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[Tumetsu]

@Benza
That robotic approach is pretty interesting. And not least because I used slightly robotic/space theme when I first time prototyped this idea several years ago Thanks for reminding though and I like your mockup, will definitely consider that too

@Chromanoid
That actually is very good idea! I think it could turn out delighfully weird if I would humanize the main character like you proposed :D I have to really think this approach more and prototype & doodle bit with it. Thanks!
Problem with it is though that my sprites (body parts) are around 16x16 which makes details very hard to depict 

Oh shit that would be cool if as you collect more parts of your body you have to maneuver around more parts. Like after you get your arms and torso, then stuff can no longer go between them.

I have thought about that sometimes, but so far I haven't came up any decent gameplay uses for that since getting new body parts would limit you rather than help to advance. Unless you have to collect them at each level and then reach the goal or something. Or maybe game starts with just head, then player finds from the first level all parts, or from very first levels etc.

[Derakon]

One thing you could maybe do is have segments where the player has to pick up objects that take the place of existing body parts, and then drop them off elsewhere in the level. For example, they need to hold a button down, so they go pick up a crate (that goes where their torso would), and then have to figure out how to get it back to the button. That lets you temporarily restrict what areas they can access without forcing the game to become simpler over time, as it would if the player permanently reassembled their body over the course of the game.

[Chromanoid]

maybe one has to complete one body per level (the magician leaves many poor scattered spectators behind -> level selection is a view of the magician's tour route). Or one cannot attach the body parts immediately and you have to collect them in the magic box.

[Christian Knudsen]

Holy shit, this is a brilliant idea! It's not often that you see a truly original idea, but this definitely qualifies!

Before I read Benza's post I thought of doing a robot as well. That immediately places it in a sci-fi themed world, which I think can be more clearly defined than a magician/spiritual world. It'll probably also be more easily accessible for casual players, since a robot who's limbs are held together by electrical arcs or magnetic fields makes more sense than a human who has lost his torso, legs and arms for some reason, but they're still inexplicably held in place.

Hmmm... The glowing, bright color of the main character in the video makes me think that it could also take place in a digital/cyber world. That way you can have it somewhat surreal, but still easily explainable ("It's in a computer! Like Tron!").

[gimymblert]

magic is way more casual than geeky computer and robot
tron is not exactly casual!
Unless you go for digimon style (colored, funny and grounded in real world tropes)

[LemonScented]

I've got no suggestions for alternative themes that haven't already been suggested, but I wanted to add my voice to the crowd by saying this:

Wow - that game concept/mechanic is a bit special, isn't it? 

[Chromanoid]

btw: i like the robot theme too . especially your drawing, Benza!

to clarify my theme suggestion: i don't think of a magical/spiritual world, but of a strange circus/freak show/illusionist theme where the classical trick of "sawing a woman in half" went wrong in weird "semispiritual" way.

[Christian Knudsen]

How about a military science experiment gone wrong? You were a scientist working on an invisibility suit, but when you tested the prototype jumpsuit, instead of turning your body invisible, it phased it out. That would also explain why your head, hands are feet are still in existence: the prototype jumpsuit didn't cover these parts of your body.

[Tumetsu]

@Derakon
I once though about lifting objects with body pretty much like you suggested but never went to actually implement it or even ponder it more throughly. I like that idea and will put it up somewhere

@chrknudsen & neoshaman
I think that magic is actually more casual than robotics but that I'm not yet sure how the game will turn out. Originally (and for now) this concept was paired with rather difficult level design, but with lot's of checkpoints. I think that devlog topic covers a bit more of this subject though. So I'm not sure how casual I'm going to make this (at least in difficulty sense).

How about a military science experiment gone wrong? You were a scientist working on an invisibility suit, but when you tested the prototype jumpsuit, instead of turning your body invisible, it phased it out. That would also explain why your head, hands are feet are still in existence: the prototype jumpsuit didn't cover these parts of your body.

Interesting idea/new viewpoint though I'm not sure if this theme would personally interest me, since I'm not really excited in these military stories in games...

Hmm, so far the robot and magician theme intrigue me most, the latter one maybe little more. Magician theme would be interesting since I think it's so bizarre and seldom seem concept which would therefore pair well with gameplay concept and possibly produce more memorable game. However, I'm not sure which kind of level designs/places game should have. I should think of theme with good excuse for lots of sledge hammers, spikes, shurikens and/or other deadly things In this view, the robotic theme would probably give more advantage, unless magician theme takes place mostly in magician's castle or something (cliche I know). Thanks for input so far, these really got me thinking and thanks for all praise for concept, they get me working even harder

EDIT: Just came up a new theme.Player could be a skeleton and game could take place in pyramid or other tomb. Basic storyline could be about thieves who steal player's sargofag or something but for some reason leave head, hands and feet behind. Player's job is to chase these sacrilegs and give them some good mummy/undead punishment :D

[Shambrook]

with the magic theme you could always just go for like a crazy alternate dimension magic land. Like the wizard tried to transport himself to an alternate dimension but his torso/arms/legs are stuck in our world while he only got his hands, feet and head through.

