New type of horror game

#1 Honestly, the idea sounds kinda lame to me.

just my opinion...

#2 Thats ok, I thought it was a little iffy too, thats why I posted here first. What exactly don't you like about it, everything? :)

#3 @Jeremy,

Give the player that's been changed, for example your werewolf into human, "motivation" to play on the team he's been converted to. i.e., his health will decline unless he attacks someone of the other species and give him only so many respawns if he dies until he gets a "time out" until the next round (if it is like say counterstrike) or until the next game.

Once or twice having to set it out should motivate the player to get involved and it would make for a great synthesis of team death match and last man standing...for example everyone on your team has been converted to vampires and you are the only one left...

#4 Alan:
Really appreciate the feedback. I like your idea of limited respawns and time outs. However I haven't played counterstrike so I'm not quite sure how it is done in that game. The health depletion idea might work, but I have some decent size maps in mind. I wouldn't want to punish a player who is looking for an enemy but can't find one. I am still a little worried about the converted players killing new team members(would like to make friendly fire an option) or just waiting to be converted back to their desired team. Hopefully a good time out system will fix that like you said.

So the big question now is do you like the idea? Basically do you think it would make a good game and would you play it? (I don't plan on continuing if I get more posts like Sean's. I do appreciate the honesty though)

#5 Two things,
First...I think the idea does have some potential and could be a nice diversion from the normal multiplayer scenarios.
Second, run...do not walk to where ever you can get and play Counterstrike. Working on any multiplayer fps "type" game and not having played counterstrike is kind of like becoming a surgeon and never actually looked at any medical books...and not just CS although I think it is probably the epitome of the FPS multiplayer genre, but Unreal Tournament (any version is cool) Quake II, Halo, etc. also some mods for Half-Life like Natural Selection would give you some great insight into different creatures and abilities in a fps game type with classes and such things.

BTW, if you can play these games on a Lan it's even better, since you can yell taunts to your friends from across or another room, and you won't get spanked hard like I do when I play online! =)

.

#6 Alan:
Thanks for another post. I have to admit I laughed out loud when I read it though. I know it seems weird that I love fps games without having played some of the most popular ones. In my defense, I have played halo for the pc and I've played a little of unreal tournament but I don't any of the games. I'm planning on getting the orange box soon too. I've heard a lot of good things about it.

Anyway...thanks for everything. Hopefully some others will post on how they feel about this idea.

#7 @Jeremy: I love your idea where the teams can convert enemies to their team through various methods. I think you will need some sort of punishment for those that don't play along, but I think most players would just switch teams.

As far as trying out Counterstrike and the Orange box, I would suggest you buy the Valve Complete Pack that includes everything including everything in the Orange box as well as Half Life, Counterstrike, and Day of Defeat. In short, this pack includes everything from Valve that you want. This is a hell of a deal for everything it includes. Both Counterstrike and Day of Defeat are great examples of online games with teams.

#8 Derry:
Truly appreciate the encouragement. I'm still thinking about how the conversion will work out. I think the time outs will be the only real way to "punish" the players who don't follow the rules. I guess they can always get banned from servers too.

Getting off topic now, I didn't know about the valve complete pack. Sounds pretty cool. I guess I'm going to have to check it out and start saving up for it. :) Thanks again Derry.

I would like to hear from anyone else that may be reading this thread. Still not quite sure if I should go forward or not. (Still here Sean? I would like to know what you didn't like about it)

#9 Jeremy:
Intresting idea it got me thinking about possible solutions..

Here's my view..
In any game really, where i can chose teams, in general i want MY team to win..
If i get dragged out from my team i still want my team to win..
(i dont really care if im in a "just play mode" rather then a serious "team play mode". i hope that makes sence.)

So if you drag me out from my team i would need some motivation to help you, or i will mess up your game play probably.. ;}

Maybe if players got rewards or skills perhaps.
So if i keep playing on your side i would get more skills if i helped you win, but if you lost i would hardly get any. Skills in my account/character might build more speed / strength / stamina / HP / Aim.... Etc.

Or, a scenario i just though up, could be

10 Friends starts playing, where you play against lets say 100 AI's.
Your mission is to kill them all, or be the last man standing.
AI's mission is to convert you to be their underling in a empire of satanical "WherePireZombies" (yes i made that up just now ;})

they get 5 of your friends, they cant win..
Oh well, what can they do now? ha! they can make you not win to! (they can get more skills or whatever if they convert you to)
I guess this bit can be applied to team based multiplayer to, not just AI's against players.
Basicly you'll be rewarded for makeing other players not win.

Keep it up.

and by the way, dont take non explainatory remarks that seriously.
"Quote: (I don't plan on continuing if I get more posts like Sean's. I do appreciate the honesty though)"

Make a beta, try out a few game models and who knows maybe its awfully dull or maybe its the next counterstrike. On paper everything can look good..

#10 Thyphoid Twitch: Thanks for the input.

