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[cganya]

I like the sound of this game already actually. I hope that the alternate paths + moral choices are not too blatant and black and white.

If you build it, they will come (i mean with the art. build the game and story, get the word out and get some artists interested in producing some "art" for you.)

or you know, go the hard way and put together a cash reward for the art work.

[Shades]

For most of the people on this forum you'll find artwork isn't the main factor, however if your selling on steam a lot of people will just skip over the game unless it catches their eye (its not like there isn't many). The exception to this is when word of mouth sells the game rather than random people buying it but that is a risky thing to aim for

As with my thoughts on the game I don't really know what to say, I'm sure your ideas are much more detailed that what you described, they always are I find, however there is nothing that really grabs me in what you posted so far and the post is fairly vague. It's a platformer in the style of exploring mind scape levels. A good story is a plus of course and it sounds like you have some ideas for the story line. For a lot of people story will sell a game, but for me gameplay trumps it so that all depends on what you end up with.

I look forward to you posting a demo of some kind we can try, hopefully we'll have better feedback for you then. As an aside if it's at the normal $10 indie game price there is a good chance I'll buy it even if it's only vaguely interesting.

[magikarcher]

Thanks for all the advice everyone. We are already working on the programming, and me and two others are trying to find an art style that works. We hope to have an early Alpha version out by June or July.

[Nivim]

We have some really good programmers, and the engine is already really good. The worst part is likely to be the art unfortunately.

We are already working on the programming, and me and two others are trying to find an art style that works. We hope to have an early Alpha version out by June or July.

Spoiler: You can read this like nitpicking, although it isn't intended that way. (click to show/hide)

You made three mistakes here as the official community speaker of your unofficial team team. First, you implied something that isn't true, even if your statement was vague enough to be defended later; people often as not remember the implication rather than the exact quotation (or worse, trust it unreasonably), and in this case those people would be disappointed. Second, you gave a specific time that the alpha will be out by: this means people who care will inevitably reach a time when they feel you have failed to deliver as stated, and thus cheated; you don't have the advantage of your own reputation to protect (from people who care, which there are luckily few); remember that good programming development, or any project, always takes longer than you expect, even if you try to expect it; if you do crunch it down to the time you gave earlier, you'll just end up making a poor and partial game. Third, when you start a thread about your game, you don't post your idea to "gauge the popularity of ideas with different groups", you post it to spark entirely new cool ideas then include them in your game. Perhaps you can lie here and said you were planning on using those ideas the whole time, but don't worry about plagiarizing very general ideas; it's unavoidable. "Every game's a sequel. Influence is bliss."

[cganya]

We have some really good programmers, and the engine is already really good. The worst part is likely to be the art unfortunately.

We are already working on the programming, and me and two others are trying to find an art style that works. We hope to have an early Alpha version out by June or July.

Spoiler: You can read this like nitpicking, although it isn't intended that way. (click to show/hide)

You made three mistakes here as the official community speaker of your unofficial team team. First, you implied something that isn't true, even if your statement was vague enough to be defended later; people often as not remember the implication rather than the exact quotation (or worse, trust it unreasonably), and in this case those people would be disappointed. Second, you gave a specific time that the alpha will be out by: this means people who care will inevitably reach a time when they feel you have failed to deliver as stated, and thus cheated; you don't have the advantage of your own reputation to protect (from people who care, which there are luckily few); remember that good programming development, or any project, always takes longer than you expect, even if you try to expect it; if you do crunch it down to the time you gave earlier, you'll just end up making a poor and partial game. Third, when you start a thread about your game, you don't post your idea to "gauge the popularity of ideas with different groups", you post it to spark entirely new cool ideas then include them in your game. Perhaps you can lie here and said you were planning on using those ideas the whole time, but don't worry about plagiarizing very general ideas; it's unavoidable. "Every game's a sequel. Influence is bliss."

I agree with a some of what magikarcher said. never tell people when the alpha is supposed to come out, its too easy for delays to pop up on their own without having to jinx it. its great if it comes out on time, dont get me wrong, but putting a release date on something causes it to get rushed.

I liked your idea that you shared with us about the killer shadows, its an interesting game mechanic that we (at least I) dont see enough of. but again magikacher is right in saying that you should not post your ideas to get our approval. you should think your ideas are awesome and post them to see if we think they are awesome too. if we think they are awesome, we'll generate our own interest, if we dont then we'll generate criticism which you can use to decide if there are some changes you should make. Honestly the way I feel is that if it's something you as a gamer, a consumer, would want to play, then its probably not bad.

edit: oops, meant Nivm instead of magikarcher, read the quote tags wrong ^.^;

[Nivim]

 You quote my post but only mention his name...

