next »

[Terrorbuns]

Not sure if the Design section is the right place for this kind of topic but NEVERTHELESS...

Anyhow, I plan on making a game that focuses on the environment and story more then, say, killing stuff (which you do in the game, but is recommended against doing).
The main gameplay aspect is a day/night system. You play as a Shade named Dusk who is exploring the world and uncovering the history of the Shades, Shadows, and other creatures of his world. Now, because you are a Shade, you have such a low tolerance of sunlight that sunlight will severely reduce your visibility (supposing I ever start learning how to do lightnings and particles and surfaces in Game Maker 6.1 >.> ) and direct sunlight will not only blind you but will burn/kill you. As you progress through the game and such, you'll gain items that allow you to last longer in the sun, and you'll even gain a pair of STYLISH SHADES that allow you to see in sunlight.

Now, like I mentioned earlier in that paragraph of words, the game focuses on the environment and story. Not only that, but collecting. You'll be collecting stuff and, when you're friendly with the other creatures and they aren't trying to kill you anymore, possibly trading for other stuff as well. The game itself is planned to be an explorer/adventure/collecting/whatevergenreit'scalled platformer.

But that's not really what this topic is about, the MAIN POINT of this topic is to ask you guys, what kind of environments/areas should I have? Like, a snow/forest/whatever area? I love to try more unique ideas that are lesser done or even never have been done (but I mean, who doesn't love to do that?) I'd also like some ideas for creatures that might dwell in that area.

A SIDE POINT of the topic is general ideas in general. I'll be trying to make the game as non-linear as possible, but you'll need certain "upgrades/items" to get to certain ares, but yea. Would a game like this spark your interest? Would you be interested in playing it? etc. etc.

But yea, I guess I just want to hear what you guys like to see in this kind of game and the sort. My skill level with Game Maker (the only thing I know how to make games in XD) is the ability to make Megaman-like games. (I prefer designing and creating ideas then actually programming, graphics, etc.)

P.S. I ramble a lot, and generally am pretty unorganized so sorry if it's hard to understand what I said >_>;

[JLJac]

Ah, I see, you're a peter molyneux kind of person :D

I know what you're talking about, I too like to come up with concepts more than actually making them happen. The best tip I can give you is to take your time and come up with a concept that is so damn good you can't resist completing it, since it would be a crime against mankind not to. Maybe it's this one?

As for environments/creatures, look around the internet for inspiration! There are several great artists out there, but most of them just make a picture of something and leaves it at that. When making a game you can add much more depth to it. You can also play some games with good environments/lokations to get inspired, I can recommend An Untitled Story and Knytt. Also Lyle in Cube Sector has great moods and settings in a weird way. And yeah, Another World, of course.

Best of luck

[Kneecaps]

My vague recommendation is to keep the environments believably diverse.  Having ice and fire and sewer areas all in the same game is kind of like a TV cartoon where one character is all red, another is all green, etc.  The area may look neat and they will definitely be distinguishable from one another, but the diversity is more gimmicky than anything.  If you look at the areas around you in the real world, there is (in my case anyways) quite a bit of diversity everywhere, even in "cookie-cutter" neighborhoods.  So it'd be cool if the areas in your game shared quite a few similarities, but were all very distinguishable from one another.  A game that I think did this very well is the very recent Glum Buster, in which all the platforming areas were a combination of natural and man-made surroundings, but each area is instantly recognizable from the other.  A game that did this even better (but costs money) was Jet Set Radio Future, where all but two areas (sewer levels) took place in a city setting, but once again every level is instantly recognizable.  I'd suggest studying games like these to help come up with your own individual and unique areas instead of going with generic cliches like plain field, forest, evil forest, cave, mountain, lake, etc.

Some JSRF areas since it's not free:
Route 99
Dogenzaka Hill
Rokkaku-dai Heights




My post probably makes no sense but I hope it does anyways.

[Terrorbuns]

Kneecaps: It actually made perfect sense :D
And if I went with the "usual" cliches, I'd probably mix it up. (Who wants to see evil plains? XP) But with the main point you (I think) were trying to make, I think I understand. Like have like two different cave areas, but are quite different (i.e. in An Untitled Story you had Grotto and then Deep Grotto, one was a small area the other was dark and had little light.) I THINK that was the point you were trying to convey anyhow   

JLJac: Thanks for the idea! I think I'll go look at like landscape photography and such, see if I'm inspired. And I've played all those games except Another World, and loved them. (Loved An Untitled Story's gameplay and areas, loved Knytt's exploration and environment, and loved Lyle's retro look, music, gameplay, and areas.)

Also, a gameplay aspect: Initially, most/all creatures (including other Shades) will try to outright kill you. However, as you do/collect things, they'll become more friendly to you and then eventually communicate with you and possibly allow trading and such. Does that sound like a great/good/eh/cruddy/whatareyouthinkingyouidiot idea?
As for environments, I'll make it so transitions between areas will look more natural (i.e. it'll start snowing when you climb the mountain and start reaching the summit, and a cave mouth will be present at the entrance/exit of a cave.)

[Kneecaps]

Yeah, that was pretty much what I was trying to say.  The subtle differences between places are just as important as the big differences.  And transitioning between areas like you said is more or less essential if you want that useful suspension of disbelief.

You'll have to do quite a bit of clever visual communication to let players know that previous enemies are now friends without making it seem tacky, unless you're going for a more video game-ey feel.  If you let creatures become your friends, it would be nice if they could become your enemies again, to show a fragility in the relationship or something.  Just please don't make that system into a Fable type of thing (sliding scale of morality and whatnot).

