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[The Torn]

The more detective-y ideas above are intriguing. Reckon a sort-of "hunt the criminal" game would work well in DF?

In DF, entirely likely. In whatever I'm doing, probably not.
I'm a little skeptical about the whole "DF-themed, but with nothing that makes DF what it is" gameplay we seem to be talking here. Like, literally all the fun in DF comes from things not behaving exactly as we want them to. By making a game that's pre-coded scenarios, it's no longer fun to see any havoc unfold, because there was no chain of naturally occurring events to trigger it. (And recreating this in even fractions would probably still require implementing way too much stuff.)

It's only the second day of me trying to get this thing running, and maybe I'm approaching this from the wrong angle. Not too late to start over.
Why don't we make this collective game development stuff less development, more game, eh?
I'll present you with a mostly linear set of questions or problems that need answering or solving in a semi-stoyesque manner, and we'll progress based on that, how's it sound?
(Also, anyone know a easy-to-use image hosting site if I want to add like a bunch of pictures to this entire thing.)

So, you decide to start making a game. You open up Unity, type in some placeholder name for the project, and...

Should you go for a 2D or 3D game?

And to speed things along for the near future... Will we be controlling our own character, or will we have direct control over more things?

[Neonivek]

Glad I decided to wait for a few more answers.

Thanks

But what we have here right now is known in some circles as a "Point and Click Adventure Game"

[The Torn]

Glad I decided to wait for a few more answers.

Thanks

But what we have here right now is known in some circles as a "Point and Click Adventure Game"

Hey, hey, sorry. I honestly liked your idea.
But what do you mean by "what we have here right now"? Like, the change in how I want ideas from you all? Or the ideas the others were suggesting previously? Because for the latter, I think the style was vague enough that everyone understood it slightly differently.
Which is why I honestly think this format is better for everyone involved. Sure, without proper planning ahead, we'd be going a pretty windy road to the finish line, but it's the journey, not the destination that's important right now.

[NJW2000]

2D would be easier, I'm guessing. It would thus let one do more?

But Unity is meant to be good for 3D, iirc.

Even so, unless it's 3D physics-based, or all about graphics, I'd go for 2D.

[Araph]

I'm a little skeptical about the whole "DF-themed, but with nothing that makes DF what it is" gameplay we seem to be talking here.

The thing is, we're not making DF - we're making a game set in a DF fortress. Think of it like a suggestion adventure set in a Dwarf Fortress world: Elves of Amanereli was linear and an entirely different genre, but it was still definitely Dwarf Fortress-based.

Should you go for a 2D or 3D game?

3D all the way, although I may be slightly biased in favor of 3D game development from past experience.

[The Torn]

Think of it like a suggestion adventure set in a Dwarf Fortress world: Elves of Amanereli was linear and an entirely different genre, but it was still definitely Dwarf Fortress-based.

Well, yes, but that was a story, not a game?

2D would be easier, I'm guessing. It would thus let one do more?

Unless it's 3D physics-based, or all about graphics, I'd go for 2D.

Well, I'm aiming for learning, so speed is not at all an issue. And besides, I can't make good graphics either way.
As for whether it's physics-based, who knows!? Don't take it so seriously with all the for-and-against arguments. Let's just see where this train leads us, and take your part in guiding it if you want.

You decide in favor of a 3D game, and Unity's main screen pops into view. It's rather empty with only a camera and a light source, so the question goes through your head again:
Will we be controlling our own character, or will we have direct control over more things?
In either case, What's the first thing to add to this new and empty realm?

[Araph]

Well, yes, but that was a story, not a game?

Games are stories in another medium. They just have gameplay too. =P

[NJW2000]

Controlling many things?

Partly because FP stuff never seldom seems to go that well without large resources. Also, more fun to be had controlling lots of stuff.

[Orange Wizard]

We can control anything, including core game mechanics.

[crazyabe]

PTW

[NJW2000]

We can control anything, including core game mechanics.

So sandboxy? Ish? Interesting.

[The Torn]

We can control anything, including core game mechanics.

For a fraction of a second, it all becomes clear. You should make a game, about making a game, about making a game, about making a... but then a metaphorical heavy object strikes you in the head, and the idea no longer seems as good. Besides, altering code mid-run is pretty sci-fi stuff.

Controlling many things.

And so you forsake the idea of adding in the player character as the first thing, because, well, there shall be no player character!
While that's great and all, you can't quite get over the feeling that amidst these decisions, you're not getting anywhere. The world is still empty, and while you got a few ideas on what you're not going to put in it, you still don't know what are you going to add in the world first?
What will be that which you, as the player, assert your control upon?

[crazyabe]

My Suggestion would be A Single Dwarf of indeterminate gender with the name of Urist.

[Orange Wizard]

We need to add something to stand on first. I suggest we add a floor.

[NJW2000]

Respectively:

A rather large sphere

Fragments of genetic code lying about?