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[JoshuaFH]

Quickly brainstormed suggestions:

• Firstly, I don't really see that knife there. With the infinite ammo and - if you've seen some of the most action-packed western movies - action-y reloading of the revolver, what would be the use for the knife, except for the uber-damage. I imagine the Halo scheme here, and in the kind of game you're talking about, that button for quick melee should already be occupied.
• Secondly, I don't think you should throw in a suggestion of multiple types of Warlocks and their disguises in such an off-hand way. How, all the description before that was implying the close resemblance to SotC, and bah, there are more types, and they are not monstrosities at all! That's either really unbalanced, or misleading. Maybe, if there are a lot of NPCs (steam-armada, various drivers, city inhabitants) and enemies are a hodgepodge of elements and races, then it's not so similar to SotC?

* to be considered completely as well-wishing suggestions.

Yeah, these need addressing. For the dagger, ideally, it wouldn't be 'uber damage' in the same way that physical attacks in Halo are, but it would allow you to deal damage quickly in the hands of a skilled player, more like an RE4 professional. The dagger, as I mentioned, has the duel purpose of being able to defend and parry attacks, which would be necessary against foes that attack so relentlessly that stopping to reload a gun is hazardous. Also, I think it would be prudent to include enemies which are naturally resistant or immune to gunfire for reasons like forcefields, or just being fast enough to knock the bullets out of the air Afro Samurai-style, thus necessitating the dagger's use.

For the second bit, this is more of a problem with my lack of a suitable diction. When I say "Monstrosities", I'm using it as a general term for the magical vessels which the Warlocks use. I was tempted to refer to them as creatures, but that's inaccurate as they're not living. I was tempted to call them monstrous vessels, but that's misleading. I thought of calling them magic robots, but that's just misleading as well. I thought of golems, but they're not all giant stone creatures, and golem evokes the image of big stone people, which only one is. I was tempted to call them colossi, but I can't reasonably draw parallels between them and my imagined creatures and expect people to understand what I'm talking about when I deviate from that. I settled on using the word "Monstrosity" as a means to conveying the game's general tone towards them, that they're thinks that a definitely unnatural, horrifying, and destructive. While SotC is an inspiration, it's not the only thing that's fueled my imagination to make this idea is what I'm trying to get at.

With that said, I think it should also be noted that when I say "Warlock", I'm also using that as a general term for these magical people. They're not big wizardy-looking Gandalf people, but immortal humans that have modified themselves to be better warriors.

I think the best way to let you know what I'm talking about would be to just try to lay out the progression of the game to the best of my ability, and detail the individual Warlocks and Monstrosities that they control, and their abilities/personalities.

[Supermikhail]

In that case you had better copyright your ideas, because such a detailed description of a game comes in my mind very close to a ready to use design document (you know, I'm talking about them, evil people .

I had one more point, which I forgot to address: Why is that great power in the shape of shards? I mean, what, do the Warlocks puke them out after they are defeated? You say it's in them, and, it's not like the Evil God came to them and impaled them with shards. You've said he infused them magically, while being inside the Earth, so I would imagine that that power would be more like a fluid or gas, and it would come from inside the Warlocks as globes of light, or something like that.

For the dagger, ideally, it wouldn't be 'uber damage' in the same way that physical attacks in Halo are, but it would allow you to deal damage quickly in the hands of a skilled player, more like an RE4 professional. The dagger, as I mentioned, has the duel purpose of being able to defend and parry attacks, which would be necessary against foes that attack so relentlessly that stopping to reload a gun is hazardous. Also, I think it would be prudent to include enemies which are naturally resistant or immune to gunfire for reasons like forcefields, or just being fast enough to knock the bullets out of the air Afro Samurai-style, thus necessitating the dagger's use.

So, they are fast enough, or forcefielded enough to knock bullets out of the air, yet they can't knock PC's dagger out of the air or even his hand? Am I exposed to another example of game injustice and must withdraw to my cave to rage out in silence my displeasure?
And anyway, doesn't your description look to you suspiciously like a typical QTE?

