AGS Community Project: Please VOTE for the Best Game Concept!

[yukonhorror]

I think the sailboat has a lot of potential, but to add in to the survival and build a story, maybe there are natives there too (I know it sounds like Lost, but bare with me).  There are two warring tribes, and the protagonist is caught between the middle.  In terms of puzzles, he has to build traps and get items, make distractions, etc...  In terms of story, the player is forced to choose between tribe A and tribe B in terms of who to go against.  I.e. in order to survive, he must end the war by overcoming tribe A or tribe B.  Choosing a different tribe results in a much different set of goals and objectives for the player's survival.  In terms of tying it to dad, maybe choosing tribe A he finds out tribe B is holding his dad as a sacrifice to the volcano, but if he chooses tribe B, tribe A gave his dad some potion brainwashing the dad into thinking he is the destined ruler of tribe A and must destroy tribe B to fulfill his destiny. 

I think you get the point.  Obviously the two different possible storylines will intertwine, for programming ease, but I think it'd be neat.  Another similar alternative, would be you can choose which person you are (the dad or the son) and the son is forced to help tribe A and the dad is forced (or maybe highly encouraged) to help tribe B but of course they are not aware of this till the very end. 

[yukonhorror]

also, the fact that he is rich is good.  The boat could have been fairly big, allowing for a lot of the items the player will find and utilize to be things he wouldn't normally see on a remote island.  Maybe he finds batteries on the shore and a tarp is carried into a cave by a bear, or whatever.  This presents a lot of potential (that will make sense) to the necessary tools to solve the puzzles.

Puzzle idea, setting up an alarm system so the big mountain lion (or whatever) doesn't eat him when he sleeps.  And there is a similar meter for sleep deprivation as there is for heat exhaustion.  Certain tasks and such will deplete the meter more than others.

Referring to the warring tribe idea, some ideas for a source: tribe A stole tribe B's ancient artifact, romeo and juliet sort of situation, tribe A's shaman was murdered and shaman's assistant framed tribe B, a recent geophysical activity has forced a shift in the way the fresh water flows and if tribe A doesn't share, tribe B will parish, but tribe A is selfish and never liked tribe B in the first place. 

[yukonhorror]

my head is just bubbling with ideas. 

In order for the tribe to trust the player (or whatever) he has to get the very nasty princess to marry the very picky shaman (or whatever).  So he has to set up a shower or bath, he has to find the shampoo to get her hair nice, he has to concoct a perfume from the flowers, he has to make a bra to make her breasts more attractive, etc... You get the point.

[InCreator]

Jesus.  :o
Maybe we scrap design contest idea, and just make an ultimate team game?
Let's say, in 3 months?

[Questionable]

Yukon:

In my research, I've found that these small islands are not inhabited by natives. There's just no eco system to support them. Any island that has "natives" usually has a modern settlement as well, meaning that it's a simple matter of finding out where it is.

It's must more likely that if you were to run across anyone it would be pirates, political guerillas or poachers. All of whom are very dangerous, though not very common.

Plus, having a small time limit means that creating a complex tribal trust system, and story line means MORE characters, MORE animations, MORE backgrounds, etc...

Having one guy alone on a boa, then later an island means a total of about three gameplay background and one sprite. Maybe more for cutscenes. Simple is good and it doesn't get anymore simple than one man trying to survive.

As far as the puzzles. Mountain lions and bears aren't going to be on a small tropical key. Scorpions, poison snakes and agressive crabs are, however.

I've outlined some plot elements that I hope to share with the writer, whomever that may be, and one of which is that during the storm a fork of heat lightening breaks the mast, this is the only effective way to disable the functionality of a Bermuda Sloop. There are two sails, you can't lose TWO sails. You can however lose the one mast they're connected to. The size of these ships vary, but on a personal vessel that can be manned by three or fewer people, space and simplcity is a premium so they will have a small cabin at most.

I like the idea of him trying to set up an alarm system, or some sort of barricade to protect himself, but for the most part I think that building a survival game and pulling it off with informed knowledge and doing so well is going to be a nice game to sink into. If the contest was about innovation and we had more time than I would be all over a trust system, tribal politics, branching story lines, but with little more than two weeks to pull this off I think we need to focus on simplicity.

