Non-Everyday Game Ideas

[ZeHa]

Hello!

I think it's time to discuss some game ideas that aren't too common, and discuss something about how to find some cool ideas for yourself.

I'll start with presenting a game that I always loved - Park Patrol
It was actually one of the first games I ever played (I was perhaps 5 years old and can't remember if my first game was Park Patrol or Wizard of Wor). And it's setting / concept is something very unique :)

In Park Patrol, you're a park ranger who can drive around the park in a boat, and also roam around on the land. Your main job is to collect all the litter (cola cans and bottles), but you also have to rescue swimmers if they are about to drown (which can be quite often :D ).

It has got very cute graphics which you could describe as perfect-in-the-whole, especially for the time (1984). The gameplay is so cool, in water you can hit trunks, which makes you fly out of your boat, you can hit snakes, which you can scare off by throwing stones into the water, you can collide with swimmers that DON'T yell for help, making you also drown; on the land you can be killed by turtles (which I always thought to resemble crabs), or you can sink in mud. To get energy, you have to go inside a bathing house (which has - watch it! - a very clever 3D effect when you pass along the way). It's sometimes tricky to leave and re-enter your boat (you have to do some good work in jumping here), but after some practice you'll get along. If swimmers are yelling for help, the word blinks and you even hear a sound that imitates it very well ;), and remember that the whole level scrolls through, so you shouldn't need to be turning back (except if a swimmer is yelling and it's shorter to change the direction). If you walk around on the land, you can jump over the turtles, while pressing the button in the boat results in throwing a stone - except if you're right by the land, then you'll jump out. Actually a clever usage of ONE button for three different actions.

Here's a link to it: http://www.lemon64.com/games/details.php?ID=1892

In some way, it's repetitive of course. But it's replayable, since the gameplay is so rich, compared to its simple arcady style. And it's got the typical "just one more try"-factor.

I think it's a perfect example for a game that is simple, enjoyable, cute, arcady, but also very unusual in its overall concept - but without being too abstract or complicated!
Everyone can think of an alien shooter or some Mario clone - but who creates a game with a park ranger who collects bottles and rescues swimmers?

Let's talk about some existing unique games, or find some new ideas! And let's find ways of inspiration to get some fresh ideas for ourselves! Perhaps this kind of topic is also some inspiration for the bloggers ;)

[PoV]

Potty Pigeon (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Potty_Pigeon), another C64 game (at least I played it on the C64). It's 2D "Defender" like game, where you fly around and poop on cars (i.e. your attack always goes down). As you progress through the game, more things enter the level besides the cars, in much the same way as Frogger. I have fond memories of this game because it's concept is so absurd. :D

Lemon: http://www.lemon64.com/games/details.php?ID=1981

[electronicStar]

It has got very cute graphics which you could describe as perfect-in-the-whole, especially for the time (1984).
You are right those games are perfectly sized for their medium and it's a proof that you can have a good game in less than 64 kbytes.
I even find the graphics of potty pigeon more artistically pleasant to watch than some modern full colour 3D games.
This should definitely be a lesson and incite us to think about representation and games.

[cliffski]

Check this one out:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pyjamarama

This was the first game I played as a kid that made me think "wtf?" I still didn't know what on earth was going on until I just read this at wikipedia:

"in his sleep, Wally's consciousness travels around his home, and other places, wearing his pyjamas, in search for the key to rewind the alarm clock and wake himself up."

twas a classic game.

[Tom Cain]

This (http://www.lemon64.com/?game_id=971) still makes me think "wtf?"

[Jesse Hopkins]

You know what still makes me go WTF?

LOAD"*",8,1

[PoV]

This (http://www.lemon64.com/?game_id=971) still makes me think "wtf?"
Aww shoot, you beat me to it. I played it a couple weekends ago. I was only able to get 97% a real person.

[Jesse Hopkins]

There was a game called "Nexus" for commodore 64. It made absolutely no sense and was completely unplayable, but the graphics were pretty good. So I kept trying but to no avail. I don't see it online anywhere.

[ZeHa]

http://www.gamebase64.com/game.php?id=5198&d=18&h=0

I don't know if this is the correct one, but maybe ;)

[Artinum]

I have three suggestions for unusual games:

It's begat a whole genre of its own now, but Lemmings was pretty unusual when it first appeared. They never really improved on the first one - just added new stuff to it, which isn't the same. It made a change to try and prevent the death of hordes of little critters.

