[greenraven]

Ok, now I know I'm crazy because I'm actually considering of getting back into game making despite the shape of the community.

Now while I'm not jumping into anything yet, I thought I'd throw some ideas out there and see what you folks think. While I would prefer some real feedback, if you want to throw in some "remove all gameplay and make nothing but jiggling boobs" that's cool too, at this point I don't really give a shit anymore.


Anyway, on with the crapshack factory of my lost, forgotten, and broken dreams...



A Great Pointless Journey

Ah... my first project ever. Like everyone else who got into game-making back in the day it was right after I played Morrowind. Yes, it was because of Bethesda's awesome crackbaby that a whole generation of young and naive game developers was born.

A Great Pointless Journey was supposed to be the epitome of an open-ended game make by a talentless hack. The idea was that there would be two huge worlds and a small moon, and the player would explore them on a whim.

You could even build a city of your own making, and in technically 3 cities. You could choose 1 of 3 government philosophies to live by: Monarchy, Democracy, and Dictatorship. Of course you could always go with neither and have a simple humble home built for yourself.

Besides ascetically looking different on the surface each of the city types offered it's own bonuses, for example: A Monarchy would offer loyalty bonuses to your troops making fearless in battles. A Democracy would offer a huge marketplace at least twice as big as the other two cities. A Dictatorship would offer you a chance for executions of random NPCs as a form of entertainment. Obviously each city has much, much, more to give. But these are just a few quick things just to give you an idea.

And cities would need people to populate them. You would go out and recruit them to join your cause. Farmers to grow your foods (usable items). Doctors to heal you and your troops. Merchants to sell you wonderful wares. Various soldiers, guards, mercenaries, spies, to do your bidding. Clowns, mimes, strippers, unicycle riding bears, and all kinds of entertainers to wander your streets and keep your citizens happy. Ambassadors and diplomats to deal with other cities/nations (I was planing on having a global stockmarket / economy / U.N. type thing).

You could wage wars against your neighbors, trade with them, aid them in their time of need, spy on them. The world was yours for the molding. And when you've had your fill and your mighty nation grew to become a monstrous unstoppable beast... there was a whole another world to send your armies to!



Design status: I have come to terms and accept that this game will never see the light of day. This is an enormous undertaking, especially for a single person.

But as I look around, and see all my smaller games I realized that they're just cannibalized versions of this massive behemoth.

Dur, I forgot I already have a topic for it.



Graveyard Rumble III

The continued adventures of the bumbling idiot Willie the Gravekeeper.

Design status: None. Zip. Zilch. And it's all your fault assholes.

Back in the day many many years ago when I first made Graveyard Rumble II, I thought to myself "You know what would be cool? Letting the people decide where the story flows, that's what." And so I made several endings to II. And I said to the people "Speak it and it shall be done!" And it was good. Or so I thought. But the people did cry out "Dude! We have lives and shit!" And so I gave the people a whole week to pass and judge my creation. And it was good. Or so I thought. But again did the people cry out "Dude! We'll play it. Eventually." And so another week did I give the people. And the week turned into weeks. And the weeks turned into months. And the months turned into years. And in the end of time and space when all life had turned to cinder and ash the raven did look down up thee earth and said "Screw you all."



Delusions of Grandeur

A young squire gets injured during a training exercise and suffers amnesia. The boy then ends up falling in love with the princess and the two of them flee for their lives together when the castle is overrun by a monstrous horde. It's a tired and played cliche, I know, but it works.

The story is supposed to be a dark look at humanity's ugly side as the pair travel across the lands and see poverty, prostitution, drug addiction, rape, racism and all the worst the world has to offer.

And to make things worse the young pair is being hunted by a demonic doctor who tortures them at every turn and tests the bonds of their friendship. The doctor is always there to spark philosophical and moral conversations, and despite all his acts of cruelty during every encounter he firmly keeps insisting that he is trying to 'help' the young boy. The story concludes with 1 out of 2 possible twist endings, neither of which is good nor evil, "damned if you do, damned if you don't."

