Bay 12 Games Forum
Finally... => Creative Projects => Topic started by: JoshuaFH on February 08, 2010, 08:32:02 pm
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Alright, so I was watching this video on Youtube:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ZfFbSVtx_c&feature=sub
and the scenery of the game gave me sudden inspiration.
A procedurally generated game where you play as a mountaineer. The goal of the game is to get to the peak of the mountain.
You start the game at the base of the moutain at a shop. You don't have currency, but instead have an 'allowance' where you can choose 2 or 3 of so many items to start your journey with.
It would be a 2D sidescroller, with your character ascending the mountain by moving to the right. Ideally, the controls would be loose and responsively, with your character moving with alot of pep and speed... if that makes any sense. It wouldn't be a slow drudge, is what I'm trying to get at, and your character would move at the pace of an action character.
The game would start very tame, with you moving through the relatively flat forest area at the base of the mountain. This area would have a nice scenic forested background.
As you make your way up the mountain, your surroundings would gradually change to become more craggy, rocky and steeper. Every now and then, you'd have an opportunity to progress up the mountain along it's side, or to go into a cave that would provide an alternate path up the mountain. All caves would be procedurally generated as well, of course.
As you get even higher, the areas would become more and more snowy and icy. The climbs would become so steep, as to become near vertical and require special items.
As you get very high, you'd encounter sherpas and their encampments. You'd be forced to sleep here for several weeks (skimmed over, of course) in order to acclimate to the thinner air (and thus avoid brain hemorrhaging). At each Sherpa encampment is another shop, and at this shop you're given another allowance to take another item.
As you get near the summit, there'd be heavy snow and winds, constantly pushing you backwards, threats of avalanches, horrible ice, slippery cliffs that need to be scaled. However, as you reach the peak, you ascend above the clouds, and at the peak you're treated to the awe-inspiring view from the top of the world, looking down on all the clouds and smaller mountains, and then the credits roll.
There would be an altimeter in the corner, to accurately show how high above sea level (or base level, whichever seems best) you are.
I don't think it'd be wise to place animals (or harmful animals, at the very least) in the game. It'd be more of a much of the player against the increasingly hostile environment. A game of exploration and danger of sorts. Ideally, it wouldn't be very long, perhaps only taking a half hour to complete, but would have replayabilty in the form of taking different items, and enjoying the different procedurally generated terrain each time through.
Your character would likely have a health bar, to show damage from falls, rolling rocks, and the like. Death would be a definite threat, inspite of being an exploration game. Also, to enforce the Sherpa encampment usage, if you tried moving ahead without acclimatizing yourself first, you'll die of brain hemorrhaging.
About the items, there could be spiked boots for traction, grappling hooks, ice axes, heavy coats and other things.
What do you guys think?
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I'm not sure how you make it tough without making it frustrating/annoying. It seems like deaths would just be bad random number rolls, though you haven't stated whether the player should have to carry food, or what types of items would be available.
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I like the general idea. However, what you describe sounds too random: Reaching the peak either can be really simple and easy or incredibly dangerous; so, lots of balancing would most likely be necessary. I am especially worried about the fact that your current iteration apparently only has one possible approach for each situation; I think just using 2D is limiting in this case, 2.5D or 3D would be better, as those could allow for multiple routes.
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it seems like you have a limited amount of food you can carry which means you only have a certain amount of time before you have to turn back. The choices you can make are a trade off between time and safety. you can take a fast route with danger of avalanches which can force backtracking (might as well have mostly soft limits) or you could choose to forgo the time expensive acclimatization and hope that you won't have blackouts
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It sounds like an interesting, but ultimately boring idea. Kinda like Oregon Trail.
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Darnit, I wish I were articulate enough to properly convey what I'm trying to get at.
I'm tempted to learn coding just so I can stop being depressed at all my ideas being impossible to bring into fruition.
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Darnit, I wish I were articulate enough to properly convey what I'm trying to get at.
I'm tempted to learn coding just so I can stop being depressed at all my ideas being impossible to bring into fruition.
Do it.
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Personally, I like the idea. I'm on my school's wireless right now, so I can't take very long, but if you're just looking to make a basic prototype of the game, your best bet might be something more like GameMaker. Easier to pick up, and if you're not planning on trying to make anything big, it should serve your purpose just fine.
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I've downloaded Python already, and I'm looking at a little tutorial for it right now:
http://www.sthurlow.com/python/
I should probably make a new thread or something, to catalogue my learning or something.
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Bay12 forums: Where if you aren't a programmer, you soon will be. :D
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You could try http://www.flixel.org (http://www.flixel.org). I know a lot people with good experience. Even John at Wolfire recommends it!
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Posting in interesting threa for followage.
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Hell, I'm going to learn Python soon.
And Java.
And whatever else.
I suppose I just want to understand the similarities,
and familiarize myself with more syntax.
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A good procedurally generated game is always enjoyable, for me at least.
I would be interested in partaking in the programming for this, not like I'm in a programming career as of yet but I am decently knowledgeable in a few languages.
FreeBASIC, Java, C++, Visual Basic.
FreeBASIC is the dominant.
I really like the idea of the map generation, and if it was kept simple it would be cool. Add it takes more effort, more chance of failing, more chance that less people will take to it.
Ever see those other indie games out there that win awards? A lot of them are just simple concepts that are well made.
Anyways, I'm not an artists but I'll add whatever I can to this.
Also looks like the other thread you have going is taking over, didn't read all of it but good luck to you.