A idea i had for a video game
by crash and burn · in Game Design and Creative Issues · 10/28/2007 (2:55 pm) · 17 replies
Hrm...I remember reading a book about what would happen, if in a fantasy style game, a bunch of dumb orcs got there hands on a pile of 20th century weaponry off a dead dragon who found a way to get to the future and steal the stuff we got here. Apparently when this dragon got the stuff from here, it also pulled the personality of the person who was using it (a bunch of marines) and the orcs became marines. It ended up with everybody else being killed because they had guns and miliatry traning, and the only thing that stopped them was magic that destroyed whatever weapon they carried. It was a horrible book, but it got me thinking.
The reason i mention it is because a bunch of people asked me to make it a game where somebody had guns in a fantasy setting, and then I read that book. I personally think that all of this will just end up in a buch of carnage, and the player being near invincable except to magic (untill they run out of ammo). Just hoping for another opinion, and I just felt like asking somebody else. I really need some feedback here.
The reason i mention it is because a bunch of people asked me to make it a game where somebody had guns in a fantasy setting, and then I read that book. I personally think that all of this will just end up in a buch of carnage, and the player being near invincable except to magic (untill they run out of ammo). Just hoping for another opinion, and I just felt like asking somebody else. I really need some feedback here.
About the author
#2
I also just thought of a way to downsize weapon effectiveness. ( ammo gets hard to get ) It's also sort of a 3rd / 1st person game. If you played resident evil 4, you know the camera angle. The combat system is pretty much shoot whatever is in front of you. You do get to command a squad of others, which include a mage, demolitions expert, and a weapons expert. It has a slight RPG aspect with the fact that your squad gets better through a skill tree, like your mage can focus on healing spells or damage. From there, he can go into necromancy to pull up skeletons or go into throwing fireballs. The same thing goes for everybody in the squad with the skill tree. There are also squad level abliltys and spells, like a magical bazooka round that, combined with magic is more powerful or does ice damage. There are alot of cool ideas for magic and modern equipment combos like making a more accurate assult rifle through magic or uses magic rounds. I thought up about a hundred combos and some dont envolve weapons. (a homing grenade, a flying dagger that's extremely accurate, a phasing rifle that fires through walls without doing damage to the walls, and even a rigged skeleton with a claymore in the ribcage that explodes when dealt damage, which is a combo of demolitions and magic.)
I'm going to make a extremly limited demo verson that I'm planning to put out. by limited, I mean that the skill tree isn't even a quater way done, but you should still be able to see how everthing works, and you should see some of the magic combos, but I still have the problem of getting the squad tactics and how they use the abliltys are still a huge project to take on my own.
If you know anybody that isn't working on a project and want to work with a team, this should come out as a cool game. I need a artist and programmer more than anything, but I'll probably do most the programming.
still want some feedback
10/29/2007 (11:03 am)
I was just playing with a concept of putting modern weapons in a fantasy setting. I could change the whole story line up. The probably change the problem of the person being near invincible by giving most everyone minor magic. As for devil may cry, I thought the game sucked, and he got impaled by a magic sword and still got up, and a stupid puppet can kill him.I also just thought of a way to downsize weapon effectiveness. ( ammo gets hard to get ) It's also sort of a 3rd / 1st person game. If you played resident evil 4, you know the camera angle. The combat system is pretty much shoot whatever is in front of you. You do get to command a squad of others, which include a mage, demolitions expert, and a weapons expert. It has a slight RPG aspect with the fact that your squad gets better through a skill tree, like your mage can focus on healing spells or damage. From there, he can go into necromancy to pull up skeletons or go into throwing fireballs. The same thing goes for everybody in the squad with the skill tree. There are also squad level abliltys and spells, like a magical bazooka round that, combined with magic is more powerful or does ice damage. There are alot of cool ideas for magic and modern equipment combos like making a more accurate assult rifle through magic or uses magic rounds. I thought up about a hundred combos and some dont envolve weapons. (a homing grenade, a flying dagger that's extremely accurate, a phasing rifle that fires through walls without doing damage to the walls, and even a rigged skeleton with a claymore in the ribcage that explodes when dealt damage, which is a combo of demolitions and magic.)
I'm going to make a extremly limited demo verson that I'm planning to put out. by limited, I mean that the skill tree isn't even a quater way done, but you should still be able to see how everthing works, and you should see some of the magic combos, but I still have the problem of getting the squad tactics and how they use the abliltys are still a huge project to take on my own.
If you know anybody that isn't working on a project and want to work with a team, this should come out as a cool game. I need a artist and programmer more than anything, but I'll probably do most the programming.
still want some feedback
#3
And I think that's true, but things can be done to balance it - for example, making the guns prone to jamming, making ammo hard to find, or simply making magic stronger (or, as you said, giving a little of it to everyone).
