The hunger games, the game

[frobalt]

Before people jump to conclusions, I just want to say that I'm not referring to an actual video game of the hunger games. As far as I know, there isn't one. Yet.

The basis of this thread are, if there is going to be a hunger games game, do you think it would be a good idea? What features would you expect it to have?


For those unfamiliar, The Hunger Games is a book by Suzanne Collins that was recently adapted into a film. The story is set sometime in the near future. Due to natural disasters causing a scarcity in resources, humanity fought some wars that had a huge impact on the human race. Out of the ashes rose the country Panem. Panem was seperated into 13 districts and the Capitol. At some point, a rebellion happens causing a civil war between the districts and the capitol. The capitol ultimately wins with district 13 being destroyed.

A treaty is signed, which states that every year an event will be held called 'The Hunger Games'. Each of the remaining 12 districts will give up 1 boy and girl, aged between 12 and 18 (inclusive) to fight to the death in an arena. Only 1 person comes out alive.

So, it's occurred to me that the Hunger Games could make an interesting video game, although it would have to be done just right to avoid being a generic game, or something that Mirrors a mode from COD.

As I said above, how would you do it to make it right?


After all, it could be very easy to do it in such a way that people are afraid of death. IE: They won't all rush into the cornucopia at the beginning of the game. If they did all do this, the games would be over very quickly and get repetitive just as fast.

Other things to consider are: The arena itself. According to the novels, they can be practically anything, which gives variety. Then there is the characters. They need to have strengths and weaknesses. So much you could consider really.

Personally, I think it is a game that could work really well, but only if done perfectly.

 

[Souldemon8]

I think a Hunger Games video game could be a pretty decent experience if done right. Of course if the plot was ripped right from the book/movie it would surely fall prey to the cure of bad media tie in games. The way I see it being successful would be if you just take the basic concept and lore from the Hunger Games universe and build around that. I would kill for an opportunity to create my own tribute, choose any of the districts to be my starting point, weapon proficiencies, starting skills etc and make my way through my own hunger games. With a mix of adventure survival and RPG elements that would truly give the player a sense of participating and having a long reaching effect on the outcome of the game would be amazing.

 

[Silent Protagonist]

I think a game based on the Movie/Book would likely be terrible but I think a game based on the premise or some version of it could be Great. The kind of game I think of is a sort of PvP Fallout style game where maybe teams of two or solo have to balance offense, defense, and making sure they stay fed, hydrated, and rested (Again I think Fallout:New Vegas Hardcore mode but not necessarily)in order to survive and fight effectively. Throw in an interesting and large arena with traps, varied terrain, and tons of possible play styles(Hunt down your opponents one by one, Hide and survive in the wilderness until your opponents have fallen to the elements or each other) and you have a recipe for a very fun game. I have heard some minecraft servers do stuff similar to this but I think it would be hard to compete with a game tailor made to this kind of play. Also its the kind of game that may call slightly less cartoony graphics.

 

[Mirroga]

A game that has survival of enemies and the wilderness as its core gameplay? Good.
A game that has survival elements while trying to whore up to sponsors. Not so good.
A game that is a tie-in to...Cancelling this because any form of tie-in will just hinder development and imagination.

 

[NerfedFalcon]

There already is a The Hunger Games: The Game...

http://www.newgrounds.com/portal/view/592902

...and it's the hardest game in existence. Very few people successfully figure out the trick to escaping the Cornucopia.

 

[frobalt]

There already is a The Hunger Games: The Game...

http://www.newgrounds.com/portal/view/592902

...and it's the hardest game in existence. Very few people successfully figure out the trick to escaping the Cornucopia.

I was more thinking a fully fleshed out game, not a browser game.

The way I see it being successful would be if you just take the basic concept and lore from the Hunger Games universe and build around that.

Indeed, that's pretty much what I was going for. A game based on the actual plot of the books would probably just be another boring movie tie in.

If you based it on the universe in general, would you have it so you lived the time in between the game or just have your character go from game to game?

 

[Souldemon8]

There already is a The Hunger Games: The Game...

http://www.newgrounds.com/portal/view/592902

...and it's the hardest game in existence. Very few people successfully figure out the trick to escaping the Cornucopia.

Took me a hell of a lot more tries than needed to figure out you couldn't dodge the bloody knife.

Indeed, that's pretty much what I was going for. A game based on the actual plot of the books would probably just be another boring movie tie in.

If you based it on the universe in general, would you have it so you lived the time in between the game or just have your character go from game to game?

I would start with all the pre-Hunger Game shenanigans, like investing time into getting sponsorships, training a.k.a tutorial, getting to know the other tributes, etc. After that the games would follow however you would only be allowed to play one game per character.

 

[The_Blue_Rider]

There already is a The Hunger Games: The Game...

http://www.newgrounds.com/portal/view/592902

...and it's the hardest game in existence. Very few people successfully figure out the trick to escaping the Cornucopia.

My god that game is amazing, I really need to go on Newgrounds more

 

[Amaror]

Well its not a game on its own, but hunger games is something that is played on a lot of minecraft servers.

 

[Elementary - Dear Watson]

A game that has survival of enemies and the wilderness as its core gameplay? Good.
A game that has survival elements while trying to whore up to sponsors. Not so good.
A game that is a tie-in to...Cancelling this because any form of tie-in will just hinder development and imagination.

I agree with this...

Taking the idea of fighting to the death in an environment it good... and the survival thing is also good! But a tie in severly limits the creativity, and stops a game becoming all it could be!

