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[CatStack]

I promised myself I'd revise and not think of a game idea for this competition, but I can't help myself. The spirit of games development is far too much. Damn it! 

The idea is the game is like a platformer - at least for player one it is.

For player two, they have what is essentially a simplified level editing interface, with a limited amount of objects and actions that they can use. It is their job to stop the player from making it to the end of the level.

If any artists or anything are interested in working on this with me that'd be cool although until the 20th my offer of collaboration with somebody on their project is very much open to anyone with any ideas.

More on this whenever I feel like hyping it some more.

[ChevyRay]

Ahaha sounds chaotic! I like the idea of competitive editing, though, looking forward to seeing where this idea goes.

[mcc]

That. Is. Awesome.

[Aquin]

Yeah, this idea would be pretty spectacular to see!   

[Inanimate]

Making it so they can't make impossible scenarios would be the main balancing issue, but this idea is too awesome not to work that out! I need to see this done!

[ChevyRay]

Yeah, perhaps some sort of mechanic where you can only adjust/add/edit certain areas, tiles, or types of terrain might make it a little more manageable, but I'd like to hear in a bit more detail what your ideas are first

[CatStack]

I think it's definitely a challenge to design something like this and it's not something I intend to jump head first into without a bit of forethought. I think I may end up trying to go with a system whereby all objects have to be placed in such a way that there's always some space through which the platforming character should be able to slip through, i.e. certain items can't be placed within a certain proximity of each other, gorges can't be made too wide without some other platforms being placed, that kind of thing. I think the having certain objects and areas that can't be affected may be a good idea, too.

I think I can make it hard enough to create impossible traps that catch the player in time that if the player manages to do it then it would be well deserved. If worst comes to worst it'll still probably be fun the first few times until you figure out how broken it is.

[Tycho Brahe]

Wow. If you can do this (from a technical standpoint) this will be awesome. Even if the destruction/playing isnt perfectly balanced it will still be fun screwing over your friends, and having them screw you over in turn.

[TobiasW]

Wow - I'm looking forward to how you will keep this balanced. I can hardly imagine a more asymmetrical skillset.

And if it doesn't work, yeah, this:

If worst comes to worst it'll still probably be fun the first few times until you figure out how broken it is.

[compositeredfox]

Cool idea. It reminds of a game Tyranus, a local indie from Argentina, made for a multiplayer games compo we had a few months ago:
http://tyranus.com.ar/ (see second post)

[Sos]

Best of luck to you! I'd love to see this finished!

[Melly]

You know, I really like the concept.

I hope to see you finishing it, but I may just steal it.

Then we battle.

[CatStack]

You know, I really like the concept.

I hope to see you finishing it, but I may just steal it.

Then we battle.

I trust yours is a face that is well accustomed to the duelling glove, good sir.  

Also because I told myself not to get too involved in doing real work for this game until after an exam tomorrow, I bring you some of me buggering around with my guitar in hopes of accidentally creating a title theme:

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/9987128/maltheme.ogg

Edit: WITH my guitar... 

[Blue_Pixel]

Are you still looking for an artist?

I'm a pixel artist / 3D artist.

[CatStack]

Are you still looking for an artist?

I'm a pixel artist / 3D artist.

Cool, I'll try and add you to MSN tomorrow or failing that PM you or something.

[zafo999]

This could be really cool. I'm excited to see what you come up with.

Perhaps a currency system that the editor spends in order to make certain things. So they couldn't just litter a level with deadly things without a lot of points to spend, or so that a massive, near-unscalable wall or something like that would be very expensive.

[jwk5]

It sounds like a pretty awesome idea, and for some reason it almost reminds me of Gyromite for the NES (one player controls a character the other controls the environment, though you were actually supposed to help the other player in Gyromite even though toying with them before you finally decide to crush them was the real fun).

Maybe you could have predefined spaces in the level where barriers and traps can be placed but it is the arrangement of those barriers and traps that will make them deadly. For instance the environment-player creates a series death pits the runner-player must jump over (building momentum in the process) and then towards the end of the series of pits he places a spring-jump with a spike trap on the ceiling above it.



Anyways, I look forward to seeing how this game turns out!

[captainbinky]

If you could do some sort of pathfinding logic to determine whether or not the level is traversable (from where the character currently is, so that previous level bits aren't included), then what would be nice is a countdown timer for the level builder guy such that if they fail to make it completable within a certain time, then they lose.

This would put the burden on the player rather than having to write artificial rules about what you can place where.

It would also give the guy building the level a bit of breathing room to build up traps without having to give him an artificial block of time at the start where the other guy can't move - otherwise the best strategy for the other player would be to immediately peg it as fast as possible through the level. Build an impassable wall, quickly set up traps, knock down the wall before your timer runs out, etc.

Cool idea, good luck