Space Ship Game Idea

[Anonymous]

I’m throwing this out to get feedback on it, as I’m currently way to busy to work on it ( it’ll probably be about 6 months before I get to prototype a multi-player online version of it ) but I will be doing it at some stage ( it’ll either be my next gaming project, or a simple Shockwave 3D based FPS / 3rd Person character style game environment for artists showing level design online ).

I know that people are sometimes wary of giving out ideas, i’m interested to see how just throwing an idea out there is treated.

WARNING…
This game experience is based on quick, fast online blasting action. No in-depth story-lines, no long-term goals etc.

The key aspect is the fact that the game is only a click away on the internet, so it’s very accessible.

With the recent car game I’m working on, I see a lot of scope for allowing non-technical artists to build up a number of different environments, linked together via the common game mechanic ( driving ).

With the recent spate in creating 3D space ships, it brought me back to an old game idea I had for an online 3D space ship game, multi-player, where it was basically a quick blaster.

However, one of the USPs is that you had to design and model your own 3D ship ( or use a ship designed by someone else ).

SHIP MODEL
The physical size of your ship would determine the power rating ( shields, weapon power ), as well as manouverability ( large ships turn slower ).

GUNS
There would be really only one choice of gun for your ship, a laser. You would attach the laser turret to a location on your 3D model. The size and power of the gun would be determined by the size of your main ship hull.

QUICK UPDATE…

ENGINES

Engines would also be placed around the ship, depending on the size of the 3D model. Larger ships would need more powerful engines to move them faster, this would take up more of the energy resources, leaving less for the laser turrets.

Lasers and engines can be targeted by other ships to slowly disable the craft.

By allowing a choice of say 2 or 3 sizes of laser turrets and engines per ship, the modellers could position them around their ship model at strategic locations. The guns would basically shoot out cylindrical laser weapons, with the larger the weapon, the slower the laser bolt would go ( smaller ships could blast fast, lower powered lasers, which re-charge quickly ), and larger ships shoot slow moving, large powerful blasts ( imagine being able to fly slightly faster than a huge laser bolt, in a very small craft. However, getting hit by it would be total wipeout. Larger lasers might even have some sort of magnetic attraction, to spice up the action ).

Ship hulls and laser turrets can be hit independantly, reducing power and ultimately disabling them.

I think it would be interesting to log on with your crazily modelled ship ( imagine a ship shaped like a huge potatoe, with 2 large lasers at the front ), and fly around shooting / partnering with other ships blasting the Star Wars X-Wings and Star Trek Enterprises out of space ;)

By keeping it simple ( larger ship = slower, but more powerful ( but slower ) guns ), it could be quite a laugh to model for and play.

I have some ideas in my head, and sketches, of how this would work, hopefully it’ll make more sense when I get a prototype up and running.

As with any idea thrown out there, feel free to laugh at it, nick it, or give feedback on it :)

Mal

[Anonymous]

Really sounds good. I’m not an artist but definately sounds like a game that would generate loads of interest if it’s team based game and made available to students and others who have nothing better to do. I don’t know if thats the direction you would be thinking, as it’s maybe more aimed towards 3d artists, but general lay about students love free online games that give them the chance to get one over on their mates. Now to go play ET.

[Anonymous]

Hi Mick,

Cheers for the feedback.

> as it’s maybe more aimed towards 3d artists

It is initially aimed at artists, and more specifically student artists, to help improve their modelling skills. This would enable a build-up of diversity of styles of ships etc.

As a non-artist, it’s the type of game I’d like to go into and have a quick blast online, so there’s scope for a number of audiences.

And, as it’s quite straightforward, it would be relatively easy to develop ( probably under 6 months ), so it’s not going to require a lot of resources to make.

Mal

[Author]

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