In game abilities

To create mixed game play i wanted to make the character some sort of feature that would be both a character element, gives him a reason to fight and to help fight. I created the idea that the main character would have a robotic arm, because it fits in with the story of the game and the time period and it will help with game play.

The idea is to have this as like a power up but it will only last and work for periods of times so it isn't used over the game and spoiling the shooter gameplay. I designed a couple of arms in that it allows the players/you to choose what fits your style of game play. This allows the player/you to enjoy to play the game how you prefer to play. I also which to make this arm interchangeable but only in certain parts of the game. This means that a player can't just change when they feel like it, its a choice that will change the players experience.

There are some games that have already used this idea the main one being Bionic Commando. This game used the arm as a main focus from the original 2d platform game to the latest 3d remake. The remake relied heavily with the arm mechanic as both a means of transport and weapon. The game was based around this arm being the man means of the game. This is were my idea differs. The arm is no more than a small extra ability like in Halo:reach were you can choose from shield,speed and more abilities to change up play.

These are the sketches for my robotic arm idea:

Story Idea

Carrying on from were i left off, I understand the direction of game play i wish to work on and what game type i wish to use and what will make the game. From that i can start on building on basic story concepts and narrative. After seeing that the most sold and most made first person games are based on real time war and space i will be keeping to what i know works and sells. By keeping with the mainstream but adjusting it so that its different will allow gamers not to be stepping into something new and it will hit a larger audience on the market today.

Story Concept:

In 2075 a goverment system was put in place around the world which created peace. This peace wasn't always great but it was balanced and was time went on large city's and corporations began to develop. The robot industry began to take over with bots and mechanical armoury in the world army. These corporations began to take over the government of the countrys and soon became a global power. They began to see a dislike in human error and started a war in which most low end humans died, others were pushed out and lived in wastelands outside of mayor city's with giant walls and guard towers blocking people out and not letting people excape. Freedom had been removed and perfection had been put in place by 2157.

You play as a soldier for a small underground scrap city that is outside the largest corporate city. You job was to protect the area around the city so that regular soldier and bots that hunted humans living outside the citys wouldn't discover the location and to save anyone still searching for a place to live. You and your bother step out to find a large attack on a small village outside your town and try to save the people. in doing so you get captured along side your brother and get taken into the city were you are experimented on briefly and as you lie awake you saw humans being turned into robots and humans being turned into cyborg's. After a explosion goe's off you excape with a new arm, cybernetic arm.

You witnessed the horror, and you witnessed what they did to your bother, revenge is all what is left and the only way to save human life is to stop this cybernetic take over.

Ideas for settings

damaged over grown town environment - open areas with a lot of long grass, rusted metal and destroyed objects,

future city, mixed futuristic buildings e.g. converted old buildings - in the city tall skyscrapers with very futuristic layouts and decoration. before the city smaller buildings that have been coverted into work places for hunters and robots.

Space station

Gaming Community

My favourite genre of gaming is first person shooters and my strongest point i feel i deliver is storytelling. I want to combine these to create my own game and i've seen a potential gap in the market but i don't know the opinions of the gaming community. I mentioned a link i found that showed people/you see to much linear game play in first person shooters and i agree with most first person shooters mainly use strong linear paths in games.

I asked the online forum community of TheExcapist - (website) http://www.escapistmagazine.com

This is the link to the question i posted: http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/read/9.237859-Are-FPSs-Too-Linear#8518553

What i learn from the some who replied to my post is that they are happy with linear game play because they being submerged with the gameplay without having to explore for action. I also learnt that most people think of non linear game play as a sandbox game or open world in which want to see if i can make a way of being a chooses not to be open world but not a strong linear based game. Most found that all a FPS needs is action which is given to them through linear play so that there is less effort of exploration. There is a small minority that want this level of exploration.

Im thinking that my game should be based around this issue and maybe finding a way of creating a new level style for FPS games. Also knowing how popular first person shooters have been in the last generation of gaming i'm certain that one that could challenge the current FPS's may prove very successful. This would be a Uniqe selling point of the game but also could be downfall.