One game I remember on my Amiga is "Tower of Babel", a bizarre game in which you control three robot spiders in a series of 3D puzzles. One has a laser cannon and is called Zapper. One has a tractor beam and is called Pusher. The third collects their energy crystals, klondikes, and operates a range of machines. This spider is called Grabber. There were very few 3D games on the Amiga so I'm surprised this one didn't get more attention than it did.

And thirdly, a game I never owned but only saw played by others - The Seventh Guest. I've never seen any game quite like that one before or since.

[ZeHa]

Tower of Babel really looks interesting, I think I'll check that a little bit further out ;)

Lemmings indeed is a superb game, I think it's closest to some Pipelining-genre, where you have to define a path, but you're right, it's really a genre of its own.
Worms is similar: it's a very huge step from the old artillery/tanks/gorillas games, and up to today it remains somehow a genre of its own, and it wasn't even tried to be replaced by some wannabe-clones (at least not in a professional manner).

And there's another, VERY unique game, that comes to my mind: Stroker 64 ;)

[ZeHa]

Only recently, I also discovered some nice game, yet I don't know how to play it correctly. It's called "Arac" (your talk about the spiderbots reminded me of it).

http://www.lemon64.com/games/details.php?ID=128

You control a cool robot that can get spider-legs, and then he's able to also walk on the roof - really cool. You can jump to the top and then walk up there, and jump back down again (a little bit like in the second stage of Gunstar Heroes). And you have to catch some weird animals by throwing a net onto them.

As I said, I don't know how to play it, but just the "toying around" pleased me, I also tried to explore it and find out what's the object of the game (without success till now :D ), just like in the old days ;)


EDIT: Sorry to spam around ;) but has anyone of you ever tried "Dino Eggs"? That's also very cool, you do some time warps back into prehistoric ages and you have to hatch dinosaur eggs and then cage the baby dinos in. Sometimes there's a HUGE dinosaur foot coming from up above (with the accompaning text "dino mom coming...."), and you have to start a fire to avoid this. If you die, you morph into a spider (seems like all the good games have spiders in them :D ) and crawl around until the game over screen appears.

I also never really got the object of it, but I had the game back when I was a kid and I spent days in just toying around and trying to explore the game.

http://www.lemon64.com/games/details.php?ID=726

[Jesse Hopkins]

http://www.gamebase64.com/game.php?id=5198&d=18&h=0

I don't know if this is the correct one, but maybe ;)


That's Nexus! I am so confused by this game. If anyone can get anywhere in it, you are a genius.

[ZeHa]

Does anybody here remember "Redneck Rampage"?
It's also a very special and definitely NOT an "everyday" game idea ;)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Redneck_rampage

One very important thing about this: it's a commercial game, but today, there seem to be no commercial games that contain funny themes. Mostly they are pretty serious (of course this also has to do with everything being so "realistic"), and no one would do such a funny game again. Seems like Duke Nukem Forever is our last hope to bring back the humour to games ;)

[sound app]

Hello!

Let's talk about some existing unique games, or find some new ideas! And let's find ways of inspiration to get some fresh ideas for ourselves!

well, in new games, you have the hilarious and very healthy and unpolitically correct "I Am Jesus" which was launched a few days ago by Reinhardius.


http://forums.indiegamer.com/showthread.php?t=10710

[Sol_HSA]

And thirdly, a game I never owned but only saw played by others - The Seventh Guest. I've never seen any game quite like that one before or since.

Except, of course, The 11th hour (http://www.mobygames.com/game/11th-hour), and The 7th guest part III: the collector (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_7th_Guest_Part_III:_The_Collector). I've never played any of the three games though.

[V_Sama]

I'm actually working on an interesting take on American Gridiron Football. It's set in a highschool setting.

Here's the link: http://allegro.cc/forums/thread/591676/678698#target

I've got faith in the product and I think it could start a whole new subgenre of sports games.

[Qitsune]

Except, of course, The 11th hour (http://www.mobygames.com/game/11th-hour), and The 7th guest part III: the collector (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_7th_Guest_Part_III:_The_Collector). I've never played any of the three games though.

Is it anything like the 7cd-long Phantasmagoria?

[Artinum]

I had a dream about a game based on ABC's "Lost". It featured all the main characters and a number of nobodies and they all had their special skills. You'd then explore the island, encounter monsters and the Others, and your aim was to (1) establish a surviving community (water, food, etc) and (2) solve the mystery and escape.

Details are sketchy - I seldom remember my dreams at all. Anyone pitching this idea to ABC could make a ton of money... just mention me in the credits and chuck me a free copy!