And shouldn't this be in 'Game Ideas'?
10/31/2007 (4:12 am)
The combination of magic and technology sounds fun, but the key element is the setting. If you do something like Kork with an AK47, it'll just look a bit silly. Make sure there's a good reason for having future technology in your fantasy world, and make sure it looks 'right' - going back to the AK47 example, it would look a lot more natural or 'right' if it was a sort of guerilla-style gun with cloth wrapped around it, dirt splatters, etc., versus being all shiny and silver.Quote:You claim a character to be nearly invincible, so balancing game play is going to be a nightmare...I think what he was saying was that a person who brings a gun to a sword fight is going to have a really, really easy time, not that the player would just be invincible.
And I think that's true, but things can be done to balance it - for example, making the guns prone to jamming, making ammo hard to find, or simply making magic stronger (or, as you said, giving a little of it to everyone).
Quote:What you haven't addressed is engine technology, camera perspective, conflict resolution, vehicles, # of players, networking options, combat mechanics, scope, etc etc etc ad nauseum.It's still early days - frankly, I like to worry about my game's plot and setting before I know how many players the multiplayer will support.
And shouldn't this be in 'Game Ideas'?
#4
10/31/2007 (5:36 am)
I would take it even further by making it alien technology... that way it's not an ak47 to Kork, since he wouldn't know what that is. You also help the player see things the same way as Kork does by making it alien to the player as well.
#5
I myself have always wanted to go back to the Battle of Thermopylae (from the movie 300) with a machine gun. You'd do really well until you run out of ammo. That'll force you to think of new ways to kill the enemy.
Could make a fun game.
10/31/2007 (7:02 am)
I think Roy has a good idea.I myself have always wanted to go back to the Battle of Thermopylae (from the movie 300) with a machine gun. You'd do really well until you run out of ammo. That'll force you to think of new ways to kill the enemy.
Could make a fun game.
#6
The reason that the people who get there hands on it think it's another lump of metal is the fact that there is a curse on the weapons. When the dragon got these things from our world, it didn't just pulled the item, but whoever used it personality and knowlege with it. They are from ( insert military base name here)
How you get your hand on it is this, you are with a group of mercenaries hired out by the Dark to steal what they believe to be magical weapons from the great dragon ____ . When you get there your orders are to arm the Dark's troops at the mountain pass. When you get there, most of the group ends up dead or dying because of the great dragon ( a dead dragon equiped with cybernetics and used magic to stay alive, which is kind of the reason your still alive is because of that fact.) The dragon is near dead and activates a heap of C4
and/or charges, and you have a limited time to run out before the mountain goes boom. Well, to make a long story short, half the mountain goes boom and the dark think you are dead, and when you go to find the horde of weapons, your team find a bunch of weapons an and stuff that haven't even been harmed ( thanks to the dragons magic )
Well, your team gets these and begin to have fun with the new guns when the light ( basically the good guys ) show up and you join them ( they pay better :) ). Your group gets sent to missions for the light. Now, it still is the players choice to stick with the Light or Dark.
This could be an awsome game...
Hrm, I don't really have a date for the demo I'd like to have come out soon, and I still have the problem with starting up a team. More than anything I'll nead a programmer that know what they're doing and at least a semi-good artist. The demo though will probably be done by me using content packs and alot of time.
I got a string in AI and programming
11/01/2007 (11:24 am)
Magic brought the guns in. Basically a dragon named _____ found a way to steal weapons in our world and bring them here. Not just wepons and ammo, but random useful stuff like blowtorches, combat knives, and stuff like that here. ( think of new ways to think of the enemy ). The reason that the playing field is level is nthe fact that there are defentiatly more people, and magic does lots to mess with your guns ( misfire, jam, freeze, explode) that and grenades don't take too well to heat.The reason that the people who get there hands on it think it's another lump of metal is the fact that there is a curse on the weapons. When the dragon got these things from our world, it didn't just pulled the item, but whoever used it personality and knowlege with it. They are from ( insert military base name here)
How you get your hand on it is this, you are with a group of mercenaries hired out by the Dark to steal what they believe to be magical weapons from the great dragon ____ . When you get there your orders are to arm the Dark's troops at the mountain pass. When you get there, most of the group ends up dead or dying because of the great dragon ( a dead dragon equiped with cybernetics and used magic to stay alive, which is kind of the reason your still alive is because of that fact.) The dragon is near dead and activates a heap of C4
and/or charges, and you have a limited time to run out before the mountain goes boom. Well, to make a long story short, half the mountain goes boom and the dark think you are dead, and when you go to find the horde of weapons, your team find a bunch of weapons an and stuff that haven't even been harmed ( thanks to the dragons magic )
Well, your team gets these and begin to have fun with the new guns when the light ( basically the good guys ) show up and you join them ( they pay better :) ). Your group gets sent to missions for the light. Now, it still is the players choice to stick with the Light or Dark.
