My original game idea already exists:(
by Nick Zafiris · in Game Design and Creative Issues · 05/17/2005 (5:02 am) · 18 replies
Here we are progressing on our game that we started over a year ago with the purchase of Torque, when I just realized that another game similar to ours will be released by THQ this summer! I somehow had missed it.
Our game is a post-nuclear horror Action/RPG in 3rd person and the other game I'm talking about is Stalker with the only major difference being that it's in first person. Also, it's not based after a nuclear war like ours but after the explosion of the nuclear reactor in Chernobyl.
I'd like to get some feedback from the community, see what other people think. Maybe I'm worrying too much. Maybe it's a good thing. However this raises the bar much higher being a commercial title and all with tons of features.
It's not bad to have more that one game in a given genre, the problem is that we probably won't be the first.
Nick
Our game is a post-nuclear horror Action/RPG in 3rd person and the other game I'm talking about is Stalker with the only major difference being that it's in first person. Also, it's not based after a nuclear war like ours but after the explosion of the nuclear reactor in Chernobyl.
I'd like to get some feedback from the community, see what other people think. Maybe I'm worrying too much. Maybe it's a good thing. However this raises the bar much higher being a commercial title and all with tons of features.
It's not bad to have more that one game in a given genre, the problem is that we probably won't be the first.
Nick
#2
Keep on doing your game , maybe you have something that makes it
special.
Even if they are first doesnt matter , if your game is more fun to play then i buy your game.
Make a kickass demo only :)
Keep on working
-Billy
05/17/2005 (5:17 am)
How many ww2 games is it out there ! And people still doing them.Keep on doing your game , maybe you have something that makes it
special.
Even if they are first doesnt matter , if your game is more fun to play then i buy your game.
Make a kickass demo only :)
Keep on working
-Billy
#4
05/17/2005 (6:44 am)
Keep moving ahead. When I heard about Stalker, I thought of Odium, which was a post-meltdown SRPG. Fun little game, but the combat was unintuitive.
#5
Nick
05/17/2005 (6:50 am)
Thanks for the inspiration guys. I know that we're a different market. I was just worrying about the Unique Selling Point though. Not planning on stopping, just have to make sure it's fun to play.Nick
#6
05/18/2005 (11:29 am)
Keep your chin up Nick, and come up with some more USP's that Stalker won't have.
#8
05/18/2005 (11:56 am)
I don't think Fallout is a good comparison to what he describes. While they are both post-apocolyptic and RPG I think that is where the similarity ends. Fallout wasn't an action game, wasn't in 3d, and was turn-based. Personally, post-apocolyptic games are my favorite setting for games. 
#9
05/18/2005 (12:35 pm)
Also, keep in mind that if your game is made with Torque, it (in theory) should play on a wider range of computers. Stalker (from what I've seen) looks like it requires a fairly recent game rig.
#10
@Simon: True, the system requirements for it are: CPU 1.4 GHz, GeForce 4, 512 RAM. And I don't think it runs on Linux or Mac.
Thanks again guys. Expect some screenshots and an IOTD from me pretty soon.
Nick
05/18/2005 (1:20 pm)
Well said Todd. Fallout, while a classic game, it has an isometric 2D view was a true turn based RPG so it has a very different gameplay.@Simon: True, the system requirements for it are: CPU 1.4 GHz, GeForce 4, 512 RAM. And I don't think it runs on Linux or Mac.
Thanks again guys. Expect some screenshots and an IOTD from me pretty soon.
Nick
#11
You were expecting to be the only one?
Just keep doing what you're doing like everyone else says. Make it fun and you'll attract an audience especially on the platforms that this other game doesn't support.
05/18/2005 (1:23 pm)
Quote:
post-nuclear horror Action/RPG in 3rd person
You were expecting to be the only one?
Just keep doing what you're doing like everyone else says. Make it fun and you'll attract an audience especially on the platforms that this other game doesn't support.
