Cool Game Ideas

[Jake]

Okay, so we all have ideas that we think will make a cool game. If you have any desire to work in the industry, those who already work in it hammer this fact into your brain. "YOUR IDEA HAS NO CHANCE," they tell you.Maybe so, but that doesn't mean we can't have some fun with them. If you have a good idea for a game, post it here! We can compare and maybe discuss what we think would make a good game.Also, remember to include gameplay mechanics. A story alone doesn't make a game.Here are mine:1. I haven't figured out the overall story yet, but you play as a boy in a Middle Ages world who has been bitten by a werewolf, and has to find a cure. The game functions on a Day-Night cycle. During the day, it plays more like a traditional RPG, where you can equip weapons, equipment, and buy supplies and take quests from villagers. When nighttime comes, however, the game completely changes. You morph into a savage werewolf. The game instantly becomes more Hack n' Slash oriented. You cannot use weapons or armor, but your claws more than do the trick. However, villagers attack you on sight. Waiting until nighttime could be handy for the harder dungeons.2. This is a multiplayer focused FPS, kind of like Battlefield or Call of Duty. However, it is set in Medieval times. You can set yourself up with all different kinds of weapons, ranging from swords to crossbows, and maybe even magic, though that might be a bit of a stretch. The melee combat would do the most damage, but you obviously don't have range if you go that route. There would also be a single player campaign about being framed for a murder, and trying to clear your name.3. This game is set during the civil war. It is a co-op focused third person shooter. You play the role of a plantation owner and his slave, who have both joined the southern army. This particular slave owner didn't treat his slaves all that badly, and therefore he develops a friendship with the one he brings with him. Many parts will rely on teamwork, such as utilizing the slave's strength with the plantation owner's weapon skills.What do you think of these ideas? I know that chances are none of them will ever be a game, but if they were, would you play any of these? Post your ideas if you wish!

[Blake]

The first one is probably the most interesting. Hack and Slash type games can get repetitive though, so if that part is bad, it makes half of the game boring or monotonous to play.

As for two and three, meh. Civil war warfare doesn't sound exciting and can't really say much on the medieval fps one.

So here are a few of mine that have been trolling around in my head for awhile.

1. This is more of an abstract idea at the moment, but here it goes. So usually in games, deaths and other misdeeds happen without any real consequence. So I was thinking what if in addition to the usual punishment for these misdeeds, there are also moral punishments, maybe guilt, your victims being on your mind throughout the game, and other ways where your past actions make an appearance in the game.

2. So you are some regular looking Joe in some fantasy world. Without telling you (the player) a lot of the story, the player figures out they must kill some bad looking dudes, raid dungeons, acquire something, etc. But then at the end of the game, YOU WERE THE BAD GUY ALL ALONG!!!

3. Elderscrolls meets the Sims. You live a life in some real-world location, and I'm talking a fucking huge location, without any goal besides "do what you want to do". Maybe you can pursue a career, become an art thief, be homeless, whatever.

[Jake]

The first one is probably the most interesting. Hack and Slash type games can get repetitive though, so if that part is bad, it makes half of the game boring or monotonous to play.

Well, I have a bit of a combat system figured out.Think Dynasty Warriors. You press the square button to start a regular combo, and end it with the triangle button to perform a variety of combos. I was thinking that you would get a skill tree, and there would be several different types of regular combos. You could also unlock a variety of ends to your combo through the skill tree, and you can assign it to a certain number of swipes.For example, I could buy the move "Poison Claw" and the string "Martial Arts." I can assign Martial Arts as my regular move string, and assign Poison Claw to C3, meaning that I press the square button twice and then the triangle button. (C1 would be pressing triangle without any string, C2 would be with one attack, etc.) I feel like this would really make the moveset feel like your own, since any combo end can be assigned to any number from 1-10 for amount of regular strings before triangle.As for your ideas:1: I think has been done before. However, I hear it was banned in America, so we are still without such a game, and it would make me reflect upon who I kill. I think a good example of what you are trying to convey would be a bit like Skyrim, but EVERYONE is killable, and if you kill an essential NPC, you either cannot do the quest or have to find another NPC to help you.2: Would have us reflect upon not judging by first impressions. Such a thing has been done before, but I think that it could be an excellent game if implemented right.3: Well, I think it needs some kind of quest and goal system, otherwise the game would become tedious. If I am anything to go by, gamers need some kind of direction as an incentive to keep playing. But, yes, this would have potential as well, though I like the other two ideas better.

