Game Concept?

[Bcadren]

Not sure if this is the right place to post this, there really is no specific place for fan GAME work; just fiction, art and "productions" and I'm guessing though this is in the concept phase at this time; it'd still most adequately fit in "productions".

First off, a bit of an introduction. For class I have to create a game that is about some part of gaming culture; a game about games. The work we reviewed as a sort of thought template was "The Stanley Parable". I wrote up my design and as I finished the base concept statement; I realized that (1) I was HEAVILY influenced by a particular episode of Voyager "Flesh and Blood" and (2) I'd prefer to use the Star Trek universe over original works. Here looking for assistance in fleshing out the writing of the small game project and for advice as to if using the universe is advisable for the project.

The simple concept is this:
The player character is a young Ensign. Plot starts in a battle simulation on a Holodeck, which is basically a game within a game. The player character considers this game to be lighthearted fun and laughs it off. Shortly after, the young officer is forced into actual battle during an away mission and has psychological issues with killing real intelligent beings. The basic theme here being a game about the difference between real killing and simulated killing and the psychological pain it causes someone to kill intelligent people. The overall idea being to show the difference between video game violence and the real thing.

Intended playthrough length of around 40 mins to two hours. It's a concept for a class project at this point and not a developed one at that. Thoughts?

 

[Barbreader]

I don't know if this will be helpful, I'm not a 'games' person:

Star Trek Games overviews:

http://twelvedays2009.blogspot.com/2010/01/day-9-star-trek-gaming.html#more
http://www.firingsquad.com/features/best_star_trek_games/
http://www.hailingfrequency.com/index.php
http://startrekreviewed.blogspot.com/2009/06/246.html

 

[Maurice]

As a professional video game developer, right off I can tell you you're making fundamental mistake: you're thinking about the story and not the actual play. "What's the interaction? What do you do? What are the objectives, win and lose conditions?" Those are what you need for a game. The story is merely the setting. You need the gameplay to be compelling. The story and setting is frosting. You need the cake.

 

[Bcadren]

As a professional video game developer, right off I can tell you you're making fundamental mistake: you're thinking about the story and not the actual play. "What's the interaction? What do you do? What are the objectives, win and lose conditions?" Those are what you need for a game. The story is merely the setting. You need the gameplay to be compelling. The story and setting is frosting. You need the cake.

I'm kind of there too; senior in a four year game design program. Sorry to have not said it; but it's sort of assumed here. UDK-based class; but game as dialogue driven with the shooter core. And yes, story-focused in this case; it's kind of a reaction of the Stanley Parable which is almost all narrative. Also, I'd personally say the importance of story varies from game to game; the core game mechanics of Amnesia for example would be droll without a story; but inversely Sonic games don't need a story at all. Story/writing is at the core of this though.

 

[Maurice]

You still haven't said what kind of game it is, so it's really difficult to give you any feedback. First Person Shooter? OTS action game? Turn based? Real time? The difference between a Castle Wolfenstein and a Wolfenstein 3D is enormous, and input I'd give someone for one wouldn't be applicable to the other.

 

[Bcadren]

True FPS; though more of the game focused on the story/point than constant action. Have considered modding in some sanity effects along the lines of what Amnesia did though.

Specifically what I had in mind was. Starting immediately into action; battle simulation on a holodeck. Not necessarily informing the player that it's just simulation; just that they are in the middle of some battle. Acts as a normal FPS until either a set amount of time passes or the player "dies" in the simulation at which time the character gets called for an away mission by a superior officer. For awhile after this period, the game style switches to story driven; same first person camera style, but weapons locked out simply watching the situation unfold. He is simply to keep watch during negotiations. Something goes wrong and the negotiations turn violent and the young officer is forced into their first real combat situation. Due to being disarmed for the negotiations, he is forced into using far more visceral (and fatal) weapons than normal. He has psychological issues with using these but is forced to do so. Considering the choice of making the man under pressure a betazoid, so that part of his issue with killing is understanding the memories and the pain of those he ends up forced to strike out at (alternatively simply imagining such as a human may be more relate able to the player). The battle plays out and he returns to the ship; closing dialogue involves him working out mental issues he got from those actions with the ship's councilor. Again, main theme is the contrast between simulated violence and the real thing.

 

[kev11106]

Possible to have the character slow down in real combat to show his subconscious unwillingness to killing?

 

[Bcadren]

Possible to have the character slow down in real combat to show his subconscious unwillingness to killing?

Probably...time-scaling may be easier than slowing JUST the character down though. [In other words EVERYTHING becoming slow motion.