Venture: The Simulation

Venture: The Simulation is a game similar to Venture, albeit lacking certain features. These include different (and by extension, lower-quality) graphics and models, music, and other elements.

Synopsis
After obtaining video footage of some of Planet Venture's landscapes, Innovation J has hired a group of software developers to create a simulation of a Venturian's travels across the regions. While certainly not pretty, The Venture Simulation gives a basic feeling of how to eliminate threatening creatures and how likely survival is.

Gameplay
The game plays fairly similarly to the LEGO video games, although it has many differences as well. At the beginning of each level, the player character is given weapons and tools that will help them through the level. Combat is done differently than most other games, using the keyboard to perform attacks. However, this feature can be toggled off, which will have attacks default to the "slash/smash/punch" move. Despite the inclusion of combat, it is deemphasized; weapons may break after extended use, and the player is encouraged to evade enemies and/or use the environment against them rather than use their fairly weak set of weaponry. The player character is also weaker than the typical action game character, with lower health, slower speed, and limited vision.

Levels may have slightly differing objectives, but typically involve navigating a dark, maze-like environment and trying to obtain a key item or reach a certain location, while solving puzzles and evading (or eliminating) hostile creatures along the way. Every world ends with a boss encounter, which tests the player’s kills.

Brendan's mantra for the gameplay of Venture: The Simulation is that it is "plays like an older LEGO game (think LEGO Star Wars 1, not LEGO Harry Potter), but with no building elements, fewer puzzles, and the inclusion of a crafting mechanic". Level design for creature encounters is maze-like, in order to add to the suspense.

Forest

 * 1) Scarlett's Web: Explore a maze-like forest as you try to locate a Memory Cube fragment, assembling a pickaxe to help go through rocks. Matters get complicated when the seemingly passive Crawlers act violently! Objectives:
 * 2) * Assemble a pickaxe from branches, stone, and twine.
 * 3) * Mine through the boulders and stone formations.
 * 4) * Obtain the Memory Cube fragment without dying.
 * 5) Follow the Spiders: The Crawler hatchlings lead the way to their mother’s lair deep under the Venturian forest. It’s up to you to stop the malicious Crawler mama and her bad babies before they cause an outright genocide on the Porcus!
 * 6) * Follow the Crawler hatchlings to the gorge.
 * 7) * Dig the dirt pile and turn the tree into a bridge.
 * 8) * Trap the Crawler pack in their own nest.
 * 9) The Comedenti: It‘s all fun and games as you walk through the forested mountains, until you run into a group of hunting Comedenti, bipedal beasts that rarely lose their appetite. Will you be able to escape from them as you go down the mountain?
 * 10) * Escape from the swarm of Comedenti monsters.
 * 11) * Navigate from the Potter’s Field to the abandoned shack.
 * 12) * Find a way to destroy the hut, kill the Comedenti, and not get killed yourself.
 * 13) The Tussle in the Trees (Boss): What’s that in the bushes? Probably just an herbivorous Porcus hog. What’s that in the trees? Probably something more dangerous. And what are those slimy, tongue-like appendages coming out of the trees? You don't think?
 * 14) * Evade the Lingua Ball’s attacks and acidic vomit.
 * 15) * Attack the Lingua Ball by digging the cracked dirt and breaking boulders.
 * 16) * Rinse and repeat until the Lingua Ball is killed.

Desert

 * 1) Down Under: The caverns below the Saad Ayma Nein desert are safe... said no one ever. Evade the Comedenti Husks as they burst through the walls, and try not to lose your footing, for those chasms lead to a volcanic pit!
 * 2) The Arena: Although the owners of this coliseum have long since past, the beasts that were pitted against the infidels still live on... and you're their next target! Pro Tip: Try to hide behind the pillars; don’t walk into plain sight, or else a grisly fate awaits you...
 * 3) The Ruins of the Palace: This fallen citadel may appear to be a safe refuge, but be warned... the bloodthirsty Crawler hatchlings and the gradual crumble of the castle shouldn’t be the least of your concerns; the mystical Metal Man is a far bigger threat.
 * 4) Deserted Dentata (Boss): Deep beneath the sand and stone of the desert, a race of ape-like creatures feed on underground Crawlers. But one of these subterranean gorillas craves for more, and has risen from the sand! Can you take this baddie down?

Taiga

 * 1) The Under-Ground: Living underground is a good way to evade hostile creatures... said no one ever. But with the promise of obtaining precious alloys and gemstones, the ends seem to justify the means. Right? Let‘s just hope those bats are herbivores.
 * 2) Slides and Caverns: In a cavernous complex of tunnels, slide-shaped stone formations, and even underground temples, only the strongest and deadliest thrive. And when a Memory Cube fragment is found, only the biggest bully in the playground will live to keep it.
 * 3) Enemies in the Ice: In a maze-like taiga forest, famished Ululaters howl for a meal... and you look good enough to eat! Try to turn this icy woodland against them as you vouch for survival— and, if all else fails, your ice ax can hack away those hungry howlers.
 * 4) The Abominable Snowman (Boss): Ululater corpses, pooling blood, are found throughout the mountains of the taiga. But what is killing them, exactly? Perhaps a snow-covered creature? Or a famished wendigo? What if they're both at the same time?

