Gameplay brainstorming

[aiaf]

Lets come out with some ideas.

Discuss and make some tests.

[mdgunn]

As you've identified with this post I think it will actually be almost impossible to move forwards in a sensible way until we have some ideas on the table.   It could be people are reluctant to put forward their own view and are happy for others to take the lead.  Maybe.

Personally I'm all for using existing games and game mechanics in our own or some variation.  I think if people could supply 1 or 2 things from existing games and stating which game then this would be a good start. 

First person to say Skyrim DIES!

The suggestion should be a game MECHANIC.  By which it should demonstrate a direct impact on gameplay and it's increasing it's fun/engagement not some general overarching game system such as a skill tree. 

Whilst any suggestion would be welcome personally I'd be happiest to see suggestions that the nominators things they could deliver themselves or is pretty confident a team member could.

Ideally the nominator would be confident they could deliver a prototype version of that feature in a week or less (not final, prototype).  I'm not saying it HAS to be this way but at the end of the day someone has to code it or it doesn't exist and there is no game.  That's the reality. 

In general I think a good example would be the sort of simplistic mechanics seen in a game such as ICO.  Fighting simplistic simple enemies, box puzzles, torch puzzles etc.  Some might find this very dated and boring, but again I say.....we have to implement what we suggest, keep it simple. I strongly reckon we could bring some of the mechanics of ICO in a limited form of a few small levels and have something half decent.

 

[mdgunn]

Just to be clear I would see these as just ideas not commitments.  Things people themselves would like to see in a game.  Could be from another mainstream game or could be from a demo project you've prototyped in the past. It wouldn't mean we do all of them but currently I feel that it's difficult to begin any prototyping of game mechanics till we have some ideas of what people might want to see in place. And I mean gameplay mechanics not overarching gameplay systems.  It might seem weird to do this when we don't know the game story is but I suggest it might be better to drive out a story when we have some idea what we might want to do mechanically in the game.  If the game is mechanically boring then I don't think it matters what the story is but you CAN have an interesting game with almost, or actually, no story.

 

[aiaf]

Like the idea that everyone try implement some small game mechanic.

Will make us advance with the game one way or another..

Let's give this a try.

[mdgunn]

For now I think we may be able to hold of on actual implementation and focus on nomination. We just need a list of small things that people think might be interesting in a game.

NOTE: For multiple suggestions the mechanics/features they don't have to be something that would work all together in the same game.  Could be suggestions based in completely different genres. They might be crazy suggestions too. Doesn't matter that much, just needs to be borne in mind that they may not make final cut if they are not practical but better to have the suggestion there and assess it than nothing there at all.  In the end we would likely select a small set to implement from the larger set.

I also think that we would not have to stick with them through development.  We only prototype the feature (after selection) and if it isn't adding to gameplay or conflicts with something else it gets de-emphasised or deleted and we move on with something else.

If we don't get too far with this I could brain storm some mechanics/features and we vote on them.

[aiaf]

1.Mines/artifacts approach the island from random direction, shot them down with spells don't let them touch down on island

2.Mine for crystals on island, crystals used as resources to cast spells

3.Teleport spell, put a beacon on island, can teleport to it at any time, it gets destroyed in the process 

[aiaf]

4.Spell mechanics, no mana, to cast a spell you need to put some crystals on the ground (throw with physics? ) in a certain area, spell is cast crystals are consumed and dissappear

5.Guardian shield, shield island from attacks a certain period of time

6.Text mode exploration, guardian cannot move, send a drone inside a dungeon, can control it by commands (move, turn, look), just a text interface for this no fancy graphics, like old adventure games.Use this to explore gather crystals or whatever else

7.Gates to travel from island to island.

Guardian cannot travel alone to next island, he construct a gate on current island and send a drone that will construct a gate on the next island.Then a portal is open, when guardian pass both gates are destroyed.Can create multiple links like this to travel.

[aiaf]

8.Every spell cast telleports you randomly on island.Could be intreasting.

