I can't decide if I'd like this more as a completely pure multiplayer experience, or if I think some sort of single-player tournament structure would be fun. I could completely see loving a little managing your gladiator team sort of sports-game spreadsheet.
As an additional mode though: AI vs AI. If this was a pretty enough game, I can totally see wanting to just toss in 10 gladiators and see them duke it out.
Wait, is this intended to be a video game or a comic/graphic novel?
I can't decide if I'd like this more as a completely pure multiplayer experience, or if I think some sort of single-player tournament structure would be fun. I could completely see loving a little managing your gladiator team sort of sports-game spreadsheet.
As an additional mode though: AI vs AI. If this was a pretty enough game, I can totally see wanting to just toss in 10 gladiators and see them duke it out.
Wait, is this intended to be a video game or a comic/graphic novel?
I'd honestly prefer a graphic novel
I wouldn't care either way, so long as their was an action figure tie-in.
Because who wouldn't want to have a cyborg-gladiator sitting on their desk?
Personally, I'm thinking of custom figurines created by the customer through a web interface, shipped to your door within 48 hours. Like that NIKE site where you can design your own shoes.
Personally, I'm thinking of custom figurines created by the customer through a web interface, shipped to your door within 48 hours. Like that NIKE site where you can design your own shoes.
Alternatively, look at stuff like Stikfas and Lego minifigs, and make hyper-customizable figures.
The only thing I can think of that detracts from the concept is the stadium, which should offer terrain challenges to the contestants, such as the embedding of traps, giant pillars (to stop those gun-wielding types from getting too much of an edge), and automated sentries to provide an extra challenge to unwary participants.
I'm loving that character creator, so I made this guy:
I honestly love the field, it really does give it a "closer to home" feel to it. More believable, and just more traditional in my opinion. The focus should be on the gladiators for the most part, if the field had crazy obsticles and whatnot it would detract from the cygladiators (again IMHO). Also like gibbs said, definitely more futuristic UFC that way too.
I cant think of a professional sport that has no lines down whatsoever. I Just think some football/hockey like lines are in order if he can think of meanings for them. Even simple starting lines or the ring where 1on 1 happens that sort of thing.
I agree that wild obstacles would be pretty hokey.
Part of the entertainment factor of the gladiator fights (I imagine) is that you didn't know what the fight would be before you entered the arena. It might just be an open field with people fighting, or they might have altered the field for chariot races or recreations of naval battles where they decided to flood the arena and float boats out there or the emperor could be having a really bad day and want to dress up like Hercules and go beat a couple hundred cripples to death in front of an audience. You just never knew.
With the flexibility of the original in mind, what kind of lines would you want to put out there?
The lines you put down would have to be changable to suit different games.
For example, a free for all king of the hill type game. Competitor starting points spaced evenly around the outside of the arena, a rise in the middle (probably not too steep, fighters tired from running up a hill in full armor are boring to watch), and centered around the middle of the rise a series of concentric scoring circles. The top one is worth 5 points, the second one is worth 3 points, third one is 1 point outside of that no points. Points are awarded every 30 seconds for a 5 minute match depending on what circle you're in.
For some reason I instantly saw it as a sort of thing where the biggest badasses actually aren't the cyborg dudes, they're completely normal humans. As someone gets injured/loses fights, they get modified with the armor plates and weapons and stuff.
Well, if this is going to be a game, you need to clarify these robot bits.
So like, are normal arm, A, B, and C arms all equally useful because they have pros/cons? Or is the C arm just massively better and it's a sort of RPG-esque thing to get the best equipment and become a mechanical death machine?
I think it would be interesting to have each sort of leg/arm/body/head each have benefits and drawbacks.
Yeah, I was planning that each part effects a stat-system, which determines how your cyborg behaves in the physics engine. Nothing should be "better" then anything else, and pretty much any loadout could be entirely valid depending on how you play it. Its possible to be a one legged guy with a toothpick for a weapon and be the highest ranked player in the game (see below)
Speed: how fast or slow your actual attacks and movement is. For example, the mantis sythe arms will attack much quicker then say, the bardiche.
Strength(power?): how hard a weapon hits, basically its velocity and mass.
Stamina: how many repeated moves your cyborg can make. If you have low stamina, you may only be able to make one or two attacks before you start to get winded and slow down. High stamina means you can let loose a barrage of repeated attacks.
Protection: Defense against successful attacks. More protection means it can absorb more powerful attacks. Not enough and it will be broken/pierced. Weapons can also be used to parry, and so can be broken as well.
Weight: How heavy or light an aug is. Effects the speed, strength, protection and stamina of your cyborg. The lighter augs are usually faster and use less stamina, but are less powerful. Vice versa for heavy augs.
