Game Idea

[Kopikatsu]

I thought of this while playing Pokemon, and I was wondering what people thought of it.

The game would actually be two separate games. I suck at names, but I'll come up with two as placeholders. Uh...Twisted Playground and...Other Side of the Moon. (Again, suck at names.)

The setting would basically be set 'After the end'. Monsters surrounded by shadow (Visually I guess it would look like smoke) invade from parts unknown. They're vulnerable to firearms, but the sheer number of the monsters overwhelmed the world. Basically, every city has been reduced to ruins, the world has been covered in darkness (It's always night and the moon has turned into some kind of freakish eye with cracks in the sky around it.), and humanity has been reduced to small bastions of survivors.

Both would be set in the same city, but Twisted Playground would feature a ex-Marine. For now, I'll call the ex-Marine...Alexus. Anyway, Other Side of the Moon would feature a scrawny teenager. Let's call him Michael.

The distinction is important because the two games would be very different. They would be RPGs in the purest sense of the term. You would be taking on the role of Alexus and Michael, and their experiences would be projected on the city.

For example, I gave the name 'Twisted Playground' to Alexus' game, because that's what it would be to her. When coming across other survivors, she would forcibly recruit them in her march across the city with no real goal other than to kill as many of the monsters as she can before being overwhelmed. Water and food are a necessity, but Alexus is able to stock up on such things at a few of the human strongholds that she'll visit throughout the game. The monsters would be humanoid, occasionally use human weapons that they've pulled off corpses, and use human tactics (Provide covering fire, set up ambushes, etc).

After clearing out a den of monsters early in the game, Alexus would reinforce it to turn it into a base of sorts, then go search for survivors. So, from the base you can take 'missions' to different parts of the city to gather supplies, weapons, or save survivors. No real plot or explanation for the monsters or where they came from, just a rampage through the dead city with the game ending once you've killed enough monsters so spectacularly that the surviving monsters are forced to flee the city, leaving it to the human survivors with Alexus as their leader. The game would be pretty linear with a few wide open areas to explore.

As for Michael's story...unlike with Alexus, Michael would see the monsters as being mostly formless abominations with the occasional packs of beast-shaped monsters and slender-limbed, spikey fingered humanoid figures with multiple sets of eyes with some alterations between them (Half-formed broken wings, extra arms, etc). Also, the city would be much darker and the atmosphere more oppressive in Alexus' story. Being just a kid, Michael wouldn't be able to use insane gun skills to fight his way through the city, but he'd sneak between buildings and through cover to navigate the ruins. As opposed to Alexus' fairly linear game, Michael's would be free-roam. The monsters wouldn't travel in predetermined paths, so a shortcut through a ruined building might not be so safe the second time around... Michael would be able to find weapons in the form of axes or pipes, but they wouldn't be effective on the monsters. Instead, you would use them to break down doors, weak walls, fix systems, and other such things to make your way around the city.

While Alexus isn't interested in finding out why or how the monsters are there, Michael kind of is. I say 'kind of' because you would be confronted with chances to learn more about them (One of the tall, slender monsters dragging a human corpse away, for example). You don't have to follow it and potentially risk being discovered/killed, but if you do, then you'll learn more about the nature of the monsters, why they're there, and how they came to be there. You'd be on a timer (Like with Dead Rising), but the timer would be EXTREMELY generous. (The timer is because that's how long you have before Alexus and her forces clear out the city, but that would probably take a month or so of gametime.)

Also, since Michael doesn't have a base like Alexus, you would need to find a safe place that he can sleep in. Where Alexus would find survivors and escort them to safety, when Michael comes into contact with survivors, it's they who escort him. Basically, a reverse escort mission where you're the one being protected. (The survivors would die off pretty quickly, though, so you can't depend too heavily on them, but they should be able to fight off a few stragglers on their own). Also, since Michael doesn't have a base like Alexus, he would have to scavenge food and clothes from destroyed buildings or former human strongholds. The sole objective for Michael is to survive, but you're free to discover as much or as little about the nature of the world as you want.

 

[Kopikatsu]

Sounds pretty legit, you have my support for the idea. I liked how you've explained that the objective would be to survive, but the alternative goal is to explore the world and get a feedback on nature to your liking (reminds me of Minecraft's concept even though you can do a lot with crafting). Also sounds pretty complicated when reading through this.

