Pre-jam post #2 - The project
Today, I’ll talk a bit about the vision I have for a game, one that’s been in my mind for years now. If a month-long jam does not give me the momentum to finally make it concretize, I don’t know what will.
What’s the idea?
Buckle up, for…
Heavily customizable top-down shooter!
Yup, I don’t think I could have made that title more boring. But then again, that’s the main idea of this game. I’m thinking of a top-down/twin-stick shooter, where the player can create their war machine by assembling one or many hull parts, then attaching different parts to it (weapons, naturally, but also batteries, boosters, coolers, etc.).
I remember playing MechWarrior on the SNES (hey, I said I was not young!), and I liked how you had to find the balance between mobility, firepower, versatility, all that while also dealing with the arena’s specificities. Going on a lava planet? Better forget about those powerful heat-generating lasers, and instead rely on machine guns for this mission. I played a couple of iterations of the series after, and I liked how that customization got refined with time. What I didn’t like that much though, was how slow-paced the game was. Also, while the 3D inside-your-mech dashboards-everywhere setup was interesting, I feel there should be another way to experiment with all those customization options.
“That’s it?”
Well, not exactly… At least, not in the “final version” that currently lives only in my head. Here are a couple of things I’d like to see/implement in there, in no particular order:
- Placement-based customization: Not only do you get to choose what pieces of equipment you bring, but also where to place them and how to orient them on the hull. Will you concentrate fire in front of you, or go for a weaker spread? Maybe a just-in-case pellet shooter in the back?
- Attachment grouping: The attachments could be configured in groups, with the same attachment in different groups if desired. Each group would then have a hotkey to be used. For example, balanced fire on the first key, and some all-out energy-draining shot on a second key, to be used with parsimony.
- Reputation system: Depending on which missions you accept, you gain reputation with different factions, unlocking unique missions, equipment, etc.
- Cosmetic personalization: Now, I’m not an artist, so this will be very limited, but I’m thinking colors and decals on the war machine, at least.
- Research: Not all pieces of equipment would be unlocked at first. You would need to spend money on research, hoping you can get your hands on some new tech.
- Gathering: Money can’t buy everything. For some items, you would need to scavenge specific parts or materials on the battlefield… and bring them back home without dying.
- Multiple war machines: Considering the different environments and mission types, you would need more than one war machine. One could be perfect for an infiltration mission, another one to lay mass destruction, and maybe even one for those necessary transport assignments. All of those would be stored in your…
- Hangar: Sure, you’d need to unlock parking spots for your war machines, but you could also customize that to make it your own space. Maybe even have some kind of office, to receive potential customers.
“It’s soooo not unique!”
You’re probably right. I suppose that kind of game already exists. Maybe it even has more stuff than all those fantastic features I have in mind. And it certainly has better art than I would ever be able to produce. That’s OK. I don’t want to make the “next big thing” or anything like that. I just want to make that game, see it live, and call it mine. Miiiiine.
“It’s too huge a project!”
Totally, especially with me being alone on it. But again, that’s how I see the final version of the game. It might not go all the way there, and some features might end up being more annoying than fun. We’ll see.
So, what’s the plan?
I’m aware that this is a big project. There’s no way I can get to the finish line in a month, with even half the features mentioned above. I’m realistic, and I know enough about game/software development to not aim for that in this jam’s timeframe.
As such, my plan is to complete create a fully playable (but probably ugly as frap) demo, with these core elements:
- Battlefield (kind of the base of all this)
- War machine assembly
- Some kind of shop to buy pieces of equipment
Once I get there, ideally before the end of October, I’ll check which feature inspires me the most, then go with it. I really hope this jam gives me the momentum to continue working on this project until I see its end.
What’s next?
Tomorrow, I’ll list the tools I plan on using for this jam, and why I chose them instead of alternatives. Some are new to me, others are sure shots (in my opinion).
By the way, I didn’t mention it in yesterday’s post, but comments, feedback and questions are welcome anytime/anywhere in this DevLog-to-be.