[LilGames]

sounds like Virtual Villagers

[electronicStar]

Sounds like another idea (http://forums.indiegamer.com/showthread.php?t=9655) (check the whole thread).

[Artinum]

Gosh. Some ideas just keep coming up, I suppose!

[Techdojo]

There was a game called "Nexus" for commodore 64. It made absolutely no sense and was completely unplayable, but the graphics were pretty good. So I kept trying but to no avail. I don't see it online anywhere.

I remember that - I think there was a pre-release version doing the rounds on C90 cassettes and 5 1/4" floppies with a hole nibbled in the side :)

I don't recall there being any gameplay in there, but it looked good.

FWIW - I think going back over all the old C64 and Spectrum games will provide a wealth of fresh new ideas for casual games, it's a veritable goldmine waiting to be ravaged... :)

Jon...

[Videogame Biscuit]

Check this one out:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pyjamarama

This was the first game I played as a kid that made me think "wtf?" I still didn't know what on earth was going on until I just read this at wikipedia:

"in his sleep, Wally's consciousness travels around his home, and other places, wearing his pyjamas, in search for the key to rewind the alarm clock and wake himself up."

twas a classic game.

Ah, yes, one of the most original games ever made! It took quite a while before I figured out how it worked (I never had any documentation of the games on my C64). The puzzles were so brilliant! Even after I figured out what I had to do, it took me months to beat the game.

[bdoskocil]

The first game I remember playing to death was Executive Suite (http://www.the-underdogs.info/game.php?id=384).
It was text-based, and you had to make good business decisions in the different scenarios you were given. If you did well enough you made it to the titular office.

Also, Below the Root (http://www.the-underdogs.info/game.php?id=113):
It's an unusual adventure game. Jumping and gliding around huge trees, talking to people, going on dream-quests, mind-melding with monkeys and bunnies for strength. It was actually kind of scary going through the underground caves at the end of the game. Pretty weird, but cool. I thought it was a very compelling game world.

[ZeHa]

I want to mention Der Clou, the english title was "The Clue". It's a game very similar to "They Stole A Million", which some of you might now from the old C64 days. Der Clou is a little bit more graphical advanced, but essentially, the game idea is the same: You observe different buildings, then you gather some people and make a plan on how to get in and steal all the stuff ;)
The cool thing is that you actually plan how your dudes walk around. You plan it with the first one, then take the second one and while you're planning his movements, you see the first one already acting. That's very cool ;) and after you've finished planning, you start your robbery. You then watch your recordings, but the police may arrive very quickly. But then again, you can also turn off alerts during your planning, given that you have the right people with you.

It's a really interesting idea and it was very much fun. One thing I didn't like, though, was that it seemed to me very linear. I often had the feeling that there's only "one" solution how to do it right and succeed. Which people you choose, which object you rob first, which car you buy, etc etc. And this got me very mad because I didn't actually get very far in the game. It should have been at least a little more balanced and - if it really WAS linear - offer a little more freedom.

There was also a part two (in English it was titled "The Sting"), but I never played it. Perhaps I'll try it someday...

[Spiegel]

Well I've got a couple of them that still bring tears to my eyes...

the first game I ever played... for years I wanted to deliver trash...why is it uncommon? YOU ARE A TRASHMAN!!!
Trashman (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trashman_(computer_game))

Best fighting game I ever seen, why is it uncommon? theres three guys punching around all the time... it was fun all the way...
Exploding Fist+ (http://www.thelegacy.de/Museum/4913/)

The game that made me loose lots of hours... Lots of strategy and combat... this was depth in one game...why is it uncommon? Just check it out... A carrier that makes plains, tanks, has to colonize islands to battle... just beautiful...Its still my choice for THE best strategy/building/concept game ever made...
Carrier Command (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carrier_Command)

Last decade... the best game ever made ... RPG, action, strategy, simulation...why is it uncommon? No words needed...
X-COm: Ufo Defense (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/X-COM)


If you want some "NEW" ideas check this out...
Your Sinclair official top 100 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Your_Sinclair_official_top_100)

[tagged]

The Sting, yes that was a pretty decent game indeed. I quite enjoyed it, but stopped playing after only a few levels. I believe it was bugs or a lack of overall polish to the game, something didn't feel right. If I remember at most points it did feel like only one option was viable.

[moose6912]

Well I've got a couple of them that still bring tears to
Last decade... the best game ever made ... RPG, action, strategy, simulation...why is it uncommon? No words needed...
X-COm: Ufo Defense (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/X-COM)
[/URL]

That is an absolute classic. In a similar vein, I loved Jagged Alliance 2 because of all the quirky characters.