Another area of FPS's i wish to explore is co-op play. Games often allow split-screen and online co-op play but there isn't anything different apart of an extra player within the game your playing. Some games allow interaction e.g. Resident Evil 5 begging able to interchange weapons and ammo. Games like Army Of Two focused of multiplayer play in co-op but this game only allows two player co-op and the co-op experience still happens in single player campaign, so there isn't any extra reason for the other player to play when a AI can do the same job.

These are the two areas i want to create a game idea around. I will have to further explore these gaming areas and keep in mind what games are similar to what i wish to create and look at how a game like this will far in the current game market.

Looking at current games

Fallout 3, RPG

Likes:

-I like how there is the choice and effect. I choose to save a village from a bomb which lead me to be in good graces with the villagers but i found out that if you didn't save them and let it explode then the bad side would give you a expensive living area. In this game it relies heavily around moral choice and reward for doing either.

- scenary is interactive, i was walking around and i saw a object on the floor and i thought it would look good in my home in the game and i was able to pick it up and walk it all the way back and place it in my home. This allowed me to then decorate and make the game space more of my own.

- Most rpg's are in 3d person to allow people to see the person you are role playing and see how you are chancing him/her and seeing them in the environment but this game as a switch that allows you to change from 3d to first person. This was very helpful for me because i have always liked first person view more because it makes me fell as if i am playing the game not controlling someone which puts me off most RPGS. dispite this the game still felt like a RPG and didn't change the game at all.

- The universe, i like how the story was very strong and through though and how there were characters that both explained the story and how your choices lead the story. In the game there was the choice of turn on a radio signal that you could then listen too over the game sounds and this radio station would often talk about what you have been doing and it would talk about things that i would later discover that was in the game. This game me a scene of area and i'm part of a working world not just a constant set of stupid AI's

- freedom to explore, half the time i spend just wandering in different directions to find new stuff that had nothing to do with the story just extra parts of the world. this was normally, empty building with enemies to defeat with collectible items at the end of the building and radio towers that would give you a morce code to work out on your own in real life not in game.

- weapon repair and up keep. you could fix your weapon as it slowly degraded due to time used and damage done to it. This allowed me to keep the weapons i liked for longer and made me more aware of what i was using.

Dislikes

- combat, i never felt that the combat was good, most times i would be shooting from a distance and i never got the urge of threat. changing weapons during battle was slow and annoying cause it would stop action dead for you to make up your mind and heal then start again. never felt like i was in a deadly serious combat.

- V.A.T.S mode is a shooting mode to precisely shoot a enemy without you having to aim. I used this as much as i could to stop me wasting ammo and wasting time on small fries which again i feel it made me miss out on the game itself.

- the shooting and melee, it never felt right, the aiming system lacked persition.

- How everything got repetitive, with areas that i would know by the building and area what enemies i would face. I would receptively spend my time searching more than anything to come across nothing or something that had been layout right of the end of the area.

Introduction to Pitching

We had a short lesson in how to prepare for a pitch and how to make a good pitch, in this session i learnt about not what i need to put in my pitch but more of how i should deliver the pitch. I think that most of what i learnt during the session were do's and don'ts for a pitch than anything else.

Dos:
-To present an idea or concept clearly to a target audience
-To outline the unique selling point of your concept.
-To outline other key points - both creative and business
-To sell your team and its creative and professional talent.
-To evidence clarity and professioniusm
-Tell it like a story get them envoled
-Start middle and a end.
-Get personal with the panel.

Dont:
-Take on board what people say and answer questions.
-Not spotting the real destination. keep focus and structor.
-Don’t lecture the audience.
-Don’t bore the audience don’t talk about things that are not related.
-Don't blag it. Be rehearsed.

Im glad that we had this short lesson because most of the don'ts i would do in some way and now i can remember to practice and remove as many of them as i can. Also i had an idea of what i needed to add into my pitch but now i know areas i need to cover and be strong at to get as many people interested to get a better mark.

FPS are they to linear? And Whats to Come?

After just looking at two FPS games Halo Reach and Modern Warfare, I thought that both had a flaw that i could build on and that is how linear the campaign is. These two games are two of the biggest games on the market and they both show an area to expand on this could be something worth looking into. Dispite i have only looked at two first person shooters its making think it could be worth looking into and seeing that if there is a need out there for a FPS game that breaks the A to B narrative and allows both exploration and choice in getting through each level.