#12
Then games set in modern times should all be very afraid of competition just because there are bunch of other 3rd person games set in nowdays.
Just keep hacking, man:)
05/18/2005 (1:36 pm)
Bah, its just setting coincidence. And very *vague* at that, since Stalker uses a rather unique premise loosely based on novel by Strugcki brothers.Then games set in modern times should all be very afraid of competition just because there are bunch of other 3rd person games set in nowdays.
Just keep hacking, man:)
#13
What exactly didnt work for you on the Stalker site. I went to it and it worked fine on win2k with IE6.
05/18/2005 (2:06 pm)
@AntonWhat exactly didnt work for you on the Stalker site. I went to it and it worked fine on win2k with IE6.
#14
-Matt
EDIT: Stalker is also an action/horror game. If you make yours an RPG it will be very different.
05/20/2005 (9:30 pm)
I'd continue making that game. Stalker has been delayed from release for quite a while and quite frankly, it looks kinda weird. I mean, one of your enemies is a pack of rats. I will say that it does have some nice rendering and I like the skies, but if I were you I'd keep at it. Remember that this is a 12 year old speaking, but you should just make your game the best it can be. -Matt
EDIT: Stalker is also an action/horror game. If you make yours an RPG it will be very different.
#15
Don't worry about making it different. Just make it GOOD.
05/23/2005 (3:47 am)
The idea is nothing, execution is everything. If all you had going for your game was an "original" idea, then I'd say there's not much point going on. But if you have a solid gameplay design, an immersive setting, and good enough art and technology, then your game will be good and unique regardless of the idea that serves as its base.Don't worry about making it different. Just make it GOOD.
#16
Post-apoc / cyberpunk is really coming into the mainstream now. Check out the number of post-apoc projects:
Killzone / Killzone 2
Hellgate: London
Huxley
Imperator (steampunk but still counts)
Fallen Earth
Twilight Wars
CONFLICT: Omega
...and thats not counting all the HL2 mods (4 I can name off the top of my head)
But dont let it get you down. The earlier poster is right. If you follow your own intuition about game style and work on having a unique style...content wins the day.
I wont pimp my own project on your thread, but just realize that Ive been going through this agony for a few years now and you just have to stay on course.
- A
05/26/2005 (8:05 pm)
Nick, Im in the same situation. Almost exactly. Im the leader of a team of 25+ who has been building a post-apoc MMO off and on for 4 years now.Post-apoc / cyberpunk is really coming into the mainstream now. Check out the number of post-apoc projects:
Killzone / Killzone 2
Hellgate: London
Huxley
Imperator (steampunk but still counts)
Fallen Earth
Twilight Wars
CONFLICT: Omega
...and thats not counting all the HL2 mods (4 I can name off the top of my head)
But dont let it get you down. The earlier poster is right. If you follow your own intuition about game style and work on having a unique style...content wins the day.
I wont pimp my own project on your thread, but just realize that Ive been going through this agony for a few years now and you just have to stay on course.
- A
#17
Everyone, got a couple screenshots by the way. Check out my latest plan if you like. Thanks...
Nick
05/27/2005 (12:47 am)
That's a lot of games...However, one thing I might have not mentioned is that it's a single player game not a MMO but nonetheless, some have similar settings. Checked out your site, pretty big team you got there and the game sounds interesting.Everyone, got a couple screenshots by the way. Check out my latest plan if you like. Thanks...
Nick
#18
Ahh. Not an mmo, thats good..less competition *whew*
So you only have the official Fallout 3 to compete with :P
Keep up the good work.
05/27/2005 (4:16 am)
Nice screens!Ahh. Not an mmo, thats good..less competition *whew*
So you only have the official Fallout 3 to compete with :P
Keep up the good work.
Torque Owner Chris
Right now we're a niche market, and assuming you make a good game, someone will buy it, regardless of whether there are other games out there. So I'd say just keep going on your game!