[GamerKnight]

Maybe you should add some kind of moral choice in this dream world, that makes it harder or easier. Just throwing an idea out there.

[Draco18s]

Maybe you should add some kind of moral choice in this dream world, that makes it harder or easier. Just throwing an idea out there.

If you do, I would put it along the axis of "Sane / Insane."

There's no right or wrong in a dream.  But sanity still exists.

[Nivim]

 Heh, sanity. Problem is that isn't a measure of your success or failure either, and it implies only two kinds of choices throughout the game...if there were such choices and I played the game, I would probably choose insanity every time since it's just more interesting. Instead, I think you should have it set up with three or six axis: sanity↔insanity, moral↔immoral, balanced↔unbalanced (you can be insane and balanced[otherwise know as "at one with yourself"], and you can be sane and imbalanced [people wont think to lock you up anywhere, but you'll be discontent and miserable most of the time, regardless of circumstances]), reckless↔stagnant (the ideal here would be in the middle, but most Heroes are on the reckless side), and change↔solidity (also best at middle ground, this would less be "how much have you changed" and more "will you live the rest your life ever changing or will you live it one certain way?"). You could also use the Brigg's-Meyer's personality test throughout the game. That actually makes sense.
 Five axis would mean 243 major possibilities for the person's personality, which sadly, sounds outside of your manpower or time to write. Would be correspondingly awesome though, and if you didn't do it in a lazy fashion you could safely advertise that many endings, and what would have been a 4-7 hour game would be a 120-160 hour game (for completionists, anyway).
 I have a feeling that the ending (wake up) for insane, immoral, unbalanced, reckless, and solid would be one of the most popular to unlock. As would the winning combination of insane, moral, balanced, slightly reckless (middle of axis), and slightly changing (ditto).

[Neonivek]

Though don't listen to me...

The thing about Moral choices in videogames is generally speaking they are between Saint and Satan.

It would be interesting if there was a game where you have to make tough moral decisions and there are concequences. You kill a man to save a family and just through how it is shown you go "Why?" with an empty feeling inside until you are shown the family happy beside the empty tombstone.

Why should you ignore what I just said? because Gamers hate concequences.

[Shades]

because Gamers hate concequences.

I don't think this is true, I think it's more people hate those silly good/evil axis type things. If they could stumble across the real consequences of their actions rather than gain 4 evil points had people having response thresholds then I think it would be more interesting.

Edit: After thinking about it everything in a game than makes it more than a random dice roll is a choice and consequence, and as randomness is the bane of gamers it follows that consequence is the goal. Although you were talking about moral choice and moral consequences, in which case we can side step this edit.

[TolyK]

Be sure to not include vague descriptions like "good" and "evil". Also a good plot line is VERY important for a game like this IMO. be sure to be concrete and immerse the user in the story line.

***
woah. I just realized that I wanted to post basically this kind of a thread, except that the game is MUCH different. I guess I better do that soon or I'll forget 

[Neonivek]

because Gamers hate concequences.

I don't think this is true, I think it's more people hate those silly good/evil axis type things. If they could stumble across the real consequences of their actions rather than gain 4 evil points had people having response thresholds then I think it would be more interesting.

Edit: After thinking about it everything in a game than makes it more than a random dice roll is a choice and consequence, and as randomness is the bane of gamers it follows that consequence is the goal. Although you were talking about moral choice and moral consequences, in which case we can side step this edit.

To me it shouldn't even be between good and evil for the most part.

Because evil doesn't make any sense.

Greedyness to some extent does, but honestly playing a psychopath is something else entirely.

It should be about two different axis (or more) of good. Your a character trying to achieve a just a noble goal, what will do you to achieve it?

[Shades]

It should be about two different axis (or more) of good. Your a character trying to achieve a just a noble goal, what will do you to achieve it?

I don't think it should be axis based at all, they are fairly meaning less and result in unrelated actions affecting the general opinion of npcs.

[MrWiggles]

The moral choice thing doesn't excite me at all.

As they are either so extreme, that there is little debate for which direction the player can go into that is often decided for them with the consequence they're after. This makes the 'choice' to me, rather pointless.

Or, they're so bland and gutless, that it again doesn't matter what you choice because there isn't much difference.

I often find this compounded that games never have a strong definition of moral or ethic, or present it well to the player. So, you're stuck with this quasi in between land of modern morals and the IC morals of the fictional place.

So, that game play feature leaves me weather unexcited, about it.

I'm all for a Multiple Path with Difference things happening thing, but that baggage of "MORAL" choice, just kills it for me.