This could be an awsome game...
Hrm, I don't really have a date for the demo I'd like to have come out soon, and I still have the problem with starting up a team. More than anything I'll nead a programmer that know what they're doing and at least a semi-good artist. The demo though will probably be done by me using content packs and alot of time.
I got a string in AI and programming
#7
12/27/2007 (8:34 pm)
Can i help with with anything? smartypantspthegamer@gmail.com
#8
01/19/2008 (7:51 am)
Sure, want to be a part of a grwoing team of... 2 (with you included )
#9
01/19/2008 (8:31 am)
Why would a dragon steal guns?
#10
01/24/2008 (9:09 pm)
Dragons steal guns because they want to :-P...or because they were jealous.
#11
01/25/2008 (5:51 am)
Why the F*** not? The dragon was building up it's own army, so, with the powers of a dragon, why not arm your troops with heavy mashine guns?
#12
01/25/2008 (9:05 pm)
Facing a HUGE dragon with magic abilities and troops with machine guns/rocket launchers would be murder. I do like the storyline, sounds tough and i love hard games. I just have one question, is the storyline you described for campaign or multiplayer...or both?
#13
02/15/2008 (8:32 pm)
I think that depends on my situation. I'd like it if my game was a single player with the option of haveing the other 3 people working as the others in the squad, either online or through a network feed. Also avalible (again, depends on my budget) will be a multiplayer area where sigle players or squads fight it out. Also have problems getting a team together. I'm still working on a demo version on-and-off. Hopefully out soon.
#14
05/04/2008 (2:37 pm)
How about rather, you are a very powerfull ArchMage going up against that same dragon and his army? Same Squad based and skill tree, and it would be tougher. 
#15
I'd be careful about basing any game on an idea that originates from a book. Especially if at any point you wish to make money off of it. Unless you radically change the story and plot the author and especially the publisher may take exception to you stealing her idea. It might be best to seek permission first. Many writers would love the attention a game could bring to their book(s) but in many cases it's their publishers who makes the final decision for said permission.
I've been in communication with an author who was more than willing to give his personal permission to base a game on one of his books but his publisher steadfastly refused. I'm not trying to rain on your parade, only pointing out the simple truth of legal permissions.
Maybe you can substantially change the background of the game to where a comparison couldn't be made. But at some point you are going to need a backstory, and frankly this kind of idea has been done already.
05/04/2008 (8:18 pm)
Grunts by Mary Gentle. I'd be careful about basing any game on an idea that originates from a book. Especially if at any point you wish to make money off of it. Unless you radically change the story and plot the author and especially the publisher may take exception to you stealing her idea. It might be best to seek permission first. Many writers would love the attention a game could bring to their book(s) but in many cases it's their publishers who makes the final decision for said permission.
I've been in communication with an author who was more than willing to give his personal permission to base a game on one of his books but his publisher steadfastly refused. I'm not trying to rain on your parade, only pointing out the simple truth of legal permissions.
Maybe you can substantially change the background of the game to where a comparison couldn't be made. But at some point you are going to need a backstory, and frankly this kind of idea has been done already.
#16
05/05/2008 (3:21 am)
There are no new stories, only different ways of telling them. Which makes these new law-backed pushes on Intelectual Property utterly stupid...
#17
Anyway, I got a better one I actually going to make. You'll see it eventually =)
05/21/2008 (3:41 pm)
Yeah, I'm just kicking around an idea, and I may just put it out. As for originality, everything seems like a spin-off of something else. You can point to 99.9% of anything and say its a spin off of something else. Its just what happens, and because now, almost everything has been done.Anyway, I got a better one I actually going to make. You'll see it eventually =)
Employee Michael Perry
ZombieShortbus
You claim a character to be nearly invincible, so balancing game play is going to be a nightmare unless you pull it off like Devil May Cry. In DMC, the main character Dante is invincible during cut scenes, yet can die in the game. This is one method, but I have to say it is a cheap way out and makes no sense for the game play.
That brings us to the main point: game play. You have a story, but it's difficult to give feedback unless you talk about game play aspects. You have mentioned an invincible character, magic, and modern weapons.
What you haven't addressed is engine technology, camera perspective, conflict resolution, vehicles, # of players, networking options, combat mechanics, scope, etc etc etc ad nauseum.