But one question - Why do you have to kill the monsters for? I mean, sure you'll want to fight some and they are mainly seen as bad but that's the point. Many games tend to repeat this on so many terms that it kind of gets old (well, not really but the motive lives on). Instead, you could have some twist to it or have monsters be misunderstood. Just something new thrown in there, that's my only good tip to give you good sir.

I'd kind of thought about that, actually. If you found out enough with Michael, you'd have the choice of assisting the monsters (I don't mean walk up to them and go 'WE'RE FRIENDS NOW!', but have him run around blocking paths and stealing supplies from Alexus' forces in order to slow them down and give the monsters the advantage.

I didn't really want to give it a 'The monsters were good all along!' twist, because that's overdone.

Alexus' goal is to kill the monsters because...that's her. She's a tad bloodthirsty.

Alexus and Michael are actually a commentary on gamers in general, hence the need for two separate games. Many gamers don't care about a real plot and just care about killing things, regardless of motives or right and wrong...they just want to play the game and that's fine. (Alexus). However, some gamers are in it for the story, not the battle. They search for the reasons behind each action and look for alternate solutions to problems. (Michael)

 

[ZeZZZZevy]

The first part I honestly could not find fun, but depending on how you do it, it could work out fairly well. (like I imagined taking the most boring sections of Just Cause 2 (stronghold takeovers) without the magical grappling hook or vehicles to speed up the process)

The second part sounds far more interesting, but sounds unrewarding. Following a monster only to get more story isn't really much incentive for a player, when there are much more obvious concerns, such as food, shelter, etc. So you'd need a bit larger an incentive to get them to spend their time side-questing (maybe the monsters hide out in an area with a large amount of supplies?)

also, sadly enough the economics of this game honestly do not work in its favor. For instance, you're making two completely different games packaged into one game. Meaning you're using twice the normal team size for the same payout as any other game. Not to say it wouldn't be a boring concept (I feel like this would make a great mmo), but most publishers would see the economic problem and wouldn't green light you based on that.

Your concept is great though, it just needs a little refinement.

 

[Kopikatsu]

The first part I honestly could not find fun, but depending on how you do it, it could work out fairly well. (like I imagined taking the most boring sections of Just Cause 2 (stronghold takeovers) without the magical grappling hook or vehicles to speed up the process)

The second part sounds far more interesting, but sounds unrewarding. Following a monster only to get more story isn't really much incentive for a player, when there are much more obvious concerns, such as food, shelter, etc. So you'd need a bit larger an incentive to get them to spend their time side-questing (maybe the monsters hide out in an area with a large amount of supplies?)

also, sadly enough the economics of this game honestly do not work in its favor. For instance, you're making two completely different games packaged into one game. Meaning you're using twice the normal team size for the same payout as any other game. Not to say it wouldn't be a boring concept (I feel like this would make a great mmo), but most publishers would see the economic problem and wouldn't green light you based on that.

Your concept is great though, it just needs a little refinement.

I'm sure that most people on The Escapist wouldn't find the first part to be fun.

Alexus and Michael are actually a commentary on gamers in general, hence the need for two separate games. Many gamers don't care about a real plot and just care about killing things, regardless of motives or right and wrong...they just want to play the game and that's fine. (Alexus). However, some gamers are in it for the story, not the battle. They search for the reasons behind each action and look for alternate solutions to problems. (Michael)

The reward would be...to stave off boredom, mostly. You'd have about a month of gametime (I'll go the Majora's Mask route. 1 real hour = 1 game day. But if a reward was needed...one of the (many) other ideas I had was that you could use the knowledge to your advantage. For example, you could discover that the monsters can't stand fire (That wouldn't be one of them, but it's an example), and could set objects on fire or set traps with propane tanks to get the monsters away from you if you're being chased. Or, as mentioned in the post above, be able to start helping the monsters against the humans once you've learned more about them if you wish. (But again, at no point would you be walking alongside the monsters just chilling. They'd still want you to die, but if you're helping them, then they'd want to kill you...less. Kind of like Necromorphs from Dead Space.)

I'm kind of interested in hearing how you'd go about making the idea fit into an MMO, though.

 

[ZeZZZZevy]

TEEEEXT

In theory that sounds like a good reward strategy, but in a world where wikis exist for just about everything, what's stopping the player from simply saving the trouble and just looking up said info?

