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[One of the Beatles]

So...
I had this idea of a game in my head for a few days and I thought I should try doing a mockup, but I never pixelated in my life...
Still, I decided to try. I used MSpaint to do those:




[What site is good for hosting images? I used ImageShack, since I don't know any other.]

The graphics are still pretty much placeholders. The grass in the first is awful, and I think I did a better job grass-wise in the second one. Also, the flame is going in the wrong direction in the first one.

Oh, and the game would be about this guy whose head is on fire (his name was 'Super Flaming Guy', but that's a bit lame, so I don't really know his name yet), but that doesn't really harm him.
You'd have to keep the flame alive, and maybe kill enemies, dunno yet. The flame would get smaller and smaller naturally, and maybe there'd be wind in some levels, dunno. You could restore it by getting those red and yellow squares, or by standing near a tree, where you'd be protected from the wind and the flame would feed on the leaves and wood.

It's still only an idea, and I'd like some feedback. I've never really done any games but some in RPGMaker, which don't really count, especially because they sucked.

[Hempuli‽]

The idea sounds cool, but I'd say not to make this like an ordinary platformer, with all those collectables, it would be a waste of the nice theme. Instead, how about you must find open fires to recover your head fire? Or maybe you should burn some trees to recover your head-flame? Or you should avoid oil, because it would burn your body, too?

[Renton]

Hmm. Are you Ringo? I doubt McCartney would make games.

[One of the Beatles]

I just put the collectibles there so it wouldn't be so empty. Yeah, I had thought about burning trees, and I really like the oil idea. I had also thought of enemies that shot waters or sprinkles and whatnot.
All the graphics are still subject to change. The health meter is probably gonna be just one bar, since there's only one needed (health/fire): when the fire dies you die too... Unless there's going to be some kinda energy/mana thing but... meh.

Actually Ringo and McCartney are contributing on the upcoming Beatles videogame:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2008/oct/31/beatles-videogame-rock-band

[Nod]

First, I'd say the health bar could also be a mana bar, at the cost of some health Fire-Headed Man can shoot a fireball, taking out anything in front of him.

Second! I like the simple, abstract design of the character, I think if the rest of his world were that simple it could look really iconic. Imagine the design of the game as a mix of cave painting, celtic carvings and aztec art. Really mythic and ancient looking.

Riffing off that, I think it should have a little story too, it'll bond it all togethor, like: The Evil Sea God stole the Fire God's Divine Crown as he slept, making him mortal. However, even as a mortal, he has mastery over flames, now he must travel to the Mountain of the Gods and take back his Crown!

Or something.

[medieval]

I agree, the abstractness of the character is pretty cool. If you want to go with that though, you should probably make the environment abstract as well.

[Maisnon!]

He and straw girl will never live a happy life together 

[pen]

He and straw girl will never live a happy life together 

Stay out of the firestorm and don't associate with fire elementals?

[Nitro Crate]

I think it'd make more sense for oil to be more of a powerup. FULL BODY OF FLAMES CHARGEE!!

[andy wolff]

I like the way this looks, and I'm interested in seeing where you go with it

good luck

[One of the Beatles]

Well, those are supposedly some areas, or the palettes used in some areas, which are still WIP: I don't like the blue or the purple in the first area but oh well. It also shows how the fire changes along with health.

The last one is not actually an area, it'll get like that when you activate the Super Duper Mega Blue Fire Buahahaha®. Probably this will happen when... something, don't know what, maybe oil, touches you. It will probably drop from somewhere. Like a crack in the ceiling.

Oh, I also thought about having geisers (spelling?) that act as fuel sources when letting steam out and may kill/damage you when they shoot water out. Like, they'd be timed.

The environment is pretty abstract, no? The tree is the only non-abstract thing in my opinion.

Guess that's it for now.

EDIT: I thought about open fires and it may be a good idea. They could be chackpoints too, no?
Also, about fireball shooting: I had thought of this when I first had this idea, but I don't know if there are going to be enemies...

[Hideous]

it's like a charmander-head!

[SkyBox]

I can't wait to see that fire animated.

Can the character throw its head? Does its eye do anything?

[Inanimate]

I think the absence of enemies may make it funner, actually.

[null & void]

I think by abstract they meant a sort of tribal stylization -- like Okami with Australian aboriginal art, Native American art and French cave paintings instead of watercolor wall scrolls. Your character has that sort of twisted, disproportionate look. The levels are more like the SMS/GG versions of Sonic the Hedgehog.

Suggestions: flat colors, freehand geometrical shapes, simple one-pixel-width two-tone shading, more stylistic fire. See how that looks, because thats what I think the people who are asking for "abstract" level art want to see.

[One of the Beatles]

Oh god.  Well, i'm not actually a pixel artist, so I have no idea of how to make it more like this or that. I mean, these mockups were my first attempt at pixeling... but anyway...

this is a quickie I did today:


shrubs so you can replenish your fire. this is probably gonna be the first area since there'll be lots o' plants, maybe it's gonna be the tutorial area or something.

If you could demonstrate on how to make it more abstract or indigenous or cave-painting-like etc it would be great.

[Gainsworthy]

YOU STOLE MY IDEA. I DON'T EVEN KNOW YOU, AND I HADN'T ANNOUNCED IT YET, BUT YOU STOLE IT ANYWAY! 

Unless... you ARE me. When I sleep. Good God.

And by this, I mean I too am making a lo-fi fire-person platformer. And this looks pretty sweet! I dig the pixels - minimal is sweet. Good lucks!

[One of the Beatles]

Well, I am known for my telepathic powers. No, really. You know what they say, great minds think alike, eh?

Umm, well, maybe we could work togheter? Are you a programmer? Or not?
Aaaanyway, I don't think this is going to go anywhere, since I lack the time and art/programming skills.

You can do yours, I'm too overwhelmed by studies. 

[Nod]

Hey One of the Beatles!
Here is a little concept art for your game (even if you don't make it  )

[One of the Beatles]

That is ace, Nod!
Even though it's totally not what I was going for  .

I was really excited 'bout making this game, but I'm in a bit of a mess now, and i kinda ran out of excitement. So...