Keep those creative juices flowing! I need more ideas from you, you're about the most active guy on this post so far.

[InCreator]

Skip the breaking masts:
Getting washed overboard is enough misfortune for a human being. Why make it complex?

[yukonhorror]

But are we trying to be totally within the realm of reality, or no?  Not that I would call it fantasy, but having elements that aren't 100% realistic aren't too awful, I think they spark the imagination.  I am not saying have griffins and pixies and such, but surviving predators is a neat aspect of survival.  Outwitting them as it were. 

You could have it sort of a sick experiment by an even wealthier guy.  Maybe he has a submarine that could simulate them hitting a rock spire and it punctures their boat.  The wealthy guy owns the island and uses it to test people's survival skills.  Sort of cliched concept of rich guy hunts people.  But this isn't apparent at first.  Obviously some bits of survival are natural, but the wealthy guy incorporates artificial dangers too.

As a puzzle, there is a small patch of land surrounded by a tar pit, but the land has a large amount of fruits and vegetables (or something else that is desirable) and he has to build a sort of bridge. 

Also, with it just being survival, I have a hard time with where the climax enters in.  What, you go 7 days without dying and then the coast guard comes in?   Maybe make the survival an integral part of the game, but give the son clues (or a strong inkling) that his dad is on the island with him and alive.  So he has to use his wits and resources to cross that tar pit, climb that cliff, etc...  to reach him. 

Another thought about that, son purposefully goes looking for dad who he suspects was stranded on said island.  Twisted quirk of fate, nature lands him on the same island.  Clues emerge that tell the player, his father IS alive and on the very same island he is on (he finds his dad's pocket watch or something).  Obviously, the player doesn't know this at first.  This would obviously give the player reason to explore the island to the fullest to find his father. 

I think a simple yacht being overturned in a freak storm would suffice.  A harsh wind can easily tip over a boat if the sail is up. 

Obviously too late, but I just had a great idea for a game.  An adventure game based off of the great escape (the movie with Steve McQueen).  You play the role of scrounger, distractions, manufacturer, surveying, etc... 

As a side note, go ahead and run with these ideas (anyone).  A simple pm saying, hey I used your great escape idea is all I ask for. 

[Fee]

You might want to go through the thread and create a 48hour poll with all the better options listed.

Otherwise there will never be a decision either way, theres too many mixed ideas in here already

[fred]

It could be based on "The Narrative of Arthur Gordon Pym" by Edgar Allan Poe: It's about an ill-fated sea voyage, it has a fantastic ending and many traits that can be used in an adventure game setting, like strange symbols and riddles. Maybe it's a bit ambitious for one month, but it's still great inspiration, and describes many puzzles aboard a ship, like hiding from mutineers and staying alive below deck. The whole novel is available here:
The Narrative of Arthur Gordon Pym of Nantucket
Dont't be scared by the dull title - it's one of the most thrilling texts ever written

[Questionable]

I've read some good Poe and some bad Poe, but i've never seen this one so i'll check it out. We can at the very least use it as inspiration.

Time is up, we're working on a "trapped on an island" game. I'll post what I have of the story so far later this evening.

[Peder 🚀]

So where is it??

Is this still being made for the competition or?

[miguel]

It could be based on "The Narrative of Arthur Gordon Pym" by Edgar Allan Poe: It's about an ill-fated sea voyage, it has a fantastic ending and many traits that can be used in an adventure game setting, like strange symbols and riddles. Maybe it's a bit ambitious for one month, but it's still great inspiration, and describes many puzzles aboard a ship, like hiding from mutineers and staying alive below deck. The whole novel is available here:
The Narrative of Arthur Gordon Pym of Nantucket
Dont't be scared by the dull title - it's one of the most thrilling texts ever written

I've read that book some years ago, the edition  came with another story (Gogol's "The nose"), and I think it could work.
Not only the ending is of the fantastic nature but all of the story is set on a fantastic/surreal mood.
I remember skinny and tall characters and obese burgeon woman on grassy knolls (how good is that?).
But, IMO, I would go for Poe's Vampire texts instead of that one.

[Fee]

So i take it theres nothing happening here now?

Shame.