I know how you feel about helping your team out. Many people I have played games with in the past are very loyal to a certain team and will do anything to help that team win.(such as taking the suicide mission of running into an enemy base just to throw the flag to other team members before they die) Once those people are forced to play with others, they tend to either do nothing helpful or they kill their team members.

I like your idea of an award system. I didn't intend to add many types of skills, but I may add some for rewards now. I'm thinking about rewarding players points for what they do during the game. So killing an enemy gets you one point, converting an enemy gets you three points, and being coverted makes you lose five points. With, lets say fifty points, you gain the ability to take an extra hit or apply a little more damage.
Sound good? Thanks again.

Oh yeah, I know I seem very hesitant about continuing. I just don't want to waste my time with a game people wouldn't enjoy playing. That is why I'm very interested in everyone's comments and advice. Thanks for the encouragement though.

#11

Quote:
What exactly don't you like about it, everything? :)

well most of it at least. =)

I just think a game where you can possibly end up changing to a bunch of different races would be too confusing. so during an average play session you can turn into a werewolf, then a vampire, then back to a werewolf, then a zombie, then back to a vampire, then how about a witch? in effect, you're creating a game where the experience depends to a large degree on your opponents actions. thats like a fps where your opponents can force you into a particular class. players dont like to be forced to do stuff. they value being able to choose their class and team at any time.

#12 Sean:
Thanks for replying.

Its true that your opponents would have some control in what character you play as, but I don't think that it would be that much more than any other fps. If you are a human character and a werewolf is attacking you, you wouldn't just stand there and do nothing. Instead you would shoot the werewolf in the face with your shotgun. :)

The same goes for other fps games. If I wanted to stay alive in Halo, I wouldn't just stand around and expect people to leave me alone. So basically, I feel your opponents would only have control over you if you let them.

Besides, I feel that I'm am starting to focus on the "infection" game too much. There would be other game modes were the infection abilities wouldn't work. I really just wanted to know how people feel about an fps with monsters instead of the run of the mill players.(you know snipers, players with machine guns, and short range players with shotguns)

Thanks again

#13 Hmmm....a

Quote:fps with monsters instead of the run of the mill players

...interesting idea [he says with tongue in cheek]. =)

#14 .....yeah....I should have wrote that better.... :)

#15 IMO a fps experience without guns is always a good idea. have u played alien vs predator? i think that game presents a similar gameplay concept. the human is your standard marine with guns and grenades, the alien uses only melee attacks with increased speed and the ability to walk on walls, and the predator uses a mix of projectile attacks and powerful melee attacks. team deathmatch worked very well with an even balance of character abilities. I like that idea. its just the whole changing teams/races mid game because u got bitten when u walked around a corner thing that i dont like.

#16 Sean:
Took a look at alien vs predator and downloaded a multiplayer demo. That game is very similiar to what I hope to accomplish. Just imagine more multiplayer content and characters, but virtually no single player game.

I suppose since there seems to be mixed feelings about the infection game mode, I will create both but encourage playing the normal game types more.(so the infection thing would be like an extra) Then I will stress the different players pros and cons.

Thanks for the continuous input.

#17 AvP was a sweet game. I always wondered how to implement climbing up walls and ceilings...not enough to actually work on figuring it out...but I wondered...

#18 Yeah the climbing on walls and then biting an unsuspecting victim's head off was the coolest part(aliens are the best) :)

#19 I like the idea, but think it would work better as a 3rd person multiplayer action/puzzle game rather than a FPS.

Think more along the lines of Super Bomberman, not Halo.

I can see this working very well as a simple fast paced action game. Set it in a enclosed arena/room. The game/match is over when all players are of the same type. The one with the highest score is the winner.

Each type (just useing Humans, vampires, werewolves, and Witches) has its own set of abilities for moveing around the arena. Each type also uses the same control scheme of an action button and a jump button.

Humans can run around and climb ladders. The action button throws thier cross (it acts like a boomerang). If the thrown cross contacts another player type it converts them to humans. If the thrown cross contacts another human it stuns them for a second or two. If players press and hold the action button near certain wall textures they will climb, its even possable to hang from the arena ceiling. but when climbing they cannot throw thier cross.

vampires can run around and climb ladders. They cannot climb the wall textures. however if the jump button is held they turn into bats and are able to fly around as long as the jump button is held. When they arn't in bat form, pressing the action button creates a sort of force push/pull effect. If other vampires are caught in this effect it pushes them away into nearby walls stunning them for a second or two. Otherwise other player types are stunned and pulled tword the vampire. if the vampire touches another player type it converts them to a vampire.

Werewolves can run and jump, but cannot climb ladders. they are also the fastest player type and can jump the farthest and highest. Pressing action causes them to charge up a werewolf howl. When released the wolf howls. When hit by a wolf howl other players freeze (other werewolves included, even dropping other types to the ground if they were flying/hangin on walls) The strength of the freeze depends on how long the wolf howl was charged and the distance from the werewolf useing it. If werewolves touch other player types they are converted to werewolves.