Obviously that takes some fun out of the game, but I'm trying to emphasize the need for a tangible reward, rather than simple information. (also expecting your players to get bored of any part of your game just cries potential failure) Remember that if a player gets bored of your game, more than likely they will stop playing altogether rather than stick with it. Remember your game doesn't exist in a vacuum!

My idea for the MMO came from that since the game world spans quite a large area, there's no reason to believe that there's only one Alexus and Michael. The characters would essentially represent different "factions" that may or may not be very happy with what the other is doing, and the idea of forming a guild/clan would parallel with banding together with other survivors. Raids would be similar to taking strongholds, infiltrating a hotspot of monsters, etc. Obviously this can all be applied to a single player experience, I just saw the potential for an MMO here.

 

[Kopikatsu]

TEEEEXT

In theory that sounds like a good reward strategy, but in a world where wikis exist for just about everything, what's stopping the player from simply saving the trouble and just looking up said info?

Obviously that takes some fun out of the game, but I'm trying to emphasize the need for a tangible reward, rather than simple information. (also expecting your players to get bored of any part of your game just cries potential failure) Remember that if a player gets bored of your game, more than likely they will stop playing altogether rather than stick with it. Remember your game doesn't exist in a vacuum!

My idea for the MMO came from that since the game world spans quite a large area, there's no reason to believe that there's only one Alexus and Michael. The characters would essentially represent different "factions" that may or may not be very happy with what the other is doing, and the idea of forming a guild/clan would parallel with banding together with other survivors. Raids would be similar to taking strongholds, infiltrating a hotspot of monsters, etc. Obviously this can all be applied to a single player experience, I just saw the potential for an MMO here.

You could say the same about any story-driven game. (LA Noire being the primo example). Anyway, you wouldn't actually be able to use the information until it's 'discovered'. (Who would think to throw distilled water at the monsters to injure them, for example? Michael would have no reason to even try it unless he knew it would work, since a single misstep leads to...well...horrible death. Not saying that the monsters are weak against distilled water, but it's an example). And, since nothing is scripted to happen at certain points or in certain areas, it could happen at any time at any location. Really, the point of the 'everything is randomized in a free-roam environment' is specifically to prevent being able to just look up the answers to everything. Sometimes, you've just gotta do something on your own. Besides, it's hard for a game to be scary...why make it even harder by letting people know what will happen when?

Sounds like a bastard child of Dead Frontier and APB or something. I dunno...it sounds kind of plain to me. Maybe other people would like it, though.

 

[ZeZZZZevy]

TEEEEXT

In theory that sounds like a good reward strategy, but in a world where wikis exist for just about everything, what's stopping the player from simply saving the trouble and just looking up said info?

Obviously that takes some fun out of the game, but I'm trying to emphasize the need for a tangible reward, rather than simple information. (also expecting your players to get bored of any part of your game just cries potential failure) Remember that if a player gets bored of your game, more than likely they will stop playing altogether rather than stick with it. Remember your game doesn't exist in a vacuum!

My idea for the MMO came from that since the game world spans quite a large area, there's no reason to believe that there's only one Alexus and Michael. The characters would essentially represent different "factions" that may or may not be very happy with what the other is doing, and the idea of forming a guild/clan would parallel with banding together with other survivors. Raids would be similar to taking strongholds, infiltrating a hotspot of monsters, etc. Obviously this can all be applied to a single player experience, I just saw the potential for an MMO here.

You could say the same about any story-driven game. (LA Noire being the primo example). Anyway, you wouldn't actually be able to use the information until it's 'discovered'. (Who would think to throw distilled water at the monsters to injure them, for example? Michael would have no reason to even try it unless he knew it would work, since a single misstep leads to...well...horrible death. Not saying that the monsters are weak against distilled water, but it's an example).

Sounds like a bastard child of Dead Frontier and APB or something. I dunno...it sounds kind of plain to me. Maybe other people would like it, though.

I guess that makes sense. It was just speculation really, with the idea that making it an MMO would make it a little more interesting, and would give the characters a little more meaning than just meat shields.

I do want to point out that just because there is a clear and reasonable story based reason for something, doesn't mean your players will be so keen on it. It depends very heavily on delivery and structure, and deciding whether or not it could work based on theory alone is pretty much impossible. (either way the game could work very well, and the path you take to developing the idea is entirely based on personal preference, until publishers start looking over your shoulder)