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Topic: New Gaming Concept

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Polaris

I've been having a hard time discussing a game. While there's one in development, it's not mine at all. However, I'd like to introduce concepts and listen to feedback on what to do. Since you're already reading this, would you mind helping me?

This is a game with high creativity in mind. While there is an emphasis on the story, I strongly feel that customization is also an important part of gameplay. In that sense, I mean player skills and abilities, the clothing or armor of the character, looks, and weapons would be customisable. My dilemma with this is that i'd rather not have a story driven game with a 'custom character' as the 'main' character that the player controls. So here are the ideas that I ultimately came up with.

1. The main character is one of the many from the story. Players pick out the characters based on which element they want to try out and the story is from that person's point of view.

2. The character is made by the player, has the ability to use all of the elements and is fully customisable (face, voice, skin tone, hair, etc). This character is treated as part of the story and meets all the 'canon' characters and the story becomes molded around the custom character)
3. Similar to #1 but the player can instead play as their custom version of their character rather than the actual story character.

4. The player gets to choose their element and make a custom character based on that element (as opposed to having all the elements like in #2). I feel this makes it less character-specific but allows players to create multiple characters with different specialties and looks (ie elder scrolls oblivion).

5. The player's unique customised character takes the place of the corresponding element's character (If the player chooses ice, Carlos is eliminated from the story since he has the element of ice).

Can somebody help me decide? I also have questions involving item strengthening and fusion as well as abilities that the player can learn.

Polaris

SomeBitTripFan

@Polaris : Personally, I've never been a fan of 'Avatar' characters, because, in general, they are never done correctly. The problem with them is that they never match the personality of the player. I have to recommend a sixth option, which is ironically a sort of combination of #1 and #5. I don't know how far along the game is, but if you give each character a personality that is relatable, while still allowing that character to play their role in the game, without them becoming overly generic or the central focus of the story, with everything conveniently falling into place with them. If you made the player take a personality test, asking the player questions that are important to the development and choices the character makes without it hinting at events within the games story, you could avoid the problem with most Avatars. If it doesn't work completely, at least the character is somewhat similar. One of the main thing I hated in Fire Emblem: Awakening was the 'Avatar' character. He/She is supposed to be me, but instead, the Avatar is a Mary Sue, who conveniently has a solution to every problem, and when that isn't the case, the entire logic of the world shifts in his/her favor. Please, avoid doing that. Write each character as if they are not the main character, but then lightly tweak the game so that they can become the main character. From what I've read, you're making(?) an RPG, so if all the characters join and become a party, your character always becomes the leader, as long as it suits their personality. So in other words keep the story a #1, but allow the player to replace the character most like them with their avatar, who will play the same general role with slight alterations. Do you get what I mean? I'm not very articulate.

Just Someloggery
You have the right to disagree with me and the ability to consider anything valid that I say; Please exercise both.

Nintendo Network ID: SomeBitTripFan

Polaris

I'd call the game an action RPG. Allowing the player to choose which element they want and giving them the ability to replace that character with their own would be nice. But then there's the problem of how the story plays out when 'Carlos' isn't really there and is replaced with somebody else.

Perhaps players could customize the character that they choose to a certain extent. Another problem I'm having is that I've never really considered anyone a "more important than anyone else' main character. I want the story to be told no matter who you choose. The whole story, from an omniscient narrorator's view. Or follow closely to the book since that's told in Carlos' point of view. How does one go about telling the canon story while letting the player choose anyone and experience the real story? Do I have to tell everyone's story uniquely? I guess it would be cool to tell the story through one person's eyes and allow you to play as the party that they teamed up with. They'd all have different save files then. I wouldn't be able to switch to different main characters during the story because the player wouldn't keep the exp/progress with characters when the story calls for a new character to 'lead'.

Polaris

SomeBitTripFan

I would need to understand more of the story/game to give some input regarding the storytelling of the game. If you plan to include sequels of use the same world again, than you need to keep the story linear, as in not having alternate possibilities through which the story will progress. I feel the need to understand some of intended story. It seems as if the story focuses on the party as a whole, so you shouldn't have to change the story at all, but you do need a lead character, unless you are trying to avoid that being a part of the story. I don't know if you understood what I meant, but option #5 seems to be the best, however with my previous comment I was suggesting you rehaul it in a way so that you could make the 'avatar' character serve a purpose in the story while also being relatable. Can you give more details regarding your game? I feel I'll be able to help more if I know what you are trying to do. Also, in what stage is your game? If you're still planning it, you need to make sure everything is doable. I have a number of game ideas, but they are for the most part the story. I myself have a relatively crazy idea for storytelling in one game, but don't know how I would smooth out some of the problems that would arise. But, as I was saying, if you are still in the planning phase, make sure your choices don't overwhelm you and in the end make you abandon your work.

Just Someloggery
You have the right to disagree with me and the ability to consider anything valid that I say; Please exercise both.