[Terrorbuns]

You'll have to do quite a bit of clever visual communication to let players know that previous enemies are now friends without making it seem tacky, unless you're going for a more video game-ey feel.  If you let creatures become your friends, it would be nice if they could become your enemies again, to show a fragility in the relationship or something.  Just please don't make that system into a Fable type of thing (sliding scale of morality and whatnot).

I should play more games with karma systems and what not XD
But I think a good visual sign that they're warming up to you is, like for example, they'll hold up their weapons when you near, but they won't attack you, and as you get more friendly with them, they won't even flinch at your presence and eventually even wave/say hi/actually talk to you. It'll probably be little stuff like that. Otherwise, they'll probably charge you if they don't like you 
And you'll have to pay attention to the interaction of the various intelligent creatures (there are the "unintelligent" which are the common enemies/most bosses, but combat isn't suppose to be a big part of this game) because if you help one, it might make the others angry at you.

But this is all in the planning stages, and I generally think of ideas right on the spot 

[PureQuestion]

Quick Correction: You cited An Untitled Story, commenting on the two grottoes. the dark one was actually simply called dark grotto, not deep grotto. Other than that, I see where you're going with this. The think you want to avoid is unrealistic areas. No where on Earth is there a desert bordering a forest, for example.

Contrasting environments should be very spaced, often with a larger distance between them than an average game would have. The one good exception I can think of is a veeeeeeery tall volcano, where you could feasibly have the top frozen over, but the core would be smoldering.

Realism isn't always necessary, of course, but the most blatant differences can be incredibly jarring.

[Terrorbuns]

Quick Correction: You cited An Untitled Story, commenting on the two grottoes. the dark one was actually simply called dark grotto, not deep grotto. Other than that, I see where you're going with this. The think you want to avoid is unrealistic areas. No where on Earth is there a desert bordering a forest, for example.

Contrasting environments should be very spaced, often with a larger distance between them than an average game would have. The one good exception I can think of is a veeeeeeery tall volcano, where you could feasibly have the top frozen over, but the core would be smoldering.

Realism isn't always necessary, of course, but the most blatant differences can be incredibly jarring.

Whoops, I thought it was called Deep, haha. It's been a while since I last played it.
Yea, I'll keep that in mind when designing where environments will go. From my understanding of weather, geology/geography/oceanography, and other sciences, I plan on having a mountain in the middle of the whole thing, which is topped with snow. On the right/east side of the mountain would lie the desert/arid/plains area, and on the other side would be more lush areas and whatnot.

And another exception that I can think of would be hot springs (aren't some found in cold areas?)

[JLJac]

Also, a gameplay aspect: Initially, most/all creatures (including other Shades) will try to outright kill you. However, as you do/collect things, they'll become more friendly to you and then eventually communicate with you and possibly allow trading and such.

I'd make it the other way around, figure out some reason for them to be more and more angry at the player. Escalating difficulty that is somehow incorporated in the world/story is better than escalating difficulty that is just "added on" if you know what I mean. For example snake, feels really natural that it's getting harder as you go since that is a natural effect of what you're doing.

Kneecaps is right, keep it to one kind of environment, that makes it easier to have a consistent style. Of course there should be some variation, but don't go with everything that's cool, because then the different environments will feel less defined and stylish. Look at Cave Story for example, it's(almost) all caves, but there's still plenty of diversity.

I for one thinks that environments is (the most?) important thing in a game. That's what creates the most atmosphere, at least. Look at the Myst series too, especially Riven, my fav.


And yeah, there is a thread about atmospheric environments somewhere around here, check it out!

Good luck

[Terrorbuns]

Also, a gameplay aspect: Initially, most/all creatures (including other Shades) will try to outright kill you. However, as you do/collect things, they'll become more friendly to you and then eventually communicate with you and possibly allow trading and such.

I'd make it the other way around, figure out some reason for them to be more and more angry at the player. Escalating difficulty that is somehow incorporated in the world/story is better than escalating difficulty that is just "added on" if you know what I mean. For example snake, feels really natural that it's getting harder as you go since that is a natural effect of what you're doing.

Oh, I should've thought of that
Hmm... well the other creatures don't like Shades (which is what Dusk, main character extrodinare, is) because Shades tend to kill/eat said creatures. And then Shades don't like Dusk because he's different. This'll require more thinking, planning, and all that jazz~
Maybe have the other creatures take a guard stance against you when you first encounter them and have them like not attack you unless you try entering their village/home place? Any other ideas?

[Pishtaco]

Poe it up . Set it all in long-deserted libraries and studies, and make the creatures very small so that it feels like a big world. I imagine your dude floating along a dusty bookshelf in the moonlight.

[PureQuestion]

And another exception that I can think of would be hot springs (aren't some found in cold areas?)

This is true, but hot springs are generally caused by volcanic activity. Go Figure.

[Terrorbuns]

And another exception that I can think of would be hot springs (aren't some found in cold areas?)

This is true, but hot springs are generally caused by volcanic activity. Go Figure.

True. I think a hot springs area would be cool to put in and incorporate somehow, and have a intelligent race of creatures there that use the hot springs. And have the hot springs near the top of the snowy mountains. And then have a cave that goes to a volcanic core filled with -gasp- lava! That should work.

Poe it up . Set it all in long-deserted libraries and studies, and make the creatures very small so that it feels like a big world. I imagine your dude floating along a dusty bookshelf in the moonlight.

Ooo I like that idea, but the story I have, it wouldn't work. HOWEVER, a library area WOULD work due to -spoilers- so yea.

And I can imagine tiny Shades running around in a library checking out the books and rearranging things and whatnot. Such a beautiful mental image