That way you could have the crazy alternate dimension magic land wich would let you do pretty much whatever theme you want for the actual world. Could even do Mario style worlds and levels with each world having a completly different graphical theme.

[Geti]

For the game world, you might consider doing something like Braid, where the collision objects are completely abstracted from the graphical objects, so you paint up some world assets and place them to make your world look like you want it to, then place collision objects (which could be tiles or polygons depending on your needs).

[Tumetsu]

@Benza
Hmm, yeah that could be good theme for it's freedom... Have to think this spirit thing a bit more too.

Actually I have come up pretty neat theme/storyline IMO revolving around the freak circus idea. I wish you could give some thoughs and ideas if this theme would be interesting and what I should consider with it's aesthetics. This is not final decision yet, but I admit it intrigues me most now

Game would start with the final act of the touring freak circus show where magician needs a volunteer. He puts the volunteer into magical box and claims to audience to be able to vanish his body or something. Well, he actually does this and show ends. The volunteer is not released however. He wakes up in cage and soon it's revealed that the magician has gathered all his freak show's members/creatures by kidnapping volunteers and transforming them various ways with his magical box and is using them in shows.
Soon the show gets a new star "The amazing man with no body" where this bodiless guy is put into scenes full of traps etc. and runs after the laughing magician in stage trying to catch up. Turns out that the magician gets always away in the end some way.

What this means is that every level would be an "act" where the player character is forced into a hazardous stage in front of laughing/mocking audience. Graphical theme could include wooden structures, audience in the bottom of the level shouting and commenting etc. and of course multiple spikes, sledge hammers and whatever deadly stuff I can come up Between levels would be short story dialogs between freak circus victims and in the end they manage to capture the magician, use the magic box in themselves to dissolve the curse, turn the magician into something and then break the box.

Overall mood would be a bit scruffy and obscure stage show. Structures would have a bit weared of and shady look rather than shiny new theathre stuff. And to clarify a bit, there would not be much actual "magic powers/dimensions", except with the box which is rumoured to be made from coffin or sargofag  

EDIT: Actually I made a while ago this random game background with strange wooden structure: http://tumetsu.deviantart.com/#/d2lz5f5 What I have in my mind would be something a bit like this.

[Chromanoid]

sounds great!  

maybe you can add some other circus members as parts of the parcour - like lions, alligators, a kicking horse, knife thrower, fire-breather, a guy juggling with axes, a clown who shoots himself with a cannon...
there are some crazy circus constructions that might inspire you :D



(wheel of death)



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=THM2xXAiZG8   i love this circus


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XBnr6iXJhVw

[Shambrook]

what you described instantly reminded me of terry gilliam for some reason.

This could be awesome.

[Tumetsu]

@Chromanoid
I actually thought about adding some more monstrous members of the circus as a enemies here and there, like some demonic trapeze artists etc. but I have to see how much I can add those. Mostly the show is built from mechanics and optical illusions created by somekind mechanic fellow who actually designs all tricks and structures which is too enslaved by the magician.e may help the main cahracter in the end to defeat the magician. And thanks for those links, I'll take look at them

@Benza
I googled, Terry Gilliam. Seems that he made rather interesting films


Yesterday evening I sketched some first concepts of the magician and player character:


I'm rather pleased in how the magician turned out though I think I could add some more unique features to him, since now he is rather stereotypic mix of magician and circus director. However, I actually like a bit more Chromanoid's original magician concept. The player character didn't turn that well since I'm not yet decided how he should look. I'd like to make him look a bit unhuman/distorted but still not somekind zombie either. As of now, he looks far too generic IMO. As of the magical box or coffin, I guess I could take inspiration from some egyptian sargofags or iron maidens.

[Shambrook]

If you want to make him look distorded/unhuman a good bet is to make his face really asymetrical.
Also I got distracted and started drawing a magician cause oldschool magicians are fun to draw.

[Ninja Disguise]

For some reason, I think Bitmap Brother's-style artwork would look fucking awesome. 'Course I think Bitmap Brother's have an incredible style. Take a look-see:

Gods -


Speedball (2 I think) -