Jungle

 * 1) The Wrecked Temple: This temple’s destruction seems to have been a recent event... perhaps you aren’t alone in this world? Or, has this just been a result of a natural disaster? Only one way to find out; barge in and see what you can find.
 * 2) Jungle Rumble: Prehistoric jungle huts aren’t necessarily impressive, but they do keep you safe from the reptilian creatures outside. But you can’t hide forever... can you? Not when there’s a Memory Cube fragment, you can’t!
 * 3) Amazon Attack: A horned Cornuserpent beast stampedes across the tropical rainforest, knocking down trees and goring other creatures in their wake. It's up to you to get past the Cornuserpent and retrieve the Memory Cube fragment in their nest.
 * 4) Grumbling Growth (Boss): Atop one of the highest cliffs in the jungle, a gigantic, carnivorous reptile wreaks havoc and preys on smaller creatures. But after you've reach the cliff, there‘s a scary surprise waiting... (you’re next!)

Swamp

 * 1) Hunt Down the Goo Man: In the deepest marshes of Planet Venture, a slimy reptilian creature, nicknamed the Goo Man, causes a reign of terror with their pack and children. Should nature be kept in balance, the Goo Men (women, and children) must be put in their place.
 * 2) The Witch Village: Dlab Witches dwell in the shacks and shanties of swamps, brewing elixirs in cauldrons and trying to cast spells. They aren’t the friendliest folk, but they have a Memory Cube fragment in one of their cabins— and it’s a risk worth taking.
 * 3) Fiends of the Fen: A race of Quagmire Comedenti inhabit the marsh, feeding on lichens and the occasional Goo Baby. But that’s not all they’re eating; you’ve just happened to stumble upon them, and these fellows don’t take negotiations.
 * 4) Snake in the Swamp (Boss): Surrounded by stone head structures, a sea monster feeds on those foolish enough to cross the swamp. But with very few other ways out, it seems that you must slay the sea serpent and save millions.

Underworld

 * 1) Sinking Citadel: After entering the portal to a mysterious underworld, you have ended up in a red brick castle. However, lava flows and fragile architecture threaten to destroy the fortress, and send you into the hellfire along with it!
 * 2) Castle Mania: There are several places to get lost in another, chateau-like castle in the middle of the underworld. Be warned; fire breathing Ignis roam the hallways, and the skeleton warriors can cause you to decompose upon contact!
 * 3) Devil‘s Labyrinth: Inside of a deadly, labyrinthine gauntlet, you must reach the Memory Cube fragment, while evading fire, death traps, and hostile creatures. This is definitely a dangerous quest and very different from evading enemies, your typical objective.
 * 4) Demon of Decay (Boss): You’ve braved the Devil’s Labyrinth, kicked some tail, and took some names. But nothing can prepare you for the legendary Demon of Decay... not the Decayer Skeletons, not the giant sea monster. Better pack some red clothes.

Behind the Scenes

 * The game’s creation was decided on after an extended period of Brendan worrying about and eventually doubting whether the base Venture: 1e could be developed and end up successful by 2029. However, a version very similar to (if not the same as) 1e will be released about one or two decades later.
 * A similarily scaled-down version of Venture, Lionheart, will be created before Venture: The Simulation.
 * With help from Croc, Brendan decided to make the game have both a Hard Sci-Fi and Prehistoric theme.
 * The game will initially be released with one level, and more will be added over time. Players’ feedback will help steer the game’s direction.
 * Creature encounters are experienced in maze-like environments. These are based on Brendan’s idea of a 3D PAC-MAN.
 * Some of the premises of the game's levels are inspired by LEGO Star Wars: The Video Game.
 * Both the basic idea and the description of Slides and Caverns are based on the Bionicle music video Creeps from the Deep.
 * The building system is similar to The LEGO Movie 2 Video Game; constructions can only be built on predefined areas, and are built with obtained materials (wood, stone, and metal, in this case).
 * Lingua Balls are based on the Barnacles from Half-Life, only made to "look more realistic" (i.e. sensory organs are visible and legs are present). Their name is also lifted from “ligma balls”, mixed with the Latin word “Lingua”.
 * The Sea Serpent’s role is like that of the sea monster from Spore. However, the Sea Serpent is a boss character in admitting to serving as ”barrier patrol” in the levels.
 * Brendan was initially tempted into making the game on the Unreal 4 Engine, but was demotivated after learning about other people’s experience with it. Instead, the game uses Unity with a post-processing stack to bring the lighting and graphics to a high quality.
 * The “reptilian” creatures are based on dinosaurs, specifically their depiction in the Jurassic Park/World series (i.e. the Cornuserpent is a carnivorous version of the triceratops).
 * Devil’s Labyrinth is based on ”The Gauntlet”, a level from Scribblenauts: Unlimited.
 * The Demon of Decay functions similarly to the Wither from Minecraft and the Gleeok from The Legend of Zelda. Their real name, “The Decayer”, has the “decay” part lifted from the status effect the Wither applies in Minecraft. The level’s description mentioning red clothes is a reference to “better craft a diaper, pal,” the Wither’s tagline in the Pretty Scary Update.

Trivia

 * Unlike Venture: 1e, red blood is present in Venture: The Simulation. It will also be included in Darklight, a Venture spinoff.

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