Predator and Prey-style game
by Eli McClanahan · in Game Design and Creative Issues · 05/01/2002 (8:30 pm) · 62 replies
First of all, I'm not sure how well this would go over in programming, so I'll set that on the table for consideration first.
My idea is for a game based on natural wildlife, in which the player can play as multiple species ranging from lions to hyenas to antelope. Each species would have its own "campaign" in which you must raise your animal from near-birth to death. For a lion, for instance, you would begin at the stage that's most interesting - when you leave the pride (as a male) or when you are capable of hunting (as a female). You would have to defend your pride against the attacks of other species like hyenas, as well as bring down other animals to feed yourself. Special situations like storms and floods and wildfires would arise, as well as poachers. The same would go for the males - they would group together in small gangs of young males and attempt to seize control of another pride from an older male, and then would have to ensure the safety of that pride.
The rules are pretty much made up already, as it would only require researching natural wild life. The animals don't have to be located in Africa - it just seemed to be the most interesting place for it to be set.
Thoughts are appreciated.
My idea is for a game based on natural wildlife, in which the player can play as multiple species ranging from lions to hyenas to antelope. Each species would have its own "campaign" in which you must raise your animal from near-birth to death. For a lion, for instance, you would begin at the stage that's most interesting - when you leave the pride (as a male) or when you are capable of hunting (as a female). You would have to defend your pride against the attacks of other species like hyenas, as well as bring down other animals to feed yourself. Special situations like storms and floods and wildfires would arise, as well as poachers. The same would go for the males - they would group together in small gangs of young males and attempt to seize control of another pride from an older male, and then would have to ensure the safety of that pride.
The rules are pretty much made up already, as it would only require researching natural wild life. The animals don't have to be located in Africa - it just seemed to be the most interesting place for it to be set.
Thoughts are appreciated.
#42
05/12/2002 (3:36 pm)
I kinda like the MMORPG view of this idea. Except not the MMORPG type you are thinking. I'm saying more like 30 to 100 people per game for example. Not 1000s of people per game.
#43
But, anyway, if any outside information is needed for any reason, here's my contact information, posted as a precautionary measure:
*ICQ: 84667993
*MSN: elimccl@hotmail.com
*AIM: Damien Reklaw
*Yahoo: seijin_of_jouten
*e-mail: elimccl@hotmail.com
Right now, the only complications I've really run across deal with multiplayer. As far as offline play goes, I think there isn't much to worry over. Really, that should be the focus anyway.
05/12/2002 (10:06 pm)
Oh, I hate 1,000-member MMORPGs... It also would be very unrealistic to have so many people in one area.But, anyway, if any outside information is needed for any reason, here's my contact information, posted as a precautionary measure:
*ICQ: 84667993
*MSN: elimccl@hotmail.com
*AIM: Damien Reklaw
*Yahoo: seijin_of_jouten
*e-mail: elimccl@hotmail.com
Right now, the only complications I've really run across deal with multiplayer. As far as offline play goes, I think there isn't much to worry over. Really, that should be the focus anyway.
#44
05/12/2002 (10:45 pm)
I'm having trouble finding a download spot other than Underdogs for Wolf. Underdogs refuses download managers, and the file size is too big for my small modem connection. Any help on finding another location for this resource would be appreciated. Thanks to Jay Smith for finding it originally.
#45
05/13/2002 (9:55 am)
Underdogs does allow you to use download managers. You just have to make sure download acceleration is not running (meaning, dont connect several times to download the same file). I personaly use Getright, and have had no trouble resuming files from there.
#46
In any case, I managed to get someone to send it to me via ICQ, which allows me to download at a faster rate than normal.
05/13/2002 (10:13 am)
I was using DAP, and when I tried that it rejected the URL, popping up an error message that vanished after less than a second.In any case, I managed to get someone to send it to me via ICQ, which allows me to download at a faster rate than normal.
#47
It's been a while since I checked on my baby here. :D
Out of my curiosity, how long would it take to make such a game? (If given the same base as say, RW has.)
09/25/2002 (9:27 am)
>bump<It's been a while since I checked on my baby here. :D
Out of my curiosity, how long would it take to make such a game? (If given the same base as say, RW has.)
#48
If the game gets built I promise you I'll be one of your best customers.
Anyways, I know It's considered awsome to control a Lion thats protecting it's pride from "ferocious" Hyenas... Although It's not always a big sell if you make a educational game but it would be a sin to stuff misinformation down the audiences throat...(no offense Lions are cool).
