OK... long, long story short, I've got a great game, with great engine and a MMORPG-level addiction factor. I've probably mentioned it a few hundred times over the years.
Now I've solved the unbalanced engine problem and the whole gameplay runs better than I ever hoped for, and I have a game that's sure to be a hit game if sold on terms of gameplay.
Except for one problem... it's too damn violent. The game is basically about two people who fight in an arena. 90% of the fun comes from being able to trick your enemy into lowering his defenses, while you slice his head off. Winning requires a lot of violence. It's bad enough in text-based mode, horrifying if I decide to make it animated.
It's OK for a freeware game... but for something with huge commercial potential... well, any tips?
Disclaimer: Any sarcasm in my posts will not be mentioned as that would ruin the purpose. It is assumed that the reader is intelligent enough to tell the difference between what is sarcasm and what is not.
Ahh you can just say "15+" or whatever... I mean these days no one really gives a crap about age restrictions etc. anyway. Unless it haunts you that 9 year olds will probably be playing your game I wouldn't really fret too much?
You could always make two versions... "Uncut" + "Cut" version or whatever I'm not sure which would describe the safer one! hehe. Or you could take some of the violence out if it really bothers you, but that's a last resort really imo.
If I were you, I'd make some sort of 'parental control' thing that would let people disable violent special effects. Ditching the violence alltogether would just put off people who like violent games. It's not a good idea to limit your target audience like that.
One way to make is less violent is to make it more violent. For example, make it so damn bloody and gory that it is over the top and cartoony, thus making the tone less dark and less disturbing.
Hmm... I wrote a long post, disputing all that stuff.. but then the computer died.
But thinking back... that VR idea isn't bad. It'll require a lot of tuning down, but I'll still get to keep the gameplay AND have an excuse for it not being too realistic. Sometimes you need a game inside a game to remind everyone that it's just a game..
Disclaimer: Any sarcasm in my posts will not be mentioned as that would ruin the purpose. It is assumed that the reader is intelligent enough to tell the difference between what is sarcasm and what is not.
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I'm not sure which would describe the safer one! hehe. Or you could take some of the violence out if it really bothers you, but that's a last resort really imo.