Nintendo Network ID: SomeBitTripFan

Polaris

I could never abandon this. I didn't just come up with a concept and make the story around it. This story has been with me for 8 years or more. Anyway it's in my profile. Allow me to paste...
some time passes

Here it is. Being slightly Nintendo inspired, Polaris is complete with a menacing moon and psionics. The similarities stop there, because of the serious tone stemming from tensions with family relationships and other elements rarely touched upon in games.

Hmm that seems like a simple introduction. Let me post this then. It's from a text message. it only begins to summarise the game.

The main character is Dave. His father's name is David and his mother is, well, dead. Haunted by the death of his wife during the birthing of the protagonist and his twin sister, Dave's father lives as a broken man taking care of two children he was unprepared for. Children that were were given life through a mother that wished for them to exist and a father who wishes he could take it all back to get his wife back. This is reflected in the relationship between father and son in their household. Due to the cold-natured interactions with eachother through his childhood, Dave chooses to go by Carlos and distance himself further from his father.

Eventually the father takes a job designing shoes far off from Dave. Dave lives largely alone, wrestling for his team at school and staying out of trouble largely because of his friends Dequan and John. But he is not alone. It soon became evident that he was no longer the same as everyone else when Adara revealed herself as the spirit of Polaris. Through his childhood, she was present. Growing and learning along with him. Lying dormant inside his mind. The story revolves around Carlos/Dave realizing the power of Polaris as he learns from his father what he does not want to be, and bridging the gap between childhood and manhood. We all emerge on the other side largely changed.

But not only he is changing. The world around him has become a place unfamiliar to him and those around him. Moving toward an uncertain future, Dave (the one who holds the power of Polaris) Coco (an acquaintance capable of using all four branches of psi rather than having an affinity toward one) Yusuke (a ninja who is just beginning to mature, who practices the ninjutsu branch of psionics quite poorly at times) and John (Dave's good friend who comes along with no skill at all yet has a unique talent of his own that he is yet to discover — being quite 'resistant').

The story's main conflict is the moon. Trouble is caused when Dave (the wielder of Polaris, which is ice) and Izar (the wielder of Izar, the element of earth) have an unfriendly encounter. They are on good terms at the start but soon after they discover that they are both trying for the same goal, they disagree on how it must be reached. Rather than chasing after the 'bad guy' the roles are reversed as the hero is constantly hunted. The two can't get along yet they want the same thing to happen.

Does that give you a better idea?

Polaris

GuSolarFlare

square enix made the most different and "innovative" game concept it's so out of this world that shouldn't even be called a game! :
Beautiful graphics little gameplay auto-mode for lazy ones. the concept is a game that plays for the player!!!!

goodbyes are a sad part of life but for every end there's a new beggining so one must never stop looking forward to the next dawn
now working at IBM as helpdesk analyst
my Backloggery

3DS Friend Code: 3995-7085-4333 | Nintendo Network ID: GustavoSF

GuSolarFlare

@MrWalkieTalkie
yes, the new part of this concept is calling it a game

Edited on by GuSolarFlare

goodbyes are a sad part of life but for every end there's a new beggining so one must never stop looking forward to the next dawn
now working at IBM as helpdesk analyst
my Backloggery

3DS Friend Code: 3995-7085-4333 | Nintendo Network ID: GustavoSF

mamp

Customizable characters ok just as long as there's not cutscenes because you know

The cat's the only cat who knows where it's at.
NNID: Muffin-Gun

3DS Friend Code: 3136-6586-7657

SomeBitTripFan

With the story being as important as it is, I would just make Dave/Carlos stay Dave/Carlos. You'll be able to develop the story much better without an extra character that takes the focus away from Dave/Carlos.

Just Someloggery
You have the right to disagree with me and the ability to consider anything valid that I say; Please exercise both.

Nintendo Network ID: SomeBitTripFan

GuSolarFlare

mamp wrote:

Customizable characters ok just as long as there's not cutscenes because you know

Cutscenes: the pinnacle of laziness to design gameplay!
Untitled

Edited on by GuSolarFlare

goodbyes are a sad part of life but for every end there's a new beggining so one must never stop looking forward to the next dawn
now working at IBM as helpdesk analyst
my Backloggery

3DS Friend Code: 3995-7085-4333 | Nintendo Network ID: GustavoSF

Polaris

Ahh well I still haven't solved what will happen when the player cuts to another character after a major event. I want the player to play as the antagonist and other characters, but be able to play as that main person's party as well. Dave/Carlos' party should be playable when the player plays as him and Izar's party should be playable. Thing is it's not a turn based game. Real time combat with actual moves that have to be performed together to create combos. Not just pressing a combination of buttons. Knowing what hits when and what will chain together between standard and special attacks. Anyway I guess customization would just be things such as hair color and the articles of clothing and accessories. Perhaps the game would make a jump to each new character as the story goes on and even give the player a choice Super Smash Bros. Brawl style for some areas.

How would we transition smoothly to say to the player 'here's where you stop playing as Carlos and his party, and here's where you play as Izar and his party.' ?