What I'm getting at is that when I was reading the posts I heard alot about "defending the pride" and one of the favorite enemies was the Hyenas. I'm no zoologist but I recall reading a wildlife review on hyenas and lions, it stated that the bulk of what the public thought bout lions and hyenas is actually vice versa; the honorable animals are actually the hyenas, which the only reason they look gloomy, mean and malnourished is because the spend time feeding their young, but thanks to pop culture and a man named Disney, Hyenas were forever portrayed as creul and corrupt within their communities.
Lions on the other hand are the creul an ferocious ones, unlike we hear, lions do not often hunt the go out and STEAL from other species' prey and not only do they steal they also take a pride over, kill the male then kill all the infant cubs, if thats not cruel I don't know what is.
If in anyway I sounded preachy, forgive me, but hears another fact you can use this information to give an extra uniqueness to your game.
-Luis A. Marquez
10/31/2002 (5:41 pm)
Cool game Eli. If the game gets built I promise you I'll be one of your best customers.
Anyways, I know It's considered awsome to control a Lion thats protecting it's pride from "ferocious" Hyenas... Although It's not always a big sell if you make a educational game but it would be a sin to stuff misinformation down the audiences throat...(no offense Lions are cool).
What I'm getting at is that when I was reading the posts I heard alot about "defending the pride" and one of the favorite enemies was the Hyenas. I'm no zoologist but I recall reading a wildlife review on hyenas and lions, it stated that the bulk of what the public thought bout lions and hyenas is actually vice versa; the honorable animals are actually the hyenas, which the only reason they look gloomy, mean and malnourished is because the spend time feeding their young, but thanks to pop culture and a man named Disney, Hyenas were forever portrayed as creul and corrupt within their communities.
Lions on the other hand are the creul an ferocious ones, unlike we hear, lions do not often hunt the go out and STEAL from other species' prey and not only do they steal they also take a pride over, kill the male then kill all the infant cubs, if thats not cruel I don't know what is.
If in anyway I sounded preachy, forgive me, but hears another fact you can use this information to give an extra uniqueness to your game.
-Luis A. Marquez
#49
1. Lion
2. Hyena
3. Puma
4. Jaguar
5. Cheetah
6. Chimpanzae?
Funny thought to. When you go to a zoo aren't you more attracted to those cute little chimps? Well stay away from them, The actually tender hearted animals are the gorillas. Chimps are fiesty and mean.
10/31/2002 (5:48 pm)
Hey I went ahead and made a list of animal possibilities:1. Lion
2. Hyena
3. Puma
4. Jaguar
5. Cheetah
6. Chimpanzae?
Funny thought to. When you go to a zoo aren't you more attracted to those cute little chimps? Well stay away from them, The actually tender hearted animals are the gorillas. Chimps are fiesty and mean.
#50
The thought of being a dinosaur hunting for food sounds better then being a lion.... could be me though
11/05/2002 (7:49 pm)
I think a game like this would be alot cooler if it was in the jurrasic era rather then this day.The thought of being a dinosaur hunting for food sounds better then being a lion.... could be me though
#51
These things may have been suggested allready, I didnt read *everything*..
11/25/2002 (11:42 am)
I think you would have extreme difficulty making anyone pick a herbivore.. A better idea I think would be to make people be on teams(ie: if you picked a lion you would go on the lion team, animals would group with their animals), and make the prey computer controlled. In multiplayer, the ultimate goal would be to mass the most amount of kills in a time-period or get to a number of kills first. These things may have been suggested allready, I didnt read *everything*..
#52
11/25/2002 (12:23 pm)
Very original idea! Yeah, like said above, the idea of becoming prey concerned me. If you left it up to choice, you'd only have a few prey animals and a bunch of lions and stuff. Definitely have the prey be computer-controlled like Anthony said. Definitely a great idea for an MMOG. One idea: Don't rule out lion childhood as "uninteresting". You should have a player take control of an animal from birth. Let's keep rolling with the lion example. From birth, the lion needs to learn to walk, run, hunt, etc. This could be a great way to start the game as it provides a very logical in-game tutorial. Some of the best games explain how to play them in the beginning, it is even better if it makes sense with the story of the game. So by having a player start as a baby lion, the computer controlled pride (or perhaps a player controlled pride) could teach the player how to perform basic maneuvers. This could be very interesting! I hope someone picks this idea up. I'll tell you what: if, after 3 years (when I finish my project), no one has made it, I'll look you up. (C: No seriously, put together a team and head it up!