So you can play a light cyborg and dance around like a butterfly, unleashing attack after attack, but will be lightly armored. Or you can play as a heavy behemoth, but will get exhausted very quickly, so you have to be on the defencive until an opportunity to strike appears. Or anywhere in between of course.
So like, are normal arm, A, B, and C arms all equally useful because they have pros/cons? Or is the C arm just massively better
So to answer your question, theyd all have pros and cons. No augs at all would be the lightest (with 0 weight), and would be pretty fast, but would have no protection and not alot of power. C class aug would be the heaviest and slowest, and would drain the most stamina, but offers the most power and protection.
Like I said, the fighting part of the game utilizes a physics engine which takes in account all your stats and makes your cyborg behave accordingly. Attacks are made by the engine essentially "smashing" together parts of your cyborg with your opponent, and calculating the results.
For example, you make a downward slash with a gladius, and it strikes your opponent in his unarmored shoulder. The engine calculates this and damages your opponent accordingly (ie, alot). Conversely, you do the same exact attack, but this time your opponent moves his axe up to parry. Your attack glances off, but because of the angle it hit, the power and speed of your attack, and an assload of other physics equations, your sword bounces off his parry and clangs into his armored knee instead. Then it breaks. So you have to attack by bashing the other guy with your shield, kicking his shins, headbutting him, whatever.
The control scheme would be a few years worth of development, but if anyone remembers that old eidos game "die by the sword" its sortof along the same path (but not as retardidly awkward).
The movement camera would be a 3rd person behind the shoulder where you can run and shoot and whatnot (if you have guns), then it would switch to a horizontal fighting game style camera when you engage with someone.
Fighting controls are sorta two fold: One analog control which I see sorta working like a drag/sketch the line of attack plus holding a weapon/limb key. It will draw a path of attack, and send whatever bodypart sailing in that direction. This is basically for just making shit up on the fly. Pulling off complex moves would be pretty hard.
The second control would be a "move recorder" where you go into a move editor and pre-record movements or combos to be whatever the hell you want. Then you set them them to a hotkey and your cyborg does them at the click of a button. This is where the meat is, and its like "training" your guy before a fight. You can record basic slashes, stabs, parrys, blocks, dodges, feints, all the way up to complex multi-stage combos a few seconds long (though they can be easily interrupted). Obviously the game would ship with a large library of pre-recorded moves, but real players are encouraged make their own unique signature fighting style.
So half the game is trying to create the perfect cyborg, and the other half is trying to create the perfect set of moves. Players are constantly trying to find counters to each others moves and cyborg builds.
Multiplayer would obviously have a ladder system to display the top players (whos names, cyborgs, and possibly recorded fights would play on big floating billboards that fly around in each ingame stadium), and I see scoring also using a "badassery" system, so if you fight a fully armored fucker with plasma guns and 5 arms, and youre using a guy with no armor and only a butterknife, you get a truckton of points to commemorate your outstanding victory. Likewise, if youre the big armored fucker and all you do is squish neakid guys with butterknives all day, you wont go up the ladder much.
I'm a senior (one more semester! yay!) and no, pretty much no one else in my class has a project in this scope (not to sound arrogant )
90% of my class is scared shitless of all these self-directed projects we have to do this year where basically we have free reign to do whatever we want, pending approval from a teacher who reviews our progress every week.
I've been biting at my bit for the last four years to be able to do exactly these types of projects because I love creating universes and taking on epic projects.
Everyone else seemed to be content with doing the retarded little editorial illustrations and whatever, and most of them sortof hit a blank when they had to come up with something on their own and didn't have a detailed project brief telling them what to do. Most people just did a collection of works with a unifying theme. Good for galleries or whatnot. They arnt bad artists by any stretch of the imagination, but most of them seem like they need someone to hold their hand.
But I am sort of a black sheep. I'm a game designer in an illustration class. My passion is far outside the borders of the course, so I've had to stretch every project to its limits, and teach myself alot.
This project looks like you really took the time to develop it out and its great. Its too bad the bulk of your peers aren't doing the same. To be honest, Im having trouble deciding what the hell Im going to do my senior year. I want to develop a project that's just as coherent and stop jumping around so willy nilly in style. But its hard, I dont think I have something strong yet.
Anyways, From what I hear from the companies that snoop around mica (Big Huge games, Bethesda, and Firaxis) this is exactly what they look for. Your pretty much well on your way to getting a gig, I'm sure you already know that though.
I like it. The idea of a really comprehensive physics engine to do all that seems like it would be pretty much impossible with today's technology though. But, it also seems like you could do that with a sort of middle-ground system really easy right now.
Your move system sounds interesting, and I actually think a dual-analog Die By The Sword would work well, the numpad was a terrible way of doing that. And the "pre-training" idea is great. You could map the moves to the face buttons, maybe even using something like the Fable 2 magic system, where holding it down for longer periods causes you to do a more complex move, or maybe a more complex series of moves.