[JoshuaFH]

In that case you had better copyright your ideas, because such a detailed description of a game comes in my mind very close to a ready to use design document (you know, I'm talking about them, evil people .

But gosh, I don't know the first thing about copyright.

I had one more point, which I forgot to address: Why is that great power in the shape of shards? I mean, what, do the Warlocks puke them out after they are defeated? You say it's in them, and, it's not like the Evil God came to them and impaled them with shards. You've said he infused them magically, while being inside the Earth, so I would imagine that that power would be more like a fluid or gas, and it would come from inside the Warlocks as globes of light, or something like that.

This is actually something I like to call a 'placeholder idea', which is what explains something before I come up with an idea that actually makes sense.

I think I got something more workable within the boundaries of logic, so I guess I'll need to rewrite this part. Rewrite away!

So, they are fast enough, or forcefielded enough to knock bullets out of the air, yet they can't knock PC's dagger out of the air or even his hand? Am I exposed to another example of game injustice and must withdraw to my cave to rage out in silence my displeasure?
And anyway, doesn't your description look to you suspiciously like a typical QTE?

I guess it's unavoidable that I'll have to curb the realism such that enemies can't knock the weapon out of the protagonist's hands. To clarify though on the bolded part, he's not throwing the dagger, just swinging it. It's not like this is Gauntlet where the main character is throwing an endless supply of axes at people. But to address the one point at the very end, I can't see how it'd be a QTE (you do mean Quick time event right?), which I'd say are more like pseudo-cutscenes with timed button presses involved, which this isn't. This is more like the game trying to let the player know that the dagger has it's uses, and shouldn't be ignored.

Of course, I think it'd be best if it'd be 'possible' to do dagger-only or revolver-only runs, which are simply more difficult since you're limiting your options.

[Supermikhail]

About that dagger!
So, you're implying, that the player is going to have the reflexes as fast as the guy who can kick bullets out of the air? Because if the melee round isn't a QTE...? Or is there going to be a bullet-time button?

It seems that I still have to visit that cave...

To clarify on QTE'ness: your guy comes towards a stronger enemy, guns a-blazing but he needs to reload (button mashing), he quickly pulls out his knife, while emptying the magazine (I may be wrong with the term) with his other hand, kicks the baddie's but in a knife duel, fills the magazine and shoots the baddie's brains out.

Ehm, maybe that's not the best example I could provide.

But gosh, I don't know the first thing about copyright.

Ask Toady! ... I mean, me too.

[Osmosis Jones]

Might I suggest one thing; ditch the flotilla idea. If you want the biplane to land on water, make it a seaplane sort of thing. As it stands, you just seem to have a bunch of people following you around with little to no practical purpose. From what I can see, about the only realistic use is as a dock for your speedboat thing, which doesn't really stand out as a vital task.

Furthermore, while you and your pilot love interest are out actually fighting, these guys do nothing, which causes a bit of cognitive dissonance; you can get together the army of sailors necessary to man the thing, but you can't get even one more able bodied helper in actual combat?

[Supermikhail]

^ What's more, it reinforces the idea of a lone wanderer (or a kind of special agent against the forces of evil). And it's hard to covey the feeling of the world devastated by war with a busy flotilla behind your back.

[JoshuaFH]

Man, this just proves I REALLY need to get better at explaining things.

About that dagger!
So, you're implying, that the player is going to have the reflexes as fast as the guy who can kick bullets out of the air? Because if the melee round isn't a QTE...? Or is there going to be a bullet-time button?

It seems that I still have to visit that cave...

To clarify on QTE'ness: your guy comes towards a stronger enemy, guns a-blazing but he needs to reload (button mashing), he quickly pulls out his knife, while emptying the magazine (I may be wrong with the term) with his other hand, kicks the baddie's but in a knife duel, fills the magazine and shoots the baddie's brains out.

Ehm, maybe that's not the best example I could provide.