9.When enough mines/artifacts hit the island the island is destroyed. But you could move to other island with mechanic above.Game over if you are on the island that was destroyed 

10.Guardian cannot cast spells, but there are some magic towers on the island you enter it and can cast spells

[aiaf]

anyone else can nominate some mechanics ?

[mdgunn]

Good job with the suggestions.  They seem focused and practical.   I will to generate some as well.

[Thirsty Panther]

Guardian kills enemies with magic fireballs. Enemy spawns random items such as mana ( for spells) health potions and crystals. Collect 10 crystals and a portal opens to the next Island or to a hub where the player can choose which island to explore next.

[mdgunn]

Some of these are very basic but used sparingly give some option for some variety.

- Move statues/blocks onto pressure plates.
- Climb cliffs/walls to reach new area or push down puzzle elements (exploring environment in detail to find puzzle solution).
- Companion can retrieve some types of items that you cannot but can't just fetch anything so can't just make all puzzles easy. For example can only fetch metal items and would be usually placed on purpose in areas you can't reach so you can understand the solution from existing knowledge of this common solution.
- Move blocks around floor which blocks in certain directions so correct solution is not obvious straight away.
- Use flooding mechanics to raise lower water level and make puzzle solution possible.
- Puzzle elements may float and provide floating platforms to reach other areas.
- Light torches before the lit ones go out (timer puzzle).
- Stop timed elements by using freeze spell but only one spell at a time for multiple elements (see God of War).
- Companion can assist in battle but only if you defend it.
- Companion (and you?) have switchable defense/attack mechanics that make more sense in certain situation.
- Enemies are succeptable to different damage.
- Enemy knowledge gained through scan by companion but is lengthy procedure so must be defended during battle (may accumulate over fights).
- Later similar enemy types have additional strengths which must be scanned know what needs to be equipped to counter. 
- Enemies may have a behaviour phases where they suddenly gang up
- May be phase in which companion drone/orb attacked specifically and must be defended from gang attack.
- Charge up companion with major attack to make special enemies normally invulnerable vulnerable to attack.
  
For puzzles which may be subject to physics (if the physics is not faked) we may need mechanism to reset items to start location.
 

[aiaf]

now how we decide what to do ?

[mdgunn]

I will have a think and get back in a bit, think I can see a few common things.

[mdgunn]

There seem to be roughly 3 things coming up 
1) Fighting enemies (aiaf/mdgunn/thirsty panther)
2) Environmental puzzle mechanics (mdgunn)
3) Environmental management mechanics related to attack defense of island resources or player position/situation (aiaf).

I will put some another update (maybe few mins) with some issues that I can put on the BB issue list. I will start with Enemy Fighting first as this has been a common theme now and earlier but the other items are also interesting to begin considering which may help build a world and backstory beyond 'kill all enemies'.

[mdgunn]

Suggested New Enemy Fighting Tasks

Though the following suggestions revolve around robots and therefore  sci-fi I see these as potentially completely temporary if we want.  In general I think we can move faster with hard surface modelling (like robots) then organic enemies. Maybe in a secondary phase or if others wish to pick up we can do a second organic set which may take longer. If people want to do organic now then fine too.

1. Model Hoverbot Enemy Model that can carry 3 different weapons or have 3 different variants (sword/gun/missile launcher). This can be used to test melee combat, gun and area effect damage.
2. 3D models of Sword, Gun, Missile Luncher for enemy (or player?)
3. Implement melee attack of player on enemy with enemy damage.
4. Implement gun attack of player on enemy with enemy damage.
5. Implement missile attack of player on enemy with enemy damage.
6. Implement melee, gun and missile attacks by enemy on player.
7. Create health and mana models.
8. Homing missile super basic model and script. 
9. Fireball missile based on basic homing missile may be mostly the look of the thing if the homing missile and area damage provide the mechanics.
10. Implement energy on player controller. current and max limit. 
11. Random energy and health spawns of relevant models off dead enemies.
12. Simple Arena level (indoor or out) with obstacles and some height changes that would be suitable for TP controller primarily and works with FPS too.
13. Implement first basic goal condition. 10 enemies killed. Simple counter like health on TPS and/or FPS controller.  May need to be more complex later.