The problem is movement, though. You'd need either an easy way to switch from attacking to moving or a good one-analog-stick control scheme. That, and controlling both arms would be awkward, without using both analog sticks at once. Although if you made it so that the left stick controlled your direction of attack, and the triggers controlled which arm was active, it could work well. Maybe have the bumpers perform an attack with either shoulder.
Yeah, like I said, the control system would need like, a think tank and a few years development to actually turn into something practical.
Also let it be noted that I hate consols, so that moots all your stupid controlpad limitations. Maybe when sony and microsoft invest in a fucking keyboard and mouse setup ill talk to them.
I'm a senior (one more semester! yay!) and no, pretty much no one else in my class has a project in this scope (not to sound arrogant )
90% of my class is scared shitless of all these self-directed projects we have to do this year where basically we have free reign to do whatever we want, pending approval from a teacher who reviews our progress every week.
I've been biting at my bit for the last four years to be able to do exactly these types of projects because I love creating universes and taking on epic projects.
Everyone else seemed to be content with doing the retarded little editorial illustrations and whatever, and most of them sortof hit a blank when they had to come up with something on their own and didn't have a detailed project brief telling them what to do. Most people just did a collection of works with a unifying theme. Good for galleries or whatnot. They arnt bad artists by any stretch of the imagination, but most of them seem like they need someone to hold their hand.
But I am sort of a black sheep. I'm a game designer in an illustration class. My passion is far outside the borders of the course, so I've had to stretch every project to its limits, and teach myself alot.
I actually find it much harder to work to a brief. Go figure.
Posts
Wait, is this intended to be a video game or a comic/graphic novel?
I'd honestly prefer a graphic novel
Because who wouldn't want to have a cyborg-gladiator sitting on their desk?
Alternatively, look at stuff like Stikfas and Lego minifigs, and make hyper-customizable figures.
The only thing I can think of that detracts from the concept is the stadium, which should offer terrain challenges to the contestants, such as the embedding of traps, giant pillars (to stop those gun-wielding types from getting too much of an edge), and automated sentries to provide an extra challenge to unwary participants.
I'm loving that character creator, so I made this guy:
my guy:
Just printscreen works right?
My Portfolio Site
I cant think of a professional sport that has no lines down whatsoever. I Just think some football/hockey like lines are in order if he can think of meanings for them. Even simple starting lines or the ring where 1on 1 happens that sort of thing.
I agree that wild obstacles would be pretty hokey.
The editor could use a better way of selecting parts and it'd be neat if you could combine different kinds of legs.
EDIT: Here's a guy I made with your editor:
With the flexibility of the original in mind, what kind of lines would you want to put out there?
The lines you put down would have to be changable to suit different games.
For example, a free for all king of the hill type game. Competitor starting points spaced evenly around the outside of the arena, a rise in the middle (probably not too steep, fighters tired from running up a hill in full armor are boring to watch), and centered around the middle of the rise a series of concentric scoring circles. The top one is worth 5 points, the second one is worth 3 points, third one is 1 point outside of that no points. Points are awarded every 30 seconds for a 5 minute match depending on what circle you're in.
Anyway, awesome stuff McGibs.
So like, are normal arm, A, B, and C arms all equally useful because they have pros/cons? Or is the C arm just massively better and it's a sort of RPG-esque thing to get the best equipment and become a mechanical death machine?
I think it would be interesting to have each sort of leg/arm/body/head each have benefits and drawbacks.
Speed: how fast or slow your actual attacks and movement is. For example, the mantis sythe arms will attack much quicker then say, the bardiche.
Strength(power?): how hard a weapon hits, basically its velocity and mass.
Stamina: how many repeated moves your cyborg can make. If you have low stamina, you may only be able to make one or two attacks before you start to get winded and slow down. High stamina means you can let loose a barrage of repeated attacks.
Protection: Defense against successful attacks. More protection means it can absorb more powerful attacks. Not enough and it will be broken/pierced. Weapons can also be used to parry, and so can be broken as well.
Weight: How heavy or light an aug is. Effects the speed, strength, protection and stamina of your cyborg. The lighter augs are usually faster and use less stamina, but are less powerful. Vice versa for heavy augs.
So you can play a light cyborg and dance around like a butterfly, unleashing attack after attack, but will be lightly armored. Or you can play as a heavy behemoth, but will get exhausted very quickly, so you have to be on the defencive until an opportunity to strike appears. Or anywhere in between of course.
So to answer your question, theyd all have pros and cons. No augs at all would be the lightest (with 0 weight), and would be pretty fast, but would have no protection and not alot of power. C class aug would be the heaviest and slowest, and would drain the most stamina, but offers the most power and protection.
