What kind of game do we want to make?

[andydelso]

I am curious what everyone's ideas are as far as something to make. Obviously we can start very small, or pick something decently sized to work at. What kind of game do we want to make?

[andydelso]

I would kind of like to work on something that would involve a bit of sprite and a bit of music work. It would be really interesting to take the agile cross functional team thing in this little project with regards to the above as well. Each of us is probably better at a piece of it, but I think we all have interest in most areas needed to make the game (code, engine, art, music, writing, project management).

I am big into sci-fi and adventure games with puzzles. Examples of my favorites would be Last of Us, Zelda, Horizon: Zero Dawn, etc. I do like rogue like too as of late like Ori and The Blind Forest and Dead Cells. Pokemon is always fun as well as anything Star Wars.

A sprite based arena game could be simple enough to extend into side scrolling at some point. That way screen movement is kept to a minimum and we focus on character movement and interaction. Then there is less focus on making multiple large level maps and such.

[andydelso]

Had a hard time sleeping last night because all I could think about were ideas for the game. Of course I didn't write any down, but just brainstorming was fun.

[BedfordWest]

I think it's important to think about the type of gaming motivations we want the game to hit: https://quanticfoundry.com/2015/12/21/map-of-gaming-motivations/ is one example. I've also heard it described as "exploration, interaction, mastery, strategic", which is maybe a less precise version of what is shown in the link.

For example, my biggest motivator seems to be immersion, but I'm pretty heavy on mastery and creativity, as well. achievement is probably my lowest, with action being next lowest for me. social is somewhere in the middle.

This is important, because it drives how we build the fundamentals of the game IMO. Examples would be like...storytelling games focus on immersion (the Last of Us probably being a great example), highly customizable characters/builder games focus on creativity (Minecraft, Path of Exile), roguelikes and some shooters tend to combine action/mastery, puzzle games exclusively on mastery, action adventure like Zelda tend to be mostly immersion I think.

[BedfordWest]

I think @ddaypunk06 based on your examples, it sounds like you're pretty heavy into immersion and mastery, as well. Those seem to be the two most prevalent themes in what you described. Would you agree? Also, I'd like to maybe keep away from specifically using existing intellectual property just because (A) it limits our creativity and (B) depending on where our stuff gets shared and whatnot, it could potentially be a legal concern even if we don't make money from it.

[andydelso]

I had a random idea for a top down game involving stealth and crafting somehow. Like hiding in tall grass or behind walls (LOS type stuff). Seems kinda like mastery and creativity a bit. Maybe rogue-like...

Cool read @BedfordWest

Update: Like if you took MGS or Horizon, made it look like Stardew or Zelda (SNES) in that top down isometric sprite style. Could start off small with just like a single room dungeon that spawns random baddies to get things going. You can use what they drop to make new weapons or improve existing ones. Etc.

[andydelso]

Right right, I don't think doing something based on something is a good idea currently either. Yes I would agree that I like immersion and mastery type games. Last of Us, Horizon Zero Dawn, Zelda BOTW, and Stardew Valley all fit that bill. I love action too in terms of shooters like Overwatch, but not sure I care to make a game like that.

[BedfordWest]

I can dig the idea. Curious to see what @watsondarren thinks, but I'm into the concept. The MVP could be something like...

Small room spawns with random "obstacles" that block LOS, a single enemy type randomly spawns every 5 seconds and chases after player, player can build single wall pieces for 1 resource of some type, enemy dies after 10 seconds and drops 2 resources?

[BedfordWest]

actually, to keep with the "sneaking" theme, could be better to have the enemy randomly "roam" instead of chasing - the latter would feel more like an action game than a strategy

[andydelso]

Yep thats kinda what I am thinking too. If spotted, we could have the enemy look for you for a certain amount of time, then revert back to roaming.

[andydelso]

@watsondarren where be ye? 😝

[BedfordWest]

Re: theme, I like the idea of some dark, dilapidated dungeon/cave/etc. with something like Diablo 1 style music (dark, foreboding, atmospheric, etc.)

[andydelso]

I like that you can do that atmosphere in almost any setting as well: fantasy, sci-fi, etc. We just have to watch out that it doesn't become close to Binding of Isaac lol.

[BedfordWest]

eh, I always felt binding of isaac was a little cartoony in theme - I wouldn't mind going a bit grittier with it. I do think Binding of Isaac is a great reference for sprite perspective for us, though.

[andydelso]

yep, basically that with stealthy mechanics and some crafting could be fun. Grittier could be cool.