Witches can run around and climb ladders. Thier weapon is thier broom. when pressing and holding the jump button, witches can fly. when standing on the ground pressing the action button throws the broom like a boomerang. holding the button allows witches to steer the thrown broom in a circle around them (think of that "zero point energy" weapon from the film Increadibles). If the broom touches another player type it converts them into a witch, if it touches another witch it stuns them for a second or two.

Scoreing is simple. when you convert another player type you get one point PLUS whatever thier score is...if they have 23 points and you convert them you get 24 points. This is why stunning other players of the same type is important, allowing you to briefly hinder thier attempts to score. Also players cannot die, they simply get converted. This keeps all players in the game for its duration, and the scoreing mechanisam allows high turn over of the leader board.

And as long as you keep each player type unique, yet balanced in how they can move about and attack each other...then ghosts, sea creatures, zombies, whatever could be added.

#20 Some more...

There can be streams of light in the arena (like how light forms beams comeing through holes in caves, etc.) this has no effect except on vampires where it can act not unlike air vents in platform games pushing them away.

also there can be water. this can act sort of like water in the tomb raider games. Humans, Witches, Werewolves, and Vampires can all float about on the surface. Pressing jump faceing near a ledge allows them to jump up onto it. Other wise pessing and holding jump allows them to dive under and swim. Werewolves would be the slowest swimmers, dog paddleing thier way around..while humans, vampires, and witches would swim about the same speed.

Then amphibian creatures could be introduced. underwater they are the fastest swimmers. but on land they are the slowest. Thier action button would fire off thier tounge. This acts sort of like a grappleing hook...if it touches another player it pulls them in (not unlike the vampire ability) and touching them converts them (else it stuns other amphibians). On land the tounge can act like a grappleing hook, quickly pulling the amphibian player to the spot in the arena it makes contact with (helping them move around the arena better in the process). Underwater the tounge is not used...instead pressing action causes the amphibian to charge up, releaseing it causes them to electrify the water around them, stunning other players.

Conversely the werewolves howl underwater not only freezes other players, it also forces them away from the wolf. In doing so the effected players may bounce pinball style off underwater walls/floor and possibly into the werewolves reach.

Also humans useing thier crosses underwater could effect underwater vampires the same as the wolf howl. Pushing them away into walls stunning them.

ghosts can be added too. these are uneffected by water, moving the same speed no matter what. Pressing and holding jump allows them to fly around. releasing jump the ghost will slowly floating to the ground (or to the surface if underwater) ghosts move very slow. but pressing and holding the action button charges up thier "attack" when released it shoots them forward very quickly in the direction they are faceing. When ghosts move (pressing jump or during thier "attack") and they touch another player type it converts them, touch another ghost it stuns them. When ghosts arn't moveing (other than being stunned/freezed) they become nearly invisable and cannot be converted during this time.

Demons can run and climb ladders. Pressing jump allows them to flap thier wings, press it repeatedly to fly (joust style). Thier weapon is the pitch fork. pressing action charges thier attack. Realeaseing action causes thier pitchfork to be thrown boomerang style (they have the longest reach once fully charged). if the pitchfork hits another player type it freezes them dropping them to the ground,etc.(not unlike the werewolf howl, only it effects the one player...not all of them in the howl vacinity) If the thrown pitchfork hits a wall it creates a fire. fire burns for a short time. It pushes other player types away from it (like the platformer airvent/springboards) except for vampires/demons whom become stunned (ghosts are uneffected by it). the fire doesn't occur in the water obviously. demons convert/stun each other by touch.

Gollums can run and climb ladders. They can climb walls and cling to ceilings too (like humans). When holding the jump button they roll into a ball and can bounce pinball style off arena walls/floor/ceiling. When in ball mode they can freeze other players they touch. Thier attack is like the werewolves only the range is smaller. Hitting action while standing on land causes them to smash thier fists into the ground freezeing everyone in the vacinity (holding action near a climbable wall makes them climb instead). underwater thier action is like the ghosts, allowing them to shoot forward very quickly...if they strike a underwater wall/floor when doing this it creates the same freezeing effect. Gollums convert/stun by touching.

there...8 different player types. You could even create a series of single player "story" modes for each player type allowing them to use thier abilities to solve puzzles/overcome challanges. This could also act as a tutorial for learning how each type interacts in the game.

for example. A challange for the werewolves might be a special map where players are tasked with converting all the humans into werewolves...the map could be designed like a camp site with 2-4 humans camping in the woods.

Also arenas/maps could have interactive elements. Say there is a button that raises the water level and somewhere else there is another button to lower it. Push in one button (touch it/ hit it with a weapon) and the other one pops out...however player types like Vampires and Amphibians could use thier abilites to "pull" on the pushed button causeing it to switch on/off unlike the other player types whom would have to locate and activate the other button.

Just use K.I.S.S. Stay away from conventional (read lazy) design conventions like power-ups. Take focused influance from Chess rather than D&D and this could be a fantastic game.