I've noticed that there are a few game ideas which I keep coming back to, over and over again. I'll want to do it a little differently each time, but the underlying concept will still be the same. I even create little test apps for all the individual component mechanics, but somehow just never put them all together into a finsihed game.
There are some things that always pose a problem for me - graphics, online play, indecision, motivation, etc. Some problems are specific to individual games though.
What are the game ideas that you're determined to one day make, but so far haven't been able to?
And what's stopping you?
Here are some of mine:
What is it?
This is something I've wanted to make for decades - ever since I played "Sopwith" on the school computers as a kid, and thought "Wouldn't it be cool if the environment was more dynamic and tanks actually moved around and did stuff?".
You can think of it almost as a 2d version of the "Battlefield" games (which obviously didn't exist back then), viewed from a side-on perspective, with around 10-15 online players flying biplanes (like in "Sopwith") or tanks (like in "Scorched Earth" / "Worms") etc - although I've also considered alternative settings, such as the war in the Pacific in WW2, with more detailed graphics.
What's stopping me?
Online play is definitely the big issue - I don't know how to handle that many players online at once, or if it's even possible. There's also the worry that failure to attract a large enough player base would make the whole thing a waste of time (it would require a relatively large critical mass of players).
What is it?
"Critical Mass" is already a brilliant game - but it just leaves so much room for improvement. It desperately needs multiplayer, it could use better graphics, and there are a million other relatively minor fixes that would make it much, much better.
What's stopping me?
For the longest time (many attempts, spread over several years), it was the control system that caused me problems, but I did eventually figure it out. It's just the overall complexity that poses the biggest problem (along with the issues mentioned in my introduction).
What is it?
Again, this is something I keep coming back to time and again, and each time it's a little different - basically though, I want to make an "Advance Wars" clone. Maybe similar but with a few teaks (eg. elevation). Maybe more realistic and set in WW2. Maybe with collectible pokémon-like creatures. Maybe at squad-level (a bit like "X-Com").
What's stopping me?
This is a perfect example of me not being able to decide on some of the fundamental elements - there are so many different variations on the basic theme that I just can't choose. It's also going to be very heavy on graphics and animation (which I hate). Along with all the usual problems, the AI opponent would be a big issue here.
There are many other games I'd like to make too - such as a NFL football management sim that loads real player stats from the internet (in breach of various copyright laws no doubt, but still...), a squad-based rogue-like, and so on...
Actually this project i'll talk about is not abandoned but it was been "temporary stopped".
What is it?
A stealth game, like splinter cell (i'm a huge fan of all the series), but in 2d (platformer game).
A game i played was called "Sneaky Bastard" you can download it for free, but the deluxe version is on steam and isn't free.
The free version is pretty big, it's an entire game and not a demo. I wanted to do a game similar to this, without the puzzle part, with action and ennemies shooting at you etc...
What's stopping me?
- Graphics (I'm not too good as drawing)
- I have another project currently worked on (I started it with "The french guy", he made a topic one months ago about creating project with another person)
- The enemy AI (In 2d) Mostly because of the IDs, i managed to shoot some objects at the player to test if obstacles were between the enemy and the player BUT i recently (some months ago, just when i stopped working on this project) discovered your pretty good examples (The line of sight mostly, and other examples) and i think i'm able to do it right now.
- I wanted to do Dynamic light system (Like a cone object representing a light and it would stop "diffusing" light while an obstacle is in range, if you see what i mean) But i didn't find any example (oh yes, 1 actually, with blue and red lights i remember, and some baddies represented as little guys. but this example didn't worked well, even with HWA enabled)
- level design (Kinda hard actually)
- Making difficulties in the level design (Like "hard-to-reach" platforms or enemy placement)
I think that's pertty much it for the list
What is it?
A commando 2 like (with huge levels, no that linear)
By the way, commando 2 is a shoot em up game developed by miniclip.com (the levels are VERY LINEAR, left to right camera, but the game is pretty good !)
PS: if you haven't played it yet, go for it, it's awesome (my point of view ^^, i like these types of games)
What's stopping me?
- The general thing is that i have some projects working on and if i start to work on that i'll never finish the other ones.
- Graphics
- Music (even i can found creative commons or i can make myself(i'm not very good at midimaker but i posted a sample some months ago))
- I'm a little lazy because i want the game to have more than 10 weapons.
- The idea of miniclip is a huge producer of flash games and there's more than one guy programming those games, spriting, doing the background, the music, etc...., it's professionnal level, i'm just a guy who wants make flash games because it's kinda my passion, i love programming too, but i'm not a professionnal (if you see what i mean)
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Edited by Riptide