Most original plotcompetition

[Minimi]

Well, you might think, this  is yet another idea to add to the forum competion, but far from that.

My point is, that there are created lots of games with the plots like "evil this, evil that" i call it. And Hero needs to escape... there is really nothing wrong with that but it becomes a big cliché in the adventure world.

I was thinking about making (with some other guys that valunteer) and when I finish my sam&moos game in a few weeks, a website where people can send a very original plot idea, with storyline. Then the great ideas will be posted on the site, and the idea is, that these plots will be worked out, to make some original games. When time passes by, the list might become pretty big, and can be used as a database of original games.

Let me ask you this! Why is the player almost always human or alien... with legs? Why not make a game with furniture or electronics as player, and also make some original inventory!

A while ago there was a thread about never used inventory items in adventuregames. This thread could be helpfull to make a nice very original game.

Just tell me what you think of it, and maybee we can discuss this thing, that games are indeed a big cliché and that they need a fresh breath.

PS: I hate the big cliché of "something is locked, so I need a key", or something is too high, I need a stick to pull it of. Maybee you can come up with a more complex way to solve puzzles, to make some more variety in the games.

[PeaceMan]

I like this idea. It would be interesting to see some different types of games. I might write a few storylines when the site is up and running.

[Andail]

You can't really say that opening a locked door with a key is a cliche´....a cliché is some sort of opinion or phrase that people use because they've heard other people saying it and it sounds catchy...

Maybe it has worn thin over the years, but in realistic games, there will always be such elements...characters with legs, doors that are opened with keys, furniture that don't talk.

It's fun that you challenge people to come up with new ideas though, just don't be too quick to judge old and simple solutions...too many wacky puzzles, and the player might get confused

[DGMacphee]

You all can enter this comp, but I'm not going to.

The way I see it, there's no way I'd tell anyone my most original plot idea -- I'd rather make a game out of it before someone else does.  

[SSH]

[pedant]
Andail: dictionary.com says that a cliche is an overused phrase or idea... so the key puzzle is an cliche...
[/pedant]

Given that I'm already working on two ideas and consulting on Neole's project, I guess that I can give up my idea because it will be 2010 before i get round to making it myself:

Name: Pixel Hunt
Hero: Bob the Blue Pixel

You are a pixel on the run from the pixel Mafia. Your best friend Benny the Brown has already been "dithered" by the mob and your girlfriend Ada the Red has run off with one of the Mafiosos. Meanwhile, Dr Greenpixel has invented the "Zoom" machine that blows a pixel up to 100x its original size. Elements of King Kong and Goodfellas combine...

Advantages: Pixel hunt puzzles now have a plot justification. For example, you might see another pixel and he seems familiar then go to the family photo (a mass of pixels) and have to find the right colour match

Also, graphics and animations became a whole lot easier. Although part of the GUI could be a magnifying glass, to let you see facial expressions, maybe: still, all characters would still be squares...

Recommended doing in 320x200!

[Chrille]

Hehe, I'm with DG. I have several ideas for possible plots that would be quite original, but if I shared them I wouldn't have the freedom to use them myself should I want to later on :p

[Al_Ninio]

SSH, that's one of the best plot ideas I have heard, but what about us colorblind people?
I would probably kill myself from the frustration of not being able to play this game

[Andail]

SSH
It's a bit silly discussing language in a thread like this, but as an English teacher to be, I can't let it go this easily

cliché: "People say I'm a pessimist, but I'm actually a realist."
not a cliché: "I'm gonna put my hands in my pockets, because it's cold outside"
cliché: "Yeah, I liked the movie, but the book was better."
not a cliché: "To get to the other part of town, I need to use my car"
cliché: "Chinese people are so happy!"
not a cliché "To open this door, I need to use a key."


And not to completely destroy Minime's thread:

I think you could make a competition of this over at the activity forum. Make it a one-month project or something, where people will try to make the most original and innovative puzzles and story line etc, instead of focusing on nice art and all that.
Just start such a thread in that case, as you have my approval.

