Military theme, violence, etc.

[mot]

I'm thinking about making a game with a military theme. Not completely serious in its nature (almost cartoonish actually) but it would definitely contain some violence (there will be no blood of course, but shooting, explosions, yes).

I have many ideas for the game and I'm pretty sure I could execute it well, but I'm not so sure about whether or not the violence could stