As far as leader voting goes, I vote for whoever will keep everyone on task and see this through to the end.
Honestly, I'm less interested in who's going to run the project, and more interested with actually getting started. I think we're at a point where we've have enough ideas to work with, and all we need is for someone to step up and say, "this is how the game is going to be designed, let's get to work." I'd also expect them to draft up some sort of design document that clearly outlines most (ideally, every) features of the game, from start to finish.
I'm kind of like AndyUK. Depending on where the project goes will determine if I decide to help. As far as the map branching idea, I think some type of exploration mechanics would work best with that type of setup. You explore, find new items, and from there you're able to go to other places. It's simple and the item upgrades will keep the player interested.
Especially when you start thinking about how the game will look. If we're able to make the world seem like one big universe instead of a bunch of random levels. The player then becomes engulfed in the atmosphere and the idea that this place is real. Even if it's stylistic. By real I mean everything looks like it belongs.
I'd like to make a vote that the game take place in one environment that allows us to make every area unique and original while also giving the game a certain look. So just say Y/N to one environment and if you say yes then possibly suggest a place that you think would be interesting to explore.
Wow, I got nominated, lol. I'd probably not accept if it's a platformer. Platformers aren't really my thing, would be better off in some other guy's hands. I'd volunteer for role of manager, as in the grunt who sorts out stuff And I vote Jon for leader.
Disclaimer: Any sarcasm in my posts will not be mentioned as that would ruin the purpose. It is assumed that the reader is intelligent enough to tell the difference between what is sarcasm and what is not.
I keep forgetting to keep an eye on this thing. Anyways, some opinions:
Branching paths: This, or preferably more freedom, as in fully metroidvania.
Stealth: Not necessarily stealth, but survival, like aphant mentioned. You could come across an area in the game, where the enemies are undefeatable with your current weapons, so you can only dodge 'em. Then later on you'll find a weapon that can hurt these enemies, so when you're backtracking/free-roaming, you can pass the same area by killing those annoying enemies.
Weapons: Choices, please. It's not interesting to play a level with the same weapon every playthrough. -_- I'd even go for simplified randomized loot diablo-style myself, but if adding couple of randomized variables scare people, then at least a few different fixed weapon choices. Maybe hidden weapons here and there, so you can discover something new every playthrough, unless you're the type to go and hit every wall, floor and ceiling in the game right on your first playthrough. xP
Powerups: Works for me.
Progress: Preferably free-roaming, but at least backtracking, so you can go back and look for secrets 'n stuff. Maybe a few hidden extra hearts to your health meter to improve your odds with the final boss.
World: I'm not too specific on this one. Could be Super Mario World type, Castlevania type... I guess it depends on how epic the story should be. If you're saving the world, you might as well have a world map to show you travel long distances. If you're just beating the neighborhood bully, then just walk to the edge of the screen and you're across the street in another area.
One idea I had in mind for the branching stuff, if free-roaming is out of question, inspired by the Wario Land stuff Jon posted, was time travel. Cliché, yes, but what if you had a chance to alter the course of history (and further levels) as you jump in time. Kill a scientist in present day level, and in a future level you won't be fighting against tough robots, but second-rate mercenaries. You'll miss on the hi-tech items though, which you would've gotten if you had let the scientist live. You could come across a jackpot lottery ticket on ground, which you can pick up or leave as is. If you pick it up, then in future level you'll have to pass some nasty slums. Don't pick it up, and the same area could be idyllic housing (because whoever else picked up the lottery ticket would've used the money to improve the housing). Kill the inventor of telephone in the past and in present day the ads you see around town promote better ways to send letters and email, instead of phones and providers, etc. The changes could range from visual to progression-altering.
Anyways, just a random idea I happened to think of.
As for project lead, Jon seems good, but I'm sure most of the others would do too.
I know it's a tad early for concept art, but I knocked out a possible protagonist design (going with the police theme) just to keep the old creative juices flowing:
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22nd July, 2010 at 13:36:08 -
Thanks for the nomination and votes guys, but I really think Jon's idea is great so I also vote Jon for leader because he will have the vision to carry it through. I would be suitable in a position such as a manager for the programming but my time is limited so I wouldn't be able to write the entire engine, for example.
I think the game should be branchable and should be made up a of a series of levels with distinct start and end points, as mentioned with the Wario games. This would involve a world-map-like level selector with branched paths that the player can choose between (like this: http://www.mariowiki.com/images/7/70/DonkeyKong-Stage1%28BigCity%29.png but with branching). Discrete levels will allow many people to work on different levels at once, especially if we develop a level editor. An open-world game would be more difficult for lots of people to work on at once, even if we use a custom 'segment' system rather than one big frame.
Since the levels would be selectable, backtracking would be allowed so that the player can try to improve their score/time on a level that they have already played.
I don't think stealth is a good idea. It is a fun element at times, but I think it will shift the game's focus too much and it won't be as straight forward as a run and jump platformer.
As for weapons/powerups - anything is fine. It's probably something that can be discussed later on.
I know it's too early for storyline, but for Jon's original idea, I also agree with Matthew Wiese on "a more plausible idea could be you're a private investigator one museum or bank owner hired".
The open source question will probably be voted upon (perhaps once the project is closer to complete and a lot of work has been invested).
Name comes when we have more concrete story and characters. Right now it's just "The Community Project." TCP!
When it's finished or while it's in development? We can host the final game on TDC's server. While in development we can use a dropbox or a portion of my server or a google server or whatever.
One idea I had in mind for the branching stuff, if free-roaming is out of question, inspired by the Wario Land stuff Jon posted, was time travel. Cliché, yes, but what if you had a chance to alter the course of history (and further levels) as you jump in time. Kill a scientist in present day level, and in a future level you won't be fighting against tough robots, but second-rate mercenaries. You'll miss on the hi-tech items though, which you would've gotten if you had let the scientist live. You could come across a jackpot lottery ticket on ground, which you can pick up or leave as is. If you pick it up, then in future level you'll have to pass some nasty slums. Don't pick it up, and the same area could be idyllic housing (because whoever else picked up the lottery ticket would've used the money to improve the housing). Kill the inventor of telephone in the past and in present day the ads you see around town promote better ways to send letters and email, instead of phones and providers, etc. The changes could range from visual to progression-altering.
I think time travel and altering the future would be a great idea. It would probably be a lot of work though.
Attempting something of that magnitude, at least for now, seems unwise. Unless it's like... ONE thing, it would be too much work and would fall apart early on.
That said, even if you leave out the altering-history aspect, a time travel theme could make for a good variety of settings: levels in ancient Rome, the middle ages, a colonised Mars and so forth. Something for every graphic artist?
All righty folks, it appears that we have a number of potential ways to approach this. I think I see about 3 basic ways to handle the game, so I'll post up what I think those are and people can look at them a bit. I'd like everyone to make a choice between the three if they can, so that we don't end up in discussion limbo and never getting to the next step. Once we have this basic game design down, we'll make a story and then get people to work on coding the necessary elements for the engine while others decide on styles for graphics, sound, and music.
I'm working on a platform engine to simulate a four-legged animal moving. This game has nothing to do with your current ideas, but I'm not sure that you understood where I was going with the four legged animal idea. I was thinking that you could transform into multiple (made-up) animals to access their unique powers. I was thinking that the gameplay and story could be similar to a zelda platformer, but different.
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And I vote Jon for leader.
Edited by OMC