As much as your website is a good idea, I'm afraid there won't be very much people contributing to it rather than using their own ideas themselves

[SSH]

Highwaygal,

Thanks. Glad that you like the idea.

Maybe there could be a status line with the colour name of the underlying pixel given in text, or something like that.??

Andail:

I suppose that "overused" depends on the context. In your context it is maybe a cliche to say that about Chinese people. In my context, I've never heard the phrase used at all!

In the context of adventure games, the "puzzle" of having to use a key to open a door, especially when all that needs to be done to get the key is go to the next room, is a cliche. On the other hand, the car key puzzle at the beginning of Pleughburg adds some good twists to it and thus avoids cliche (if only you didn't keep having to use the key on the car)

And I agree that the Activities/Compos forums is the best place for this, rather than a separate website

[Minimi]

Wow lots of reply's... Ok first of all, I didn't ment to say that a game can't be original with humans, but it was just to make my point, that there are in fact alot of adventure games with humans. And maybee for your personal idea is there nothing wrong with that, but I can understand, that some people like some stories, that you never expected. So to make a good example, The Uncertainty Machine, has it's own world like the "off-limits", wich takes you into another way of thinking.

About the key and the lock, maybee cliché was the wrong term, but I'm not biologically english speaking, so I might say some things and mean something else, and yes, I must admit that in my first game, you also need a key ... though it's also just an example that you can also maybee come up with another idea, though the same result, like the lockpicker in Pleurghburg : Dark Ages...

There are some people that say, that they don't want to share their original plot, but maybee the title "MOST" is wrong, because I think that I wouldn't either share it, but make the game. But if you brainstorm you could probably come up with a plot and whole game, without making it, and still is original enough to let others (maybee a team) make it.

I will consider posting the competition into the forum, though I don't want to create yet another messy thing, that never get's somewhere. I'm thinking about creating the thread in Competitions, and besides that, I'm updating the upcoming site, with all posted plots and the author of it. There will be a voting system where all people that have joined the competition, can vote for a plot, except their own, and then the one with the most votes, wins. And there will be set up a team, or maybee valunteers, to make the game. If you are thinking about joining then you must know that its not about making a joke game that is 2 rooms or somthing, but a full game, or medium length game.

Well... that's about it for now, I'm going to work further to finish my first game, and when it's finished I'm starting the competition. Any additions or comments to what I just wrote are welcome

PS: If you know a good title for the competition, it's also welcome!

Greetz,
Minimi

[Captain Mostly]

how about "origionality quest" as the competition title?

[Andail]

Good idea, Mostly, but unless people would start yelling at me for being nit-picky, I'd prefer "Originality quest"

Anyhow, commence at will, Minime

[Captain Mostly]

nit-picking eh? is that why you never wear clothes?

but point taken. Perhaps I should take more notice of those signs on the back of busses

"Spelling kills! KILL YOUR SPELLING!!!"

Anyone else seen them?...

...must just be a Derby thing then.

[SSH]

* SSH increases Captain Mostly's medication

[|Alky|]

Seems like a  very cool idea.
Steinbeck saying 'There's one book to a man' applies to adventure games - Giving away a possible 'magnum opus' is not wise, but are you guys seriously saying you only have one game idea?

It's not YOUR most original idea, it's the most original idea entered. So you don't have to enter your best, I suspect.

I actually wanted to have a seperate idea criticism forum, but everyone hates me so that fell through. Which was a bummer.

[Andail]

Rebel, the critics lounge is meant for ideas and plots as well, although people tend to not use it for that very often.
If you have a nice plot coming up and want some feedback, feel free to post it there.

[Eggie]

Yeeessss...

A way to prove I can come up with a plot without actually having to commit to a game. GENIUS!

[Minimi]

Well, as you can see, I have added the competition, and thank you captain mostly... I used that name!