Design status: I have most of the story thought out, at least all the key events like both the endings and the pivotal decision moment that leads to either. Other than that not much, just have the theme skin and some background music selected.

I have a basic idea for a mercenary system and need to work it out further. Two children aren't going to plow past entire armies all by themselves, not in my game.



Peasant's Tale

This is a unique 'game'. Unique in the sense that you don't play it in any traditional manner. You watch the peasant go about his normal day, and then you have choices. You make your choices and watch the peasant act them out until the next set of choices. Wash, rinse, repeat until you reach an ending.

Here's a quick example:

"The peasant awakens in the morning..."

• Go to the marketplace. "The peasant went to the marketplace and got robbed and killed. The end."
• Ride a horse. "The peasant rode his horse. The horse died and fell on him. The peasant died. The end."
• Eat breakfast. "The peasant ate breakfast. It was poisoned, he died. The end."
• Commit suicide. "Why wait? Just get it over with. The end."

Obviously the actually game is going to have WAAAAAAAAAAAAY more choices than that, but you get the idea. The number of possible endings include: Famous dragonslayer, king of the lands, prisoner in jail, drunk face down in the ditches, wealthy merchant, etc...

Design status: In essence this is just a giant cutscene, so there's not much to do from a gameplay standpoint. I do have the main menu, theme skin all picked out and ready to go. Basically I just have to write up the story and the gajillion choices you can make.



Sorcerer

You are a sorcerer, you are neither good nor evil, you have four elemental spirits at your command. And you send them each into their own direction with a task. Air will fly to the skies in the north. Earth will dig below into the earth in the south. Water will swim out to the island in the east. And fire will to the forest in the west.

You start the game from your tower, then choose one of the spirits and go in that direction with a certain goal in mind. Once you are done you return back to the tower where your actions are judged and scored by a panel of wizards and you are rewarded accordingly. Wash, rinse, repeat.

It's very 2D Zelda-like.

Design status: Made the basic skeletal layout for the central hub (sorcerer's tower) and the bare basic layouts for each of the levels. I also have the framework for the powers all set up (several of them even work already). Music, theme skins, all ready.

Basically I still need to workout the scoreboard / rewards system and I'm all set.



Tower of Proteus

It's a puzzle game. With each floor of the tower presenting a different challenge. Ever play Lost Vikings or Trine? Basically that's how I want it to be, but top-down instead of side-scrolling.

You play as a shapeshifting slime, and you can transform into various creatures and monsters. Each of the monsters will offer a unique ability, and a different way to solve the tower's puzzles. Let's say there's a boulder in your way: A big creature like a bull might be able to push the boulder out of your way, where as a smaller creature like a from will simply hop over the boulder, etc...

Design status: Have the first couple of tutorial levels all lined up. But I really need to figure out how to use the powers. Meaning that, do I want the player to simply access a menu and use a power? Or should I scatter powerups across the map? That's kinda big and important right there.



Just Screwin' Around

This is a 'minigame game'. Each level is independent from each other and have their own goals. On one level you might play as a knight trying to slay some dragons, while on another level you are a chef trying to serve food to your restaurant patrons. Think Wario Ware or Mario Party or something along those lines.

Design status: I have the first level mapped out (you play as a pimp's enforcer whose goal is to collect (extort) X amount of gold from the town's citizens), and a small portion of the world map. I still need to work out the scoreboard / trophy system.

But what I really need to figure out is the progression of the game. Should I simply have everyone do one level at a time? Or simply limit an area to a certain amount of win points?

Let me explain better:

• Do level 1. Move onto level 2. Move onto level 3. Etc.
• Have levels 1, 2, and 3 all in one area and have a giant gate locking the entrance to levels 4, 5, and 6. You don't have to do all three of the first levels, but instead simply earn three "win points" to unlock the gate.