I think it would work better if it had more ties to Battle Royale as well... Add a time limit, but make it so that if there is no last man at the time limit, then noone wins...

You could also involve dead players, in a bomberman style way... Dead players could activate and control traps... swinging logs, spike pits, that kind of thing... and if you kill a live person with a trap, you swap with them, and get a new chance to win...

FPS will also work best, but make the arena's big enough that you get a slight feeling of isolation...

Also, random weapons... You only start with one weapon each, and apart from the occasional in-level bludgeoning weapon found around the place, they are the only weapons you have...

Whether you start with a frying pan, a grenade, a machette, or an uzi, it is all random... but to make it slightly fairer, you characters are not in any way weapons experts and using the guns are very limited. (small amount of ammo, no sights, very wobbly if using sniper, bigh kick back...)

Also, like in BR, areas of the map bacome lethal every now and again, and you are forced to head to a safe area... this helps with making players come head to head when it is down to that last few players!

The game will probably work best as an arcade title... or a Dead Rising style light heartedness to it, to counteract the 'dead-player' interactions.

 

[MetalMagpie]

There already is a The Hunger Games: The Game...

http://www.newgrounds.com/portal/view/592902

...and it's the hardest game in existence. Very few people successfully figure out the trick to escaping the Cornucopia.

I was more thinking a fully fleshed out game, not a browser game.

It's actually an April Fool's joke.

 

[Zealous]

This is all I could think of when I saw the name of this thread:
OT: If an actual Hunger Games Game was made (and it was good), it would need to take place in the Hunger Games universe, but not follow the plot of the books. I'm thinking an action survival game with no NPCs, just a full roster of human opponents. Then it just plays out like the Games in the book, just with less hiding and more stabbing (or shooting, or poisoning, or ripping, or gouging, or... you get the point). I guess you could have some training or sponsorship test thing before you start or you could pick from a roster of tributes each with different skill sets or abilities or something.

But in all likelihood, it will actually just be a crappy tie in to the film. Man, that feels so depressing after thinking up that idea...

Edit: Also, it should be an FPS, you should have the ability to create makeshift weapons and of course the cornucopia had to be there too. Also dead people could play the part of sponsors and either release a random trap/animal/fire/whatever or some good stuff every now and again (maybe on a timer?). Also, it should have diseases and infections and stuff built into the game so say if you get too cold or wet you can contract a cold and have your movement hindered or something.

Also, the fact that the arena can literally be any kind of environment at all is really awesome. There could even be some kind of procedurally generated terrain just to make it impossible to memorise anything so every tribute goes in with no real advantage over another.

 

[woodaba]

inb4 OMG HUNGER GAMES IS JUST TEH COPY OF BATTLE ROYALE AND IS SHIT!111!

OT: I'd love a game like this. Though, I don't think its feasible this generation.

 

[Squilookle]

inb4 OMG HUNGER GAMES IS JUST TEH COPY OF BATTLE ROYALE AND IS SHIT!111!

OT: I'd love a game like this. Though, I don't think its feasible this generation.

To be fair, a game of Battle Royale would be way better than a game based on Hunger Games

 

[woodaba]

inb4 OMG HUNGER GAMES IS JUST TEH COPY OF BATTLE ROYALE AND IS SHIT!111!

OT: I'd love a game like this. Though, I don't think its feasible this generation.

To be fair, a game of Battle Royale would be way better than a game based on Hunger Games

Of that I have no doubt. But I REALLY hate the relentless hate Hunger Games gets just for using the same concept as something else in the same medium. Because nothing else ever does that, right? No, you should criticise the Hunger Games on the basis that it isn't very good.

 

[Kroxile]

The thing I don't like about Hunger Games.. aside from all the fucktarded hair, of course.. is that so the poor waged a civil war against the rich, the rich won, so now in order to keep the poor in line they make their children fight each other to the death.

Am I missing something here or does that seem like it would incite further rebellion rather than quell it. Or are the poor of the Hunger Games universe just that stupid?

 

[TheRaggedQueen]

As interesting as I think a Hunger Games game would be, there would be moral ramifications to consider. Moral Guardians being upset at us being able to play teens and whatnot all trying to murder each other with various killing implements.

As for actual game mechanics, I think they could implement a Sponsor system if you made it work via points. Finding water, shelter, etc, along with managing to take down other players would award you points that could be spent on whatever you need. I also see it as a multiplayer online game, or if offline than played with bots, if for no other reason than I think that it would be the most fun that way. In my head I keep imagining various environments with different terrain that allows for a mix of stealth, shooting, and melee to all be equally viable options, though I guess that would be harder to make than I think it would.

 

[dudagato]

What, you mean this one?:
http://www.gametrailers.com/videos/gugyid/the-hunger-games-adventures-debut-trailer

 

[krazykidd]

What, you mean this one?:
http://www.gametrailers.com/videos/gugyid/the-hunger-games-adventures-debut-trailer

That ... Looks... Terrible . Wouldn't touch that with a 10 foot pole .

OT: No that is a terrible idea . There is no way in hell that would make a good game , well not a good AAA game anyways . You guys must either been really imaginative , or have never read the book. It would be incredibly boring , it's just not feasible . MAYBE if it was done in the Hunger games universe , and doesn't follow the movie/book , but even then i couldn't see it being sucessful . Hell forget being sucessful , it couldn't work , periode . There are so many reasons it can't work i won't even start naming them .

Now if you REALLY want to make a game based on a bad movie , make Suckerpunch the game . THAT could work , if it was made by the same team that made Silent Hill 2.