Venture: The Simulation

Venture: The Simulation is a game similar to Venture: 1e, 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
Venture plays like a linear action/adventure game. Players navigate environments in attempts to reach a key location or find a specific item. Hostile creatures roam certain areas, and can be eliminated in a few ways; while combat is possible, the player‘s character is underpowered compared to most creatures (i.e. lower health, slower speed), and are recommended to use the environment against enemies in addition to standard combat. Weapons and items may make combat easier, but can also break from extended use.

Combat moves are done either by left clicking or using a combination of keys pressed. For example, a sword's stab attack defaults to left clicking, while wider slashes are done by clicking the mouse and pressing “RGB“ or “BJI”. Despite the inclusion of combat, it is deemphasized; the player is encouraged to evade enemies and/or use the environment against them in addition to using their set of weaponry. Weapon usage is typically required during boss battles, although evasion and indirect combat tactics are often used as well.

In addition to combat, players use tools to solve puzzles (e.g. cutting through vines with swords). Other puzzles require specific items found in levels, and other items must be found to complete levels.

Mantra
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 or LEGO Indy 1, not LEGO Harry Potter), but with less combat".

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) * Enter the abandoned cabin.
 * 3) * Take the shovel and pickaxe.
 * 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) Ravaged Village: TBA
 * 14) Tavern Tussle: TBA
 * 15) * Obtain both the diamond and the health potion.
 * 16) The Shadow Constructs: TBA
 * 17) The Hidden, Horrifying House: TBA
 * 18) 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?
 * 19) * Evade the Lingua Ball’s acidic vomit. Don’t get caught in their line of sight!
 * 20) * Attack the Lingua Ball by digging the cracked dirt and breaking boulders.
 * 21) * 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) * Escape from the Husks' nest without getting killed.
 * 3) * Obtain sand, water, crystals, and rock salt to make an explosive chemical.
 * 4) * Use the explosive to break out of the cave system, while attempting to avoid the Husks.
 * 5) The Arena: Although the owners of this coliseum have long since passed, 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...
 * 6) * Don’t get caught by the coliseum beasts.
 * 7) * Use your pickaxe to destroy the pillars when the monsters are on the other side.
 * 8) * Retrieve the Memory Cube fragment that is revealed at the altar.
 * 9) 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.
 * 10) * Escape from the collapsing area of the palace.
 * 11) * Evade the Crawler hatchlings and shut the door on them.
 * 12) * Retrieve the Memory Cube fragment without getting caught by the Metal Man.
 * 13) Deserted Dlab District: TBA
 * 14) * Try to evade the stalking pack of Pipipees throughout the level.
 * 15) * Dig up the patch of sand and retrieve the lever.
 * 16) * Place the lever on the hole in the wall.
 * 17) * Turn the lever to open the large, sandstone gate.
 * 18) * Climb the ropes up to the awnings.
 * 19) * Climb the jutting bricks on a temple’s wall and enter through a broken window.
 * 20) * Obtain the Memory Cube fragment and exit through the other shattered window.
 * 21) Mesa of Caverns: TBA
 * 22) * Don’t get caught by the Crawler pack.
 * 23) * Dig up the patch of ground and obtain the lever.
 * 24) * Place the lever and open the metal door with it.
 * 25) * Swing across the chasms with the dangling ropes.
 * 26) * Don’t fall off of the collapsing landmasses!
 * 27) The Catacombs: TBA
 * 28) * Avoid the Crawler pit running around the edges of the dungeon.
 * 29) * Collect the wooden planks inside of the dungeon.
 * 30) * Take a torch and use it to light the planks on fire.
 * 31) * Jump across the breaking bridge while the Crawlers flee.
 * 32) * Step on the button in front of the idol. This causes a piston to shove the idol out of the way.
 * 33) * Exit the current dungeon and proceed into the next room.
 * 34) * Don’t step on the stone pressure plate, lest you get spiked.
 * 35) * Do the Simon Puzzle on the wall near the end of the chamber.
 * 36) * Obtain the lever and walk up the staircase.
 * 37) * Obtain the two diamonds, before climbing the hanging ropes.
 * 38) * Swing across the ropes and place the diamonds in the eye sockets of a gigantic statue
 * 39) Dungeons and Doubloons: TBA
 * 40) Temple of Tombs: TBA
 * 41) 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?
 * 42) * Try not to get eaten as the Deserted Dentata pops from hole to hole (they can sense you From below).
 * 43) * Drop an explosive into a hole and hope the Dentata eats it.
 * 44) * Repeat the process until the Dentata is dead.