In a quick search i found this question placed on the IGN website that has given me more insight to what gamers want from a FPS and again a large number agree that FPS games today are too linear. There are a number of other problems in FPS today and a main one being that the only FPS's today are Halo and Modern Warfare because the have been able to push out most others in an instant.

Link: http://boards.ign.com/xbox_360_lobby/b8271/194406864/p1/?33

I think that this has make me thing that i might invest time into making a concept for a game that is a FPS but with more a RPG flow of choice and movement.

I also had some other thoughts about what games are going on to and what is to come from the gaming industry. By looking at these now it could pay off later in the long run because without following the technology then a game will fail to meet expectations later.

Looking into a gap in the current market has lead me to think of what is to come from the games industry. Today the market is preparing for the motion controlled games, 3D gaming and Mobile gaming. But is there a market in these areas? The Mobile games market has sky rocketed in the last couple of years thanks due to the mobile phone technology and thanks to the Apple App Store. Most Independent and small companies have put themselves into this market but is now the time to move on?

http://www.mobilefonereviews.co.uk/images/phoneimages/apple_iphone.gif

The Wii jumped into the market perfectly with there motion controlled console dispite the doubts. This has lead to Sony creating The PlaystationMove and Mircosoft creating the Kincet. But is this market going to take over or going flop?


http://cdn.slashgear.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/06/microsoft_kinect_31-540x337.jpg"

There is the up coming 3D gaming that is soon to be hitting the store. The Title from Activison and Treyarch - Call of Duty: Black Ops has been announced to be availble in 3D. There is also the Nintendo 3DS portable console that is causing hype. But will 3D take over and is it worth designing a game in 3D now ready for when it might become a standard in the future?


http://cdn.softsailor.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/Nintendo-3DS1-500x437.jpg

Looking at current games

Modern warfare 2 was released on 10th november 2009 and became one of the biggest online games ever played, it still is holding strong today. When mentioning a FPS i think the most people always think Modern Warfare 2 because of the impact it has had on the FPS market.

Likes:

I like the custom weapon slots in multiplayer, being able to create your own weapon style and play how you like to play makes it feel that your in the game unlike having guns that are just there and you use them dispite them not fitting your style.

The multiplayer bonuses e.g. killstreaks because they reward you for your skill and work in a game.

The real feeling of the guns with distance , accuracy , damage and recoil. it makes it feel more like you are shooting a gun, not just a object that fires projectiles of different types.

Melee, or the knife function in the game again for the sake of being to close to shoot you can still fight of an enemy. Its also a quiet kill helping for different game play.

Mixed environments during the campaign. You get a good feeling that you are fighting a war all over the world with different environments and buildings.

I like the Spec-Ops mode they had in Modern Warfare 2 it was a bonus to just campaign it was something that you and a friend could do instead of play co-op or multiplayer. But once they had been done they were done and i didn't see much of a need to play them again with a friend.

Dislikes

The very linear campaign story, again it felt like i was being told what to do were to go and i didn't feel like i in control at points. It wasn't exciting either it was modestly covered shooting and once a group of enemies were defeated i would move up to face the same problem again.

Game play was always the same, It never feels like its different and so i get put off because i want more.

The story its self was ok but they killed of some of the main characters and some of the characters you played, for me this felt like i getting the time i spent playing the game thrown back at me, and i very disliked the idea of making someone work for nothing.

Looking at current games

Today i have spent my time playing and looking at what i like from games currently out. I wanted to see what i find makes these games fun and why people play them and see how these ideas then can be built upon for my game. The first game i am going to look at is Halo: Reach. It was released on 14th september 2010 and after a week of its release it had 70 Million+ Games have been played also 235 Million+ Player-Games have been played. Figures are from http://www.bungie.net/News/content.aspx?type=topnews&cid=28805

After Spending time playing on this game i has made a list of my likes and dislikes:

Likes:
Choice of weapon, along the game there are many weapons to choose from so there is always ammo avaible but then theres the choice of sticking with your favourite weapon through the level. I also like how there is a large choice of weapons to choose from both human and alien and each with the individual abititles and reasons to be used.

The Melee concept it good because there are points in all games were your close enough to the enemy to physically attack them so why would you shoot them from that distance. It brings another level to the game were you can change how you play, instead to sticking with a gun and shooting the whole game it gives you ways to engage a enemy. The same applieds for the assassination attack you can perform because without that shooting an enemy that close would just give away your location when real life you would do something more quiet.

Vehicles are good in this game were it allows you a wide choice of vehicles and allows you to feel how big the levels are.

One of the main things i like in reach is how you can customise your character but this customisation isn't just in campaign or multiplayer its for both and how the cut scenes show who you are dispite customisation. you get the feeling you are playing not taking over a person.

Mix of combat from small areas to large battles some levels you face enemies in small corridors then the next bit you are fighting in a large area with tons of vehicles and enemies.

Dislikes:

A to B missions, every level in Halo Reach you are being told to go from were you are to another building then back again then some were else. Its to linear, they are large levels in which there is space to explore but its not exploring when you know theres no way got leaving this path you have to follow.

Reach also lacks co-op excitement, i was always a fan of how halo had a good co-op multiplayer but each one is the same its just a extra person in the campaign helping you or you helping someone else, you are more of a extra gun than a extra player.


Why i think reach has done so well:

From the beginning of halo one, bungie created a shooter that had more than just guns it had a story that you could get into and it was fun, before this FPS's weren't fun they were either too serious or just a pure lack in story. Halo broke into the gap and filled in with a story so great that there has been 6 games that have came out of one storyline. I fell without this story the game functions itself wouldn't of held strong enough to be able to hold the interest of gamers for that long and that well. This is something i will have to explore in my idea, building a story that can keep people interested and hold strong for maybe more than one game.

The Beginning

This isn't my first time designing a idea that could be build upon to make into a game. I mean most days i have ideas that i would love to implement into already made games or place into my own. But this project i am now undergoing is going have a better and stronger approach that the ideas i normally throw around my sketch books.

My project is to create a game idea that can be pitched to game’s designers. This means that I will have to have a strong fundamental idea, but a well researched, documented and explored concept. The pitch will last 10 minutes, and put across a full idea of a game in 10 minutes will be a challenge in more ways than one. My first thoughts are that i will either struggle to get enough information that is both relevant and will help sell the idea or that i will struggle to fit every detail that i have into the time frame. I feel that this is more than just a project but a beginning to understand the structure of the games industry.

I have already now come across my first problem of the project and that is how do i start and create a idea for a game that is good enough to be pitched? Do i start by creating a story or do i start with a function of a game that is different and what i want to build?

Luckily i just come across this article on www.gamasutra.com that has been written by Tim Ryan. After looking at Tim Ryan’s Website http://firemuseconsulting.blogspot.com i can see that he has a fairly impressive games design background. This means this article is written by someone who is in the current games industry.

The full website link to the article is:
http://www.gamasutra.com/view/feature/3384/the_anatomy_of_a_design_document_.php?page=1

Reading this article has giving me a good clear idea of what is now expected of me when developing a game concept and i even feel that i can now structure what is needed of me in the next couple of weeks. Dispite this article explaining a game document for proposal, It will help me for designing my idea in a structor and reminding me of what is needed of me to produce a concept. In this article i have found that there are 7 points that i will need to explain in both my document and my pitch, these are :

Introduction
Background
Description
Key features
Genre
Platform(s)
Concept art

In the article it further explains what is needed for each of these points thus allowing me to know what i should be placing in my game document for the best results possible but with out a good fundament original idea no matter how well i pitch or document my idea. I have to find something that will be my selling point of my idea and game concept. For this i will have to find something that makes my game concept better that whats to come out and what is out now.

This means i will have to research different areas of games, what people want and what i think is needed in the games industry . I believe there are a couple ways to do this and they are:

- Playing games and taking down notes and ideas of what i think are good and bad points
- Researching the current games market, i.e. Finding out what are the top games out there? And for what reasons? Is there a lack of type of game at the moment and what the game market looking for?
- Finding weaknesses in game types, i.e. is there something that is missing from all RPGS or FPS's ?

This game is also being created by me so it will be a large part of my thoughts of the game industry and what i think is needed in a game and what a good game should be. I'm could begin by placing ideas in a brainstorm and see how i can place them together then once my research has been done i can then combine my ideas with what i have found out to find something that could be poetically great game or a game that fits the needs of the current market.