I think I may also do some additions to the brush kit  for some arena or outdoor brushes.

I think I can bash out some quick models for he modelling tasks listed to get us started. As I don't intend to spend long on that I think it would be fine if others wanted to submit models for these modelling items as long as they are OK that these may all be replaced by better versions later.

Sound OK?  Let me know if anyone wants different direction if you have time and wish to apply elsewhere.

 

[mdgunn]

I have created the tasks in BB and taken most of the modelling ones but I only intend to do very basic models in most cases and then someone can take further if want, or we just get on with other tasks.

If anyone wants to do the modelling then we can discuss. It just seemed these not being there may hold things up and i think I can knock something out possibly by tomorrow for most.

 

[mdgunn]

Added another task for sound effects  to BB.  Not split it down into multiples right now but may be necessary.  I have seen there are some added already (by Thirsty Panther I think).  I have not checked if some of those cover those needed for enemy fighting so some may be catered for already and we may be able to just use some stand-ins from the FPS template at first.

I think the ones below are correct but it may depend on final mechanisms we adopt.

• Enemy idle
• Enemy searching
• Enemy engaging player

• Enemy hurt with damage

• Sword attack

• Sword ricochet
• Sword hit/wound

• Sword Drawn

• Gun shot

• Gun ricochet
• Gun hit/wound
• Gun reload

• Gun drawn

• Missile launch

• Missile ricochet
• Missile hit/wound
• Missile reload
• Missile Launcher Drawn

 

 

[aiaf]

A bit more complicated then i thought, If you guys can handle the graphics part animating character/enemy im fine with this.

Good job on putting tasks, ill look what i can take from there.

 

What im interested in long term is to have a game world reason behind all mechanic,

dont like goals to kill 10 enemies, better say enemy want to capture some artifact, enemy sent an elite squad to kill the guardian, enemy try to put a bomb on the island etc

Not just numbers.

[mdgunn]

Oh yeah 10 kill enemies is totally silly goal.   It's just a placeholder to start things going but it is a defined end point and something to start considering how we might actually support goal conditions in the game starting from this most very basic of conditions.

 

[mdgunn]

In case the post I put in Design was not seen...I added a basic arena and an enemy that can be killed. Of course don't expect it to look amazing, as can be seen from the task list, getting something apparently simple like an AI enemy complete with FX and bone animation is significant work. 

Everything is just using the standard scripts for Monster_AI and FPS_Gun for now.  Enemy can do idle, chase, attack and die.  Currently the attack is a melee attack on player which seems odd for a tank thing but as it's not that important for now as it is just a starting point.

 

 

 

[aiaf]

So this will be the like some dungeons underground in the island.

And could enter them by using island portals.

 

Hmm maybe the island is actually an ancient space ship , and this levels are the inside of the ship.

And we could call them like: Engine room, Generators, Armory etc

 

[mdgunn]

Yeah this was why I did one of the islands with a more man made looking round lobe coming out and the bits underneath.  I was thinking maybe the 'land' on top could be overgrown from decline like soil has accumulated and plants have colonised rather than a bit of actual land that for some unexplicable reason is a floating island.  The lumpy tech stuff underneath would be anti-grav generators, 'air-ship/glider' docks,  etc yeah. This would suggest any internal 'cave levels' present would likely be more decayed sci-fantasy corridor than natural rock formation I suppose, unless this same tech has been used to raise land sections into the air too.

 

 

[aiaf]

Great.And will have multiple such islands(ships).

Can you put in the map the island with the artificial structures underneath and make it final.

 

I want to take care of the portal system.

Was a bit busy , but will find some hours to work on this.

[mdgunn]

 

2 minutes ago, aiaf said:

Great.And will have multiple such islands(ships).

Can you put in the map the island with the artificial structures underneath and make it final.

 

I want to take care of the portal system.

Was a bit busy , but will find some hours to work on this.

Really want to redo at the map with structures under it.  Was really only demo quality so will look into redoing.

What would the portal system do? If it is teleporters then I have a teleporter addon I can add in as a starting point .