[David]

1. I haven't figured out the overall story yet, but you play as a boy in a Middle Ages world who has been bitten by a werewolf, and has to find a cure. The game functions on a Day-Night cycle. During the day, it plays more like a traditional RPG, where you can equip weapons, equipment, and buy supplies and take quests from villagers. When nighttime comes, however, the game completely changes. You morph into a savage werewolf. The game instantly becomes more Hack n' Slash oriented. You cannot use weapons or armor, but your claws more than do the trick. However, villagers attack you on sight. Waiting until nighttime could be handy for the harder dungeons.

Sounds like Skyrim except based on the Werewolf-esque stuff. Could be interesting if you're into that sort of thing, but even in Skyrim I more or less ignore the Vampire/Werewolf options and quests.

2. This is a multiplayer focused FPS, kind of like Battlefield or Call of Duty. However, it is set in Medieval times. You can set yourself up with all different kinds of weapons, ranging from swords to crossbows, and maybe even magic, though that might be a bit of a stretch. The melee combat would do the most damage, but you obviously don't have range if you go that route. There would also be a single player campaign about being framed for a murder, and trying to clear your name.

First Person... Slasher? Honestly, I'd like to see something more multiplayer oriented like this that's not just a PC MMO. Something on the consoles would be interesting just to see what a decent developer could come up with to overcome some of the issues with them.

3. This game is set during the civil war. It is a co-op focused third person shooter. You play the role of a plantation owner and his slave, who have both joined the southern army. This particular slave owner didn't treat his slaves all that badly, and therefore he develops a friendship with the one he brings with him. Many parts will rely on teamwork, such as utilizing the slave's strength with the plantation owner's weapon skills.

This is impossible to do without being racist / exploiting severe racism and will never happen. Oh, and this is already a movie - Ride with the Devil. I just watched it a week or two ago and lol'd.

1. This is more of an abstract idea at the moment, but here it goes. So usually in games, deaths and other misdeeds happen without any real consequence. So I was thinking what if in addition to the usual punishment for these misdeeds, there are also moral punishments, maybe guilt, your victims being on your mind throughout the game, and other ways where your past actions make an appearance in the game.

Heavy Rain.

[Jake]

This is impossible to do without being racist / exploiting severe racism and will never happen. Oh, and this is already a movie - Ride with the Devil. I just watched it a week or two ago and lol'd.

How exactly would it be racist? It's history, and it doesn't insult African or European Americans whatsoever.Also, for see my reply to Blexun for more info on the werewolf game. The combat is a lot different from Skyrim. Also, I was thinking you wouldn't have a choice to transform. You'd have to whenever nights hits, making it a perfect time to go after optional dungeons and the like.Back when I first had the werewolf idea (early last year) I began adding onto it. I added a female companion, then a male companion, and next thing you know I have an entire world of lore. However, I realized that the gameplay would be a Bioware rip off and therefore use that universe for short stories only. I decided to go back to the original idea for the game because it was more, well, original.

[David]

You don't think a game in which you're a plantation owner towing around an african american slave is inherently racist?

[Blake]

Heavy Rain.

Not really what I was going for, but that reminds me. I want a really good detective game.

[Jake]

You don't think a game in which you're a plantation owner towing around an african american slave is inherently racist?

Not really. It's not like it insults them, and it's about the two building a friendship of sorts. They both need to rely on each other's individual skills to survive.

[Blake]

You don't think a game in which you're a plantation owner towing around an african american slave is inherently racist?

Not to mention you are fighting for the South.