I suppose I can't just say "Rule of Cool" and be done with it. Tell you what though, when I'm writing up the outline for the game, I'll be putting some serious thought and explainin' into the battle system. Just for you, since you're such an inquisitive guy.

Might I suggest one thing; ditch the flotilla idea. If you want the biplane to land on water, make it a seaplane sort of thing. As it stands, you just seem to have a bunch of people following you around with little to no practical purpose. From what I can see, about the only realistic use is as a dock for your speedboat thing, which doesn't really stand out as a vital task.

Furthermore, while you and your pilot love interest are out actually fighting, these guys do nothing, which causes a bit of cognitive dissonance; you can get together the army of sailors necessary to man the thing, but you can't get even one more able bodied helper in actual combat?

This will easily be cleared up when I write up the outline. The flotilla actually DO help you. Like, just to give a little description of one of the sea-based battles:

You and flotilla head out to sea, to be caught in a terrible storm. The plane can't fly in this weather. There's a forest gump reference with one of the NPC's cussing out heaven and earth. Then, suddenly, a huge suicidal pack of sharks appears, and make huge leaps out of the water onto the boats, and start thrashing around and trying to bite people. Then a giant sea serpent appears and starts wreaking havoc. The flotilla's boats are in need of help, but still fighting off the sharks and the monstrosity with cannons and such. You have to take the hydrofoil out, evade shark attacks, fight off the ones attacking the boats, hop onto the boats and use big ol' harpoon guns (probably should've mentioned those) to lay anchors onto the monstrosity's head to lower it, and once it's lowered enough, you slam your speedboat right into it's lowered head and throw yourself onto the spot where the Warlock is. Then you do the battle there with the winds blowing, the rain pouring, lightning thundering, and all the ships thrashing to and fro.

Though, I do like how when a woman is involved, you automatically assume she's a love interest, when I never mentioned anything to that effect.

^ What's more, it reinforces the idea of a lone wanderer (or a kind of special agent against the forces of evil). And it's hard to covey the feeling of the world devastated by war with a busy flotilla behind your back.

One thing I might not have gotten across fully was that there IS human civilization all over the world. They're not warring with eachother either, that was in the backstory. The theme isn't "Lone soldier against forces of evil" then it is "You inadvertantly rally the combined forces of the world to battle the things which will destroy them otherwise".

[Supermikhail]

As a matter of visual inquiry, is this the size of the serpent, and which boat is supposed to be fighting it in the game? (Approximately)

[JoshuaFH]

Firstly: I'm astonished that someone would actually take time out of their day to hand sketch a picture for illustrative purposes for my little idea.

Secondly: The serpent is kind've in the background, but I'd suppose that's what I have in mind. Also, I suppose the big ships (They'd be big sail boats though, as opposed to destroyers) would be launching the harpoons and the little ship (the steampowered speedboat, as opposed to a cruiser) would be your ship, going between ship to ship and fighting crazy sharks, and then attacking the serpent for the final battle.

[Supermikhail]

So, I thought that this thread was withering out, and decided to bump it.


This is my idea (if I may) of the ending. The black atomic cloud is the representation and the voice of the Nether God, and the cowboy is the Cowboy, and the crystal is the Great Power incarnated. I thought, wouldn't it be cool if the Evil God spoke with atomic power (how can you get more awesome and more destructive?) + it adds a subliminal message.

[JoshuaFH]

I haven't abandoned this thread Supermikhail, I've been writing up the rest in a word processor, so that I could add the (fairly large) wall of text all at once instead of a bit at a time.

Also, looking at copyright stuff on the internet, apparently American law says that anything anyone makes is copyright the moment they make it, but you have the possibility of 'registering it' for 35$ to 50$ in order to add more legal weight to your ownership of the work. Atleast, that's how I understood it.

I like your art though, it's very simplistic and to the point.

[DennyTom]

You keep churning out really awesome game ideas.

Stop it, the rest of us look bad now.

No - stop it and make prototypes