I'd create a requirement of something drastic to get the code, or being allowed to enter codes, like defeating a major boss at least 70% the way through the game, or even having to finish the game first. Perhaps even one code per install, or one code per computer. It really depends on the overall goal of the design of the game really. If it was a more relaxed casual game, I would just let them create multiple codes for themselves.

This definately wouldn't be a game for the completionists, or the solists. They wouldn't be excluded of course, but it wouldn't also be the main demographic. It's definately for the group of people who love the game so much they want to continue playing, even though they have completed it and those people who love sharing the game experience with friends, but not always in a concurrent multiplayer way. I get the impression that this combined group of people is bigger than we think and so very often neglected by game producers.

I call these Metroguevanias.

I have one in design, but it got put in hold over the christmas break, I should start work on it again.

That's an interesting idea.

Would it be just a case of rewarding those that enjoy sharing?
Would soloists be missing out because they have no friends?

The expanded content would have to be non-essential in the first place, just to stop soloists from getting stuck, but beyond that, anything is really possible.

The aim would be to have players end up with more to gain, but nothing to lose, if they shared content. Solo players wouldn't worry about missing out on anything, because the 'bonus' stuff is just that. After they've finished the game as much as they want then they can put it aside, satisfied that it's done. For the ones that have finished the game and want more, they can trade codes with friends to unlock new areas and explore more. They can kill the big secret bosses in the hidden dungeons and get new items unheard of, all of which have nothing to do with the story.

---
Just a quick game idea:

A game where you are a lone(or group) space salvager cleaning up an old space station to take it over. Once you've fought and cleaned up all the areas of the station and restored power to the entire thing the final computer gives you a 20 letter code that you can give to others. When you enter other people's codes into the computer, you get a piece of their space station to attach to yours, one that's got more enemies and goodies in. On top of that it makes your space station bigger and you need to clear the new area and activate the power to it. Then you can get/enter another code.

The trick is that you get to place the piece of their station, but it could be a weird shape or size and you could just reject it and hope for a better code. Or the player could try and get a massive super-stupidly huge space station covering several kms. Each new part could be slightly themed towards a particular type of enemy or item. Even still: Each new part added to the space station makes the code longer.
---

So yeah, there's definately potential.

How many balloons being held by how many planks would make it art?

I need it quantify it so I can start writing my non-artist book about art.

I agree that there's many modern RPGs that are fun to play, as well as giving the bonus of choices in class and level.

And that's the exact game that would be needed here. If this game was nothing but grind, most people would not play it. There would always be the treadmill sychophants though. (I mean no offence, but seriously guys!)

As an alternative idea, the player doesn't directly choose what his character does, but it's also not completely random. What class/skills the character chooses could be based on the way the player plays, evolving in a semi-predictable way, but still with just enough randomness so that the player isn't quite sure.

Like if his brutish orc maul wielder healed himself a bit too much and became a cleric or priest, then the player could refocus on more armour and more swords and soon have a chance of becoming a paladin, and who wouldn't want to be an orc paladin?

It would be a case of managing the excitement of not knowing what your character is going to do, while alleviating the disappointment of things turning out not quite how you wanted. It definately wouldn't be for the rpg purists who want a character just they want it, but for those that like the challenge, randomness and variety of a game where they aren't sure what's going to happen next.

Is it a treemageddon? Some kind of bushplosion?

What kind of explosions are green anyways?

FlashPunk AND VVVVVV AND F!MSD?

That would be too much awesome. Jan 10th would have to then be known as the Day of Awesome.

What's the plank then? The manifestation of their crushing cultural problems?

It's a load bearing balloon/plank combo. Can't move it or the wall will crack and the roof will fall in. Definately goes against many building codes/regulations.

But also remember, in soviet russia, balloon holds plank.

Heh, ass burgers.

Also, is it self-diagnosed or doctor-diagnosed?

As for the techno, booyeah!

That's the point. Take the grind out of the RPG. Make the core mechanic fun. RPGs have devolved into grind/level/grind/level. You have to work through the boring and annoying part so that you get a reward with a ding, a whoosh, and some skill points to spend, spells to learn, or whatever. People have tried to separate the levelling from the grinding, but that's pointless, because there's still grind in the game.

There are other games that are fun just to play for fun's sake. RPGs are one of the few genres that aren't. You grind in order to see numbers go up, or to get to the next part of the storyline.

So to facilitate the idea that the levels/skills/etc are chosen by the character instead of by the player, we'd have to make an RPG that's fun to play, not just for the carrot/stick method of modern RPGs. Make exploration, progressing and combat be interesting, rather than the repetitive monkey tasks they are now.

I used this same technique in Sim Cavern and it works really well. I ended up with a 4bit, 16 tile internal wall system that was very easy to work with, as well as nice and dynamic.

I'm working on a corner based 4bit x 4 system. It would require 64 x 1/4 size tiles to draw though, which may be a bit much. It would mesh a bit better though.

I found a really awesome site and bookmarked it recently. Think I can find it now? Nooooooo. 

Ah, found it.

http://www.realtimerendering.com/intersections.html

Bounding cylinder collisions.

It's just the same as what you've been doing, just with different primatives in different configurations. In the ninja's case: the two colliding cylinders would collide, stop and have a force applied, just like a bounding sphere collision would.

The core dynamics in collision systems are the same. The hard part is the more complicated maths for different objects and different reactions when a collision does occur.

If the gameplay itself was made interesting and compelling, then you'd want to play it even if the "progress control" was taken away from you. You'd still be progressing, just you wouldn't control the direction.

The challenge and fun of the game could easily be kept, as long as it's not just one long grind.

Unless people are too accustomed to having rewards from rpgs in the form of levels and loot. That would be a shame.

Some kind of side-view beat-em-up or platformer could work. The player actively participates in an interesting and challenging game. The random skills/classes choices from the character they play would just add more challenge to the game.

It wouldn't be for everyone of course.

ps. A top down rpg might work too, as long as it wasn't grindy.

JaJitsu: That is awesome! I want my next game to look like that.

Nooks is right though, the sign's writing has to align with the sign's tilt so it looks right.

I would even go as far as to say the core competency is simulation. Calculation without an aesthetic result is boring. Even Space Wars had an aesthetic to is.

Which would make simulation just calculations + aesthetics.

No wonder we are all so confused as to what a game actually is. Either the definition is too broad, or it's too confined.

Have you done more with this?

It's looking very awesome so far, I'd like to see what else can be done with it.

Looking very cool so far. :D

Because I can't help it mainly.

I was making games before I even knew how to use a computer, armed with only a pen, some carpet and a bunch of marbles. I get an idea for a fun game, then I have to make an attempt on it, even if it never gets anywhere.

In the end, for me it's sort of like art with maths. Taking an idea, paint the algorithms onto the blank file like a canvas, then after a few hours work having a moving, playable creation. It's awesome.