And square did make a game where it plays by itself. It's called final fantasy XIII and my friend and I played through it with our eyes closed and pressed A for the battles and got the highest rank for every battle and made it through the first area flawlessly. That game was garbage. I took it back immediately after we ridiculed it. If you can play a game with your eyes closed, that's sad. And perhaps there is another way for the online/multiplayer portion to play into the single player. Winnings from online are in a different currency that is much less when converted to single player currency. The value diminishes when you trade money between single player and online. That way you can buy stuff from the single-player experience which letsyou jump into multiplayer without being at a disadvantage if you haven't beaten single player(and gotten good items because the items don't carry over stat-wise).

So will the game just switch parties at a certain time or is there a better solution?

Polaris

SomeBitTripFan

@Polaris: This thread may be pretty much dead, but here are my, rather late, two cents. The first thing that came to my mind when you mentioned switching between two parties was Final Fantasy VIII. I've hardly made a dent in the game, but in the game you switch between the main party and another party throughout the game, or so I've read, I've only gone through one sequence. During those times, the main party passes out/falls asleep for no apparent reason. I'll commit some time to the game this weekend and inform you whether or not it becomes intrusive or annoying, but otherwise just don't force the change on the player and make sure the transition is long enough to not feel pointless. Maybe enter the other segments at an Inn, before a major encounter, in a time of trouble, during a time where the party has to wait on something, or pull the pass out/dream state in a logical way.

Just Someloggery
You have the right to disagree with me and the ability to consider anything valid that I say; Please exercise both.

Nintendo Network ID: SomeBitTripFan

GuSolarFlare

how about a game with 5min of gameplay and hours and more hours of

GuSilverFlame wrote:

Cutscenes: the pinnacle of laziness to design gameplay!
Untitled

goodbyes are a sad part of life but for every end there's a new beggining so one must never stop looking forward to the next dawn
now working at IBM as helpdesk analyst
my Backloggery

3DS Friend Code: 3995-7085-4333 | Nintendo Network ID: GustavoSF

Polaris

KittenKoder wrote:

You described Persona.

I've played persona. I didn't like it. I didn't describe persona at all. You imagined persona. That doesn't mean that they're similar.

Titanics wrote:

There are games like that...

I don't think so. If you can't name one then there's nothing much to say. :/ what I mean is that post wasn't very insightful. It didn't mean anything. Anyway.

GuSilverFlame wrote:

how about a game with 5min of gameplay and hours and more hours of

GuSilverFlame wrote:

Cutscenes: the pinnacle of laziness to design gameplay!
Untitled

That's not my goal.

And making a 3d platformer isn't either.

I want to make a game with lots of variation in items. An environment that allows lots of interaction (I love stealing in games). Oh well. Saying any more would just be dreaming.

Here's the game's summary.

Polaris is the story of a choice given to humanity through wicked temptation. Following the events of the war in heaven, banished angels were thrown out of heaven for rebelling against God. In this fictional story, in order to give their fallen brethren a second chance, some angels who remained righteous went down to change the hearts of those who had fallen.

Seeking to lead humanity astray while attempting a futile second war in heaven, the fallen angels took the moon as a middle-ground between the heavens and the earth, gradually edging their influence closer to man. The result gave humanity's gifted the ability to manifest their desires into reality with the stolen secrets of Psionics.

The story follows Dave 'Carlos' Heron, a boy visited and protected by one of the righteous angels as he struggles past the reality that at birth, his dead mother left him with a detached father. A reality that he now has the power and choice to alter.

As the moon draws closer to the Earth, the threat of impact becomes evident and the direct conflict of the series. Polaris' conflict becomes a story about the aftermath of the war in heaven, a losing war that the fallen angels fight in futility on heaven and on earth.

Any suggestions?

Polaris

GuSolarFlare

I was just joking with the cutscenes thing....
but your idea seems to fit perfectly a JRPG or maybe an ARPG(they are two of my favorite game genres so don't take this as a bad thing)

goodbyes are a sad part of life but for every end there's a new beggining so one must never stop looking forward to the next dawn
now working at IBM as helpdesk analyst
my Backloggery

3DS Friend Code: 3995-7085-4333 | Nintendo Network ID: GustavoSF

SomeBitTripFan

@GuSilverFlame: It is an ARPG.

@Polaris: The story sounds particularly interesting, as long as the conflicts are fully fleshed out, which luckily seems to be the case. I don't know how many times I've read something the had a marvelous concept, but that concept was held on the backburner for no reason. I can't really give you any suggestions for the story just because I don't know the entire direction it will be heading. I honestly love the concept, and think that it's already heading in a good direction. What I would recommend is that you actually start working on the game. You can sit and contemplate about how to make your game better, but if you keep doing that, you'll only have a remarkable concept with no work to show. If you are already in the process of truly making the game, then just keep going. The more you work on it, the more your vision can come to a focus. Also, don't worry about incorporating every idea that comes to mind. Part of being a good developer is knowing when to stop. Cutting the excess fat off of Polaris will result in a better experience. One strong, fleshed out idea is better than 50 underdeveloped ideas.

Just Someloggery
You have the right to disagree with me and the ability to consider anything valid that I say; Please exercise both.

Nintendo Network ID: SomeBitTripFan

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