I like both the ideas equally well. The first way ensures that everyone tries out all the levels. But the second one offers more freedom/enjoyment for the player.



(still unnamed game)

A strategy/war boardgame along the lines of Advanced Wars or Fire Emblem, but with in the vain of Skies Of Arcadia airship battles.

Design status: Nothing beyond an idea in my head, and some notes in an old and forgotten text document.



(still unnamed game)

You live in the future. The particular city that you live in is divided in two, red gang's side and blue gang's side. (Though they're actually going to get real names eventually.)

You play as a young child, and in the very beginning of the game get caught up in a gang shootout. You can run for safety within red gang's borders or run for safety within blue gang's borders. Regardless which side you run for the gang's leader is going to find you all alone and shivering and will adopt you as his son/daughter.

Each of the gangs will have their own strengths and weaknesses. For example: Red gang members will have laser pistols and plasma grenades, while blue gang members will have energy shields and cloaking devices. Red gang will earn it's money by roughing people up physically, while blue gang will earn it's money by hacking and corporate manipulation. I want each of the gangs to feel unique and different.

Design status: Nothing changed since the last time I brought this up. Just an idea. Though I'm thinking the gender of the player should play a small role in gameplay: A female player might be able to bribe cops, work a stripper side-job, etc. While a male player might be able to intimidate people into giving him money, work construction side-jobs, etc.



Heroes vs Monsters

There will be two sides, monsters and heroes. You pick one and then pick out a team and go for a quick battle to end the war. I'm thinking something as a cross between a game of chess and an Elite Four battle.

Design status: None. Just an idea so far.



Angel Spire RPG (half-assed version)

This game will consist of one room. A single room. A bar. Two or three people will walk in, say something random and walk out. Short, quick game. Meant to reflect our current status.

Design Status: None. But I'm sure some of your remember bringing up the idea.




Angel Spire RPG (true version)

Now THIS is going to be a game. I'm sure some of you heard the idea come up before? This game's going to be broken down into chapters. In the prologue Kwij and Mad are going to wander through a forest, and build a small shack. Then in chapter 1 a small village will spring up. In chapter 2 the Wolf pack raiders will show up. In chapter 3 the evil phantom of evil will arrive on the scene. Etc. Etc. Etc.

Design Status: El zilcho. Just a crazy idea that will probably never see the light of day. Full crackpottery here.

[Yogurt Man]

Peasant's Tale
LMAO Reminds me of the life game. Not the board game variant, it was this one game where you basically start out as a baby and go through life and make choices and stuff. o_o It was interesting, I guess.


Delusions of Grandeur
LMAO. I was thinking cliche after the first sentence and there it is. XD


Just Screwin' Around
I like the second idea better, most because I hate when I get into situations that for some reason I can't beat it. Like in Perfect Dark, you randomly smash into challenges that are bloody hard and you wanna move on. Luckily they give you the opportunity to have as much as 4 unfinished challenges at a time. =]

Half assed ASP RPG
Do it. You could probably pull it off within a few hours. Nothing too fancy, I suppose. XD

[greenraven]

For Just Screwin' Around, I may probably go down that route. And also you'll be happy to know that the maps will have difficulty levels.

Here's an example: In the first level you're an enforcer who has to bully enough people and get money from them. So, the first time you try the map your goal is "Collect $100". Once your done and decide to replay the level you goal will be "Collect $500". And so on.



Also the half-assed RPG is probably the most likely to see the light of day out of the bunch. So I may actually end up doing it. Mapping shouldn't be a problem because there's only going to be one room (the bar). And there's no gameplay or combat. So basically I just need to think up of a few jokes and/or random stories.



Thanks for responding Yogurt, it means a lot.

[Yogurt Man]

"Remember that one time..." should be how most of those quips are. XD

No problem. [=

[greenraven]

That's actually half my dialogue.

[Yogurt Man]

.... XD Oh the irony.