#53
11/25/2002 (12:54 pm)
I have little programming experience (just enough to know what's right and what's wrong), so I can't take up the idea myself. You're more than welcome to have your way with it though. :nods:
#54
But you don't need programming experience really. It helps if you head up a project, but if you get a good Lead Programmer, all you need to tell him is what you want, and he'll figure it out. If you can lead a team, they can develop for you. Check out some of the classifieds here for talent. You might be able to get some people together. T'would be a shame to see an original idea like this go to waste. It would redefine the cookie-cutter horse s&*t MMORPGS that are coming out.(C:
11/25/2002 (1:10 pm)
If I didn't have an idea I probably would. But I personally want to make a single-player game. Online games are (unfortunately) heading toward being the dominant type of game out there. Online is well and good, but there is something to be said about a good single-player game. But you don't need programming experience really. It helps if you head up a project, but if you get a good Lead Programmer, all you need to tell him is what you want, and he'll figure it out. If you can lead a team, they can develop for you. Check out some of the classifieds here for talent. You might be able to get some people together. T'would be a shame to see an original idea like this go to waste. It would redefine the cookie-cutter horse s&*t MMORPGS that are coming out.(C:
#55
11/25/2002 (2:13 pm)
Actually, the original idea was for it to be single-player. It's really meant as an interactive campaign that your friends can join in with. (Form a pride, of sorts.) Basically, it's your campaign vs. everyone else's, of sorts.
#56
I'm a 3d artist, and I would absolutely *love* to work on a game like this, which you seem more than capable of leading.
I'd love to see this game come to fruition, it's be an absolute waste not to. I also think you'd kick yourself if you gave this project to someone else, because you have it in your head you have to be a good programmer to lead a team. Just round up people to do that for you, and I assure you that with an excellent idea like this, you shouldn't have any problem finding team members.
I've added you to my aim list, so I hope to see you online, and if this project goes ahead, I'd certainly love to be involved.
11/25/2002 (4:32 pm)
Eli, you seem to have it in your head that you have to be a programmer to lead a team. Not so. You seem like a real "ideas man", so just be the creative director, in charge of all the design docs, mission scenarios etc, and that can be your contribution to the game.I'm a 3d artist, and I would absolutely *love* to work on a game like this, which you seem more than capable of leading.
I'd love to see this game come to fruition, it's be an absolute waste not to. I also think you'd kick yourself if you gave this project to someone else, because you have it in your head you have to be a good programmer to lead a team. Just round up people to do that for you, and I assure you that with an excellent idea like this, you shouldn't have any problem finding team members.
I've added you to my aim list, so I hope to see you online, and if this project goes ahead, I'd certainly love to be involved.
#57
If anyone wants to get in contact with me, once again:
AIM: Damien Reklaw
ICQ: 84667993
Yahoo: seijin_of_jouten
MSN: elimccl@hotmail.com
You'll also frequently find me in IRC at GG's frequented channel: irc.maxgaming.net, #garagegames
Thanks to everyone for their support of this idea. Hopefully it'll get off the ground, as soon as I find my wings. :)
11/25/2002 (5:03 pm)
The biggest problem is that I have little experience heading things like this. I can direct design and throw ideas around, but as far as leading a team I have no experience. I'd have to discuss that with some current team leaders to get an idea of what type of approach I'd have to take.If anyone wants to get in contact with me, once again:
AIM: Damien Reklaw
ICQ: 84667993
Yahoo: seijin_of_jouten
MSN: elimccl@hotmail.com
You'll also frequently find me in IRC at GG's frequented channel: irc.maxgaming.net, #garagegames
Thanks to everyone for their support of this idea. Hopefully it'll get off the ground, as soon as I find my wings. :)
#58
11/25/2002 (5:36 pm)
Eli, I have no experience leading a team either, but I have put together a small team for a 3+ year project. That is what I want to do. I want to be the Designer of games. It takes a first step. That is what this is all of this is about. Some people are here cuz they wanna make games as a hobby, but I'll bet that atleast half of us want to make games professionally. Use this project as a way to learn. If you have the solid idea in your head, then you can probably lead this quite nicely. Just get a team you can trust, and use it as a learning experience. I wish you luck!
#59
You always have to do something for a first time, and there's no time like the present ;)
11/25/2002 (6:59 pm)
Amen!You always have to do something for a first time, and there's no time like the present ;)
#60
If the whole thing goes under I'm blaming you guys. ;)
11/25/2002 (8:08 pm)
Well, I'm going to give it a try. (See my latest plan+help wanted ad/thread.)If the whole thing goes under I'm blaming you guys. ;)
Jay \"idolminds\" Smith