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) * Escape from a swarm of carnivorous bats.
 * 3) * Mine the iron ores with your pickaxe.
 * 4) * Use the last of your explosives to blow open a hole to the next level.
 * 5) 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.
 * 6) 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.
 * 7) The Snowy Settlement: TBA
 * 8) The Cold Chasm: TBA
 * 9) Subterranean Sacellum: TBA
 * 10) * Use the lever-activated piston to shove the angel statue.
 * 11) * Dig up the snow to obtain the lever.
 * 12) * Place the lever on the machine and flip it to lower a rope.
 * 13) * Climb the rope and walk across the ledges.
 * 14) * Jump onto the angel statue, before swinging across the drooping rope.
 * 15) * Climb and jump across the pillar to reach the staircase.
 * 16) * Go up the stairs to complete the level.
 * 17) Bridging the Gap: TBA
 * 18) The Abominable Snowman (Boss): Ululater corpses and 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) Jungle Jump Safari: TBA
 * 2) * Swing over the abysses using overgrown foliage.
 * 3) * Cut down a tree and use it as a bridge.
 * 4) * Dig up the stone heads, place them onto the statues, and push them into the holes in the wall.
 * 5) Perilous Pond: TBA
 * 6) * Cut down a tree and use the wood to make a raft.
 * 7) * Use your shovel to paddle across the creature-infested tarn (landing in the pond causes the player to get eaten).
 * 8) * Pull the vine to open the stone door (don’t get killed by the Crawlers).
 * 9) Dark Caverns: TBA
 * 10) 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.
 * 11) The Stream: TBA
 * 12) 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!
 * 13) 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.
 * 14) Climbing the Cliff: TBA
 * 15) 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) Murder Marsh: TBA
 * 5) River of the Castaniaan: TBA
 * 6) Castaniaan’s Catacomb: TBA
 * 7) The Underground Acropolis: TBA
 * 8) 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, château-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) Landmasses over Lava: TBA
 * 5) The Temple of Salial: TBA
 * 6) Into the Mines: TBA
 * 7) The Hocker Looker Liberation Front: TBA
 * 8) Cart Calamity: TBA
 * 9) Demon of Decay (Boss): You’ve braved the Devil’s Labyrinth, kicked some tail, and took some names. But very little can prepare you for the legendary Demon of Decay... not the Decayer Skeletons, not the giant sea monster. Better pack some red clothes.

Wyve

 * 1) The Beach without an Ocean: TBA
 * 2) The Wyvern (Boss): TBA

Creatures

 * Comedenti
 * Osseus
 * Pipipi
 * Crawler
 * Wyveslender
 * Goo Man
 * Decayer Knight
 * Dlab Witch
 * Ignis
 * Ululater
 * Porcus
 * Metal Man
 * Ocean Guardian

Bosses

 * Lingua Ball
 * Deserted Dentata
 * Yedigan
 * Comedenti Serpent
 * Aquaserpent
 * Decayer
 * Wyvern

Tools

 * Iron Axe
 * Iron Pickaxe
 * Iron Shovel
 * Bucket
 * Fire Steel
 * Elixirs
 * Speed Enhancement Elixir
 * Strength Enhancement Elixir
 * Gill-Giving Elixir

Weapons

 * Swords
 * Wooden
 * Stone
 * Iron
 * Platinum
 * Satanite
 * Bloodstone
 * Hellinum
 * Blunderbuss
 * Wooden Bow

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 or not. However, a version very similar to (if not the same as) 1e will be released about one or two decades later.
 * A similarly scaled-down version of Venture, Lionheart, may be created before Venture: The Simulation.
 * The game may initially be released with one level, and more will be added over time. Players’ feedback could potentially steer the game’s direction.
 * Creature encounters are sometimes experienced in maze-like environments. These are based on Brendan’s idea of a 3D Pac-Man and the Wikipedia description of survival horror games.
 * Some of the premises of the game's levels are inspired by LEGO Star Wars: The Video Game and LEGO Indiana Jones: The Original Adventures.
 * Both the basic idea and the description of Slides and Caverns are similar to the Bionicle music video Creeps from the Deep.
 * 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 addition 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
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