Like I said, the fighting part of the game utilizes a physics engine which takes in account all your stats and makes your cyborg behave accordingly. Attacks are made by the engine essentially "smashing" together parts of your cyborg with your opponent, and calculating the results.
For example, you make a downward slash with a gladius, and it strikes your opponent in his unarmored shoulder. The engine calculates this and damages your opponent accordingly (ie, alot). Conversely, you do the same exact attack, but this time your opponent moves his axe up to parry. Your attack glances off, but because of the angle it hit, the power and speed of your attack, and an assload of other physics equations, your sword bounces off his parry and clangs into his armored knee instead. Then it breaks. So you have to attack by bashing the other guy with your shield, kicking his shins, headbutting him, whatever.
The control scheme would be a few years worth of development, but if anyone remembers that old eidos game "die by the sword" its sortof along the same path (but not as retardidly awkward).
The movement camera would be a 3rd person behind the shoulder where you can run and shoot and whatnot (if you have guns), then it would switch to a horizontal fighting game style camera when you engage with someone.
Fighting controls are sorta two fold: One analog control which I see sorta working like a drag/sketch the line of attack plus holding a weapon/limb key. It will draw a path of attack, and send whatever bodypart sailing in that direction. This is basically for just making shit up on the fly. Pulling off complex moves would be pretty hard.
The second control would be a "move recorder" where you go into a move editor and pre-record movements or combos to be whatever the hell you want. Then you set them them to a hotkey and your cyborg does them at the click of a button. This is where the meat is, and its like "training" your guy before a fight. You can record basic slashes, stabs, parrys, blocks, dodges, feints, all the way up to complex multi-stage combos a few seconds long (though they can be easily interrupted). Obviously the game would ship with a large library of pre-recorded moves, but real players are encouraged make their own unique signature fighting style.
So half the game is trying to create the perfect cyborg, and the other half is trying to create the perfect set of moves. Players are constantly trying to find counters to each others moves and cyborg builds.
Multiplayer would obviously have a ladder system to display the top players (whos names, cyborgs, and possibly recorded fights would play on big floating billboards that fly around in each ingame stadium), and I see scoring also using a "badassery" system, so if you fight a fully armored fucker with plasma guns and 5 arms, and youre using a guy with no armor and only a butterknife, you get a truckton of points to commemorate your outstanding victory. Likewise, if youre the big armored fucker and all you do is squish neakid guys with butterknives all day, you wont go up the ladder much.
Whew.
Anyone pick you up yet? I'm sure you're getting offers!
artistjeffc.tumblr.com http://www.etsy.com/shop/artistjeffc
90% of my class is scared shitless of all these self-directed projects we have to do this year where basically we have free reign to do whatever we want, pending approval from a teacher who reviews our progress every week.
I've been biting at my bit for the last four years to be able to do exactly these types of projects because I love creating universes and taking on epic projects.
Everyone else seemed to be content with doing the retarded little editorial illustrations and whatever, and most of them sortof hit a blank when they had to come up with something on their own and didn't have a detailed project brief telling them what to do. Most people just did a collection of works with a unifying theme. Good for galleries or whatnot. They arnt bad artists by any stretch of the imagination, but most of them seem like they need someone to hold their hand.
But I am sort of a black sheep. I'm a game designer in an illustration class. My passion is far outside the borders of the course, so I've had to stretch every project to its limits, and teach myself alot.
This project looks like you really took the time to develop it out and its great. Its too bad the bulk of your peers aren't doing the same. To be honest, Im having trouble deciding what the hell Im going to do my senior year. I want to develop a project that's just as coherent and stop jumping around so willy nilly in style. But its hard, I dont think I have something strong yet.
Anyways, From what I hear from the companies that snoop around mica (Big Huge games, Bethesda, and Firaxis) this is exactly what they look for. Your pretty much well on your way to getting a gig, I'm sure you already know that though.
Your move system sounds interesting, and I actually think a dual-analog Die By The Sword would work well, the numpad was a terrible way of doing that. And the "pre-training" idea is great. You could map the moves to the face buttons, maybe even using something like the Fable 2 magic system, where holding it down for longer periods causes you to do a more complex move, or maybe a more complex series of moves.
The problem is movement, though. You'd need either an easy way to switch from attacking to moving or a good one-analog-stick control scheme. That, and controlling both arms would be awkward, without using both analog sticks at once. Although if you made it so that the left stick controlled your direction of attack, and the triggers controlled which arm was active, it could work well. Maybe have the bumpers perform an attack with either shoulder.
Man, this thread has totally got me dorking out.
Also let it be noted that I hate consols, so that moots all your stupid controlpad limitations. Maybe when sony and microsoft invest in a fucking keyboard and mouse setup ill talk to them.
I actually find it much harder to work to a brief. Go figure.
But rad work in this thread! :^::^::^: