I'm thinking about game design

[altctrl]

So I have some questions, as I'll shortly be writing a design document!

Please help!

Thankyou for visiting this topic! For a design document, I need to do some research. I am a big fan of turn based games and I want to develop a cyber punk turn based game. I want to see what you think of my ideas: So here are some simple questions:

Question 1: A hybrid game, with both Role playing and turn-based tactical battles appeals to you? Yes or no?

Question 2: Further more, this game will be set in the far future on an alien planet, involving a rebellion against the oppressive government, with the inclusion of mutants, who make up lower society. Does this appeal to you?

Question 3: The game will involve branching plot lines and deep, unique, character development. The player will be able to command up to 15 people at one time, switching characters for different abilities. For example, a robot may have different vision and alternative weapons. The player would initially start off with a small group of people and more people can be recruited. Different organisations may help out the team. Supplies may have to be transported along side. What is your opinion of that general summary of the style of play and gameplay mechanics?

Question 4: Would you prefer a dystopian, or a Utopian setting, or a mix of both? What is your preference?

Question 5: The game will be divided up into non-turn based, real time exploration, with battle areas that the player would end up crossing, and at those points, the game would switch to turn based mode. Is this the type of structure that appeals to you?

Question 6: The game may be slightly comedic. Do you prefer serious characterisations or slightly comical attitudes?

Question 7: What style of grid do you prefer? Hexes, squares, circles? etc.

Well, thanks a lot if you have answered. I'm sure any developers may benefit from this minor bit of research.

 

[azzaman333]

Make sure it's within your ability to create the game. Don't promise more than you can deliver.

 

[altctrl]

Yes you do have a valid point. I'm quite ambitious, however, smaller versions of the game may be made until I am capable of producing the final game.

I was kinda hoping you could answer the questions actually... lol

 

[Ziggy Stardust]

I have to say, it sounds quite a lot like Knights of the Republic, and from what I've heard (never played it) Mass Effect. Mind me asking for who you'll write this design document?

Sorry for not answering any of the questions. Really don't feel like it

 

[altctrl]

See, that is quite cheeky.

You expressed some interest by asking me that question, but clearly you aren't interested enough to answer.

Nevertheless, I have been working on a game concept for some time. The game design document is for the game development course I am on, however, I do plan to produce actual prototypes in the future. I always write up concepts that I may plan to take further.

An interesting question indeed. A lot of game design documents are not very useful unless there is someone who will be willing to read it or take on the idea, or, on the other hand, a more technical document would be for leading the team. My document won't be so technical, however, the team who would make the prototypes would be me. As a matter of fact, the addition of prototypes along-side a design document would be useful for the point where I might take the idea further. Remember, a prototype is a prototype and it doesn't matter so much how technology is developing. It won't matter because it will only be a simple method for proving that the idea could work. Drawing on paper is a way of calculating things and it is still being used today. lol. Am I stating the obvious or what?

In any case, I urge you to answer the questions... I answered yours, to be fair, or maybe just answer whatever questions you can answer. Pleaase. I never said you had to give detailed answers...

 

[Abaddon]

Question 1: A hybrid game, with both Role playing and turn-based tactical battles appeals to you? Yes or no?

YES. Let me upgrade my units after each battle

Question 2: Further more, this game will be set in the far future on an alien planet, involving a rebellion against the oppressive government, with the inclusion of mutants, who make up lower society. Does this appeal to you?

YES. But don't have them "super" mutants, have then ******** or disabled.. why else are they lower in society? You can of course have a restricted number of super mutants for later in the game.

Question 3: The game will involve branching plot lines and deep, unique, character development. The player will be able to command up to 15 people at one time, switching characters for different abilities. For example, a robot may have different vision and alternative weapons. The player would initially start off with a small group of people and more people can be recruited. Different organisations may help out the team. Supplies may have to be transported along side. What is your opinion of that general summary of the style of play and gameplay mechanics?

I don't like the gimic of switching characters. I would prefere a team of units who are always present and always controllable

Question 4: Would you prefer a dystopian, or a Utopian setting, or a mix of both? What is your preference?

Both, divided by money. The rich live in Utopia (tho totalitarian) the poor live in a dystopian anarchy.

Question 5: The game will be divided up into non-turn based, real time exploration, with battle areas that the player would end up crossing, and at those points, the game would switch to turn based mode. Is this the type of structure that appeals to you?

Like the Fallout games? YES. Lets us wander about, and it click into turn based once a battle begins.


Question 6: The game may be slightly comedic. Do you prefer serious characterisations or slightly comical attitudes?

Comic, if you can be funny

Question 7: What style of grid do you prefer? Hexes, squares, circles? etc.

Hex

 

[Ziggy Stardust]

Thanks for the info. And yeah, I'm curious by nature.

The reason I'm not going into your questions is: It doesn't sound like a game I would play, so I'm not really your target here. My answer to the first would already be a No, likewise, the "would this appeal to you"'s. Now you might mistake that as criticism on your ideas, but the fact of the matter is, I'm more into turn based strategy games. If you ever come up with a design for such a thing, I'll be happy to answer questions

 

[GoodGame]

If this is you first game, design it to what your specificiations are, not what the community wants, so it's what you want to work on. I suggest you also start it as a mod of another game that has a SDK, unless you already are an accomplished programmer.

Good move writing a complete development document first. That's the most important step.

If you want to make my day, make a cyberpunk version of the Fall From Heaven mod.

 

[kuukkeli]

Good luck with your project. I hope this isn't your first attempt at games because your plan sounds a bit ambitious. Also, I think the most important goal is to please yourself (unless your game has big budget).

Question 1: A hybrid game, with both Role playing and turn-based tactical battles appeals to you? Yes or no?

Define tactical battles. I'm not interested in large army vs army battles scattered among the RPG sequences. On the other hand turn-based combat with just the characters in the party is definately good.

Question 2: Further more, this game will be set in the far future on an alien planet, involving a rebellion against the oppressive government, with the inclusion of mutants, who make up lower society. Does this appeal to you?

Completely depends on how you do it. Try to make your world logical and filled with interesting characters and you'll do fine.

Question 3: What is your opinion of that general summary of the style of play and gameplay mechanics?

15 characters sounds like a lot. That big parties and even moderately detailed combat system will make battles really long (instead of RPG you'll get something like Necromunda). Other than that it looks okay.

Question 4: Would you prefer a dystopian, or a Utopian setting, or a mix of both? What is your preference?

Pure utopias are rarely interesting so I'd prefer either dystopia or a mix of both.

Question 5: The game will be divided up into non-turn based, real time exploration, with battle areas that the player would end up crossing, and at those points, the game would switch to turn based mode. Is this the type of structure that appeals to you?

Yes.

Question 6: The game may be slightly comedic. Do you prefer serious characterisations or slightly comical attitudes?

I prefer serious. Still, serious doesn't have to mean complete lack of humour.

Question 7: What style of grid do you prefer? Hexes, squares, circles?

It doesn't really matter as long as your system is built around the one you use. If you still want the answer, hexes.

 

[Till]

Question 1: A hybrid game, with both Role playing and turn-based tactical battles appeals to you? Yes or no?

Yes. Preferably combat like in Baldur's Gate (combat moves in turns, but the game remains in real time. The player can select triggers (somebody died, new enemy visible, spell cast, ...) which will automatically pause the game and allow him to adjust his orders.

Question 2: Further more, this game will be set in the far future on an alien planet, involving a rebellion against the oppressive government, with the inclusion of mutants, who make up lower society. Does this appeal to you?

Sure, but why does it have to be an alien planet? It's easier to create an interesting atmosphere by using Earth, set in the future.

Question 3: The game will involve branching plot lines and deep, unique, character development. The player will be able to command up to 15 people at one time, switching characters for different abilities. For example, a robot may have different vision and alternative weapons. The player would initially start off with a small group of people and more people can be recruited. Different organisations may help out the team. Supplies may have to be transported along side. What is your opinion of that general summary of the style of play and gameplay mechanics?

Sounds a bit like Baldur's Gate, or Jagged Alliance. I like it! 15 people might be too many to control, though. Ordering that many people around can become a chore quite quickly.

Question 4: Would you prefer a dystopian, or a Utopian setting, or a mix of both? What is your preference?

It doesn't matter, as long as it is done well. Maybe make it an (seemingly) utopia for the upper class and an obvious dystopia for the mutants.

Question 5: The game will be divided up into non-turn based, real time exploration, with battle areas that the player would end up crossing, and at those points, the game would switch to turn based mode. Is this the type of structure that appeals to you?

See question 1

Question 6: The game may be slightly comedic. Do you prefer serious characterisations or slightly comical attitudes?

Humour is always preferable.

Question 7: What style of grid do you prefer? Hexes, squares, circles? etc.

Hexes, but it doesn't really matter.

Well, thanks a lot if you have answered. I'm sure any developers may benefit from this minor bit of research.

Good luck!

 

[Izipo]

Question 1: A hybrid game, with both Role playing and turn-based tactical battles appeals to you? Yes or no?

Yes, definitely.

Question 2: Further more, this game will be set in the far future on an alien planet, involving a rebellion against the oppressive government, with the inclusion of mutants, who make up lower society. Does this appeal to you?

Again, yes.

Question 3: The game will involve branching plot lines and deep, unique, character development. The player will be able to command up to 15 people at one time, switching characters for different abilities. For example, a robot may have different vision and alternative weapons. The player would initially start off with a small group of people and more people can be recruited. Different organisations may help out the team. Supplies may have to be transported along side. What is your opinion of that general summary of the style of play and gameplay mechanics?

Ambitious. 15 main characters is a little too much if you want to really feel for the characters. Just focus on 4-6 main characters and use generic characters for reinforcements in battle.

Question 4: Would you prefer a dystopian, or a Utopian setting, or a mix of both? What is your preference?

A mix of both would be nice. Utopian for the higher ups and dystopian for the lower classes. Or Dystopian all the way.

Question 5: The game will be divided up into non-turn based, real time exploration, with battle areas that the player would end up crossing, and at those points, the game would switch to turn based mode. Is this the type of structure that appeals to you?

So a mix between Oblivion and Heroes of Might and Magic ? Sounds good.

Question 6: The game may be slightly comedic. Do you prefer serious characterisations or slightly comical attitudes?

No. Make it serious with just a tad of comedy/cynicism/dark humour. Think 'Planescape : Torment', specifically Morte.

Question 7: What style of grid do you prefer? Hexes, squares, circles? etc.

Hexes.

Hope this helps, and good luck with the project.

 

[altctrl]

Thanks for replying, all. No it will not be my first game but it is more ambitious than projects I have worked on before. Eventually I will have a decent team to back me up, but I was thinking of making one prototype with the editing tools in CIV2. I've made a few before and it is pretty easy. The fantastic worlds cd was actually broken so I couldn't use the editing features it had to offer, and I managed to find a different way of making mods. A method you'll all be familiar with, I'm sure. I was 13 though, so this was all new to me!

Yeah, so anyway, one prototype could be produced that way. I was also thinking of getting different gaming forums interested and using different game engines to produce prototypes for those audiences.

As for the point made about using Earth; the alien planet will be similar to Earth because it can support Human life. There will be differences, though. One main difference is the high gravity. Trees, as an example, don't grow very tall.

The tactical battles will be small in scale. It is a possibility that each character could have a certain number of lives. This is something that might make players happy because their character won't just die and never be seen again, but also, the character still needs to be protected.

I was thinking that the player could have credits that can be spent so that the game can be saved at any time, but there will be automatic save points, also.

 

[GVBN]

Question 1: A hybrid game, with both Role playing and turn-based tactical battles appeals to you? Yes or no?

Yeah. As long as there isn't too much randomness

Question 2: Further more, this game will be set in the far future on an alien planet, involving a rebellion against the oppressive government, with the inclusion of mutants, who make up lower society. Does this appeal to you?

Nope. Evil governments are played out

Question 3: The game will involve branching plot lines and deep, unique, character development. The player will be able to command up to 15 people at one time, switching characters for different abilities. For example, a robot may have different vision and alternative weapons. The player would initially start off with a small group of people and more people can be recruited. Different organisations may help out the team. Supplies may have to be transported along side. What is your opinion of that general summary of the style of play and gameplay mechanics?

If it's balanced

Question 4: Would you prefer a dystopian, or a Utopian setting, or a mix of both? What is your preference?

Mix of both, preferably some utopia -> dystopia transition. So instead of the game taking place in some dystopian hell I'd like to see how dystopian hell breaks loose in some utopian place and see how it changes the world and characters around you

Question 5: The game will be divided up into non-turn based, real time exploration, with battle areas that the player would end up crossing, and at those points, the game would switch to turn based mode. Is this the type of structure that appeals to you?

Yeah, as long as battle areas are fixed. Not like in King's Bounty where you can lure the monster into chasing you, then run around it and grab the treasure it was guarding

Question 6: The game may be slightly comedic. Do you prefer serious characterisations or slightly comical attitudes?

Both work

Question 7: What style of grid do you prefer? Hexes, squares, circles? etc.

Hexes if the battle area is completely flat (Heroes of Might & Magic), tiles if there's elevation (Final Fantasy Tactics)

 

[warpstorm]

I prefer games where the strong vision of the designer comes through undiluted.