Help with concept

[Sph!nx]

Wow, I've got a wierd problem. I've had creative 'blocks' a few times in the past but now I have the opposite ... I've started a project but, because of this, it's getting nowhere.

I have too many great ideas to choose from! I have several great game concept ideas and I also want to try out different kind of art and design styles.

I've always wanted to do something like this 'Star Quest' idea but I also have some excellent ideas for a medieval fantasy game and since recently the idea to make a classic 'super hero who saves the city' game has been on my mind. I know, the last one seems a bit corny but I got some interesting ideas for it.

Also, regarding art and design, I can't decide if I want to go for cartoon style (and then what kind of cartoon style) or a more realisticly aimed style.

Normally one chooses the things he likes most, but I really cant decide so I kinda need your help here. Since I cannot make several polls in one thread I've made a little poll myself for you to answer if you'd like. It would really help me out!

1) Concept:
A) Space SF
SF, action game where you are part of a crew of a space ship that goes on an adventure which will take on a journey through the galaxy. Mostly an action game but with puzzles to solve and possibly simulation game elements like vehicles and a simple flight simulation.

The game starts where you are a prisoner on a penal mining colony where you must escape from and rescue your crew and ship.

B) Fantasy
Fantasy, you are the last of a now extinct race of humans. During the last great war you've been hidden on another world called Earth where you have grown up to become a young man/woman. Peace has returned to Ardia, the magical realm where our hero originated from, and the portal has been opened for his return ...

The game starts right before our hero gets to Ardia, A magical realm with mixed technologies from primitive to early industrial.

C) Action/puzzle, modern times
One large city with many missions/quest to fulfill. In the beginning of the game you can choose your (super) hero. This game mostly focus on putting in as many different little features and options for your characters to do.

2) Gameplay :
A) 1st person
Classic 'FPS' but focussed on expanding world/NPC interactivity and simulation features.

B) 3rd person
Basic 3rd person view with 'FPS' controls. Focussed on chracter abilities and diversity.

3) Art and design :
A) Abstract Cartoon style
With this I mean the style of cartoon network, Disney or Fox cartoons. Simple, abstract in shape and design, clear and exagurated details with colorfull skins.

B) Manga/western comic style
This means a cartoon style realistycly aimed, influenced by the design of Marvel, DC, Silverhorse and 'Image' comics but the simplicity of eastern manga and anime.

Slightly excagurated 3D design buth with realistic scales and measurements and the skins are without 'texture' effect but shades of color and details are sublty 'drawn' on the skin. This style could allow for a cell-shading effect.

C) Semi-realistic style
Aimed as realisticly as possible, but still created by my art tablet and photoshop. Think of the average style used for 1st person shooters from the mid 90's.

Thanks for reading!

[Juryiel]

I'm gonna have to go with:

B
B
A or B

Just due to personal tastes. Fantasy is better than modern and sci-fi, 3rd person is great (or over the shoulder is ok too), and cartoon style is cooler than realism!

[Sph!nx]

Thanks Juryiel! Yeah, Fantasy is appealing and I've got some pretty interresting idea's for it too.

I do hope some more individuals will do this little poll today, 'cause I really want to get started on someting soon!

[bernie]

Well I suppose you will have guessed already but I prefer fantasy all the way. With a few puzzles thrown in for good measure. You just can't beat the magical stuff 3rd person with fps where necessary. Nothing wrong with SF, space etc but again that's all part of fantasy isn't it. But I really prefer wizzards, witches ,warlocks, dragons and demon and fights to the death against all odds with a few old fashioned tools (ingenuity, fists, swords, magic potions and spells). I do like the ww1 and ww2 themes but they are a bit too much like real life for me.

[Sph!nx]

Okay, I've whipped up a preliminairy concept that combines most of the things I want in it and aimed at the fantasy theme.

Please read it and tell me wat you think! Thanks.

[Juryiel]

Well first of all I think you'll still need textures even if you cell shade. Unless you plan to make every detail out of polygons, which would be too costly on performance, or you plan to have fairly bare NPCs.

It's pretty hard to comment on anything else considering descriptions like "standard" action game. Wtf does this mean? I guess we'll have to see!

[bernie]

Yes I agree with Juryiel about the textures your'e going to need textures if you are going to be very low poly. Good story line though I like that a lot.

[Sph!nx]

Lol, thanks for reading guys. I thought I was pretty clear in my explanations. By standard I mean the basic features one can expect for the average game of that type. Later I plan on expanding that.

Of course I need textures. I did wrote that down a bit odd. The texture, or skins as I call them, will be present of course but by texture I mean the surface effects and stuff. No realistic 'texture' effects and such but textures fitting as if it was drawn.

I will edit the page now, elaborate more on the graphic effects and perhaps clear up some more gameplay explanations.

Edit :
The concept pages have been updated!

Got any other thoughts or suggestions? Liked the story?

[Juryiel]

I don't like the "fog effect" idea at all. I know why you're doing it, and I thought about doing the same with my game, but I then remembered the frustration of not being able to see past my nose in silent hill outdoors where they do the thick fog, and in a few other games where I had to turn draw distance way down to run them.

Personally, I'm going to opt for a big world that loads each section as you get to it (think MMORPGs like Everquest and the whole Zones concept). Loading every so often is just slightly less irritating than a constant fog in my opinion But to be honest I haven't tried to see just how limited RF is when it comes to large levels. If it's too limited a fog might be the only solution.

As far as the story, I like the history of the world. But the premise is nothing special. Not to say it's bad or anything, but it's hard to judge the story from that blurb. It can end up being great or a gigantic cliche. It is fairly typical of many games to start with you going back to your house/village and finding things 'wrecked up' and then meeting some mysterious person who ends up starting your adventure. But then again, this setup often leads to great RPG stories as well, so we'll have to see how it pans out when we play it. I sure hope you don't spoil it by posting it up on a website and asking for criticism though.

[Sph!nx]

Lol, in fact I have posted it on my own website but thats okay 'cause my site is my own personal blog, right? Besides, I can take criticism quite well. Makes me do a better job.

I know the start story of the main character is kinda plain and used (too) much. I have done this on purpose though. I wanted to start start out with a character that can be identified with before changing his/her world around.

Yeah, First im gonna try some other ways but I think this is the only way to do it for the maps I plan on building. Of course I will give the player the maximum view distance as possible.

I have shared my concept and ideas with some other people as well and they seemed to like it so this is what I'm going for so thanks for your input, Juryiel and bernie!

[jonas]

Just an abstract idea... What would happen if you combined space and medieval with dragons, wizards, warlocks, ect. OK maybe i'm out of it...

[Juryiel]

Just an abstract idea... What would happen if you combined space and medieval with dragons wizards, warlocks, ect. OK maybe i'm out of it...

Star Ocean would happen

[Sph!nx]

Just an abstract idea... What would happen if you combined space and medieval with dragons, wizards, warlocks, ect. OK maybe i'm out of it...

That's exactly what this it is about! If you read the prologue the whole game world/enviroment is explained.

[darksmaster923]

Just an abstract idea... What would happen if you combined space and medieval with dragons, wizards, warlocks, ect. OK maybe i'm out of it...

That's exactly what this it is about! If you read the prologue the whole game world/enviroment is explained.

thats kinda like this
http://science.krishna.org/Articles/2002/10/011.html
cept without the supernova to seperate the universe