thirsty
- Dream zone where spores float and you are irresistably lulled into slumber
- Frost shard frozen meat splinter crack zone
- Blocked rubble scuttling spider dust zone
- Choking sand, searing heat and blood fly zone
- Zone where the moon and planets appear, tantalising close and hypnotising
- Endless party zone, party-goers run ragged and exhausted
- Backrooms, silent and empty and infinite zone
- Non-euclidian distortion of time and space zone where you can fall into angles and disappear forever
- Unfinished construction area zone, ladders and scaffolds and tools everywhere
Let's get started!
Tomorrow I will begin! Good luck to everyone who is starting their Dungeon23 journey. I will hopefully post on this blog every now and then to update y'all on my progress. I would love to hear your feedback or any ideas you have to enrich this megadungeon. Is there anything you think should be included? Any inspirational moments you've had in dying malls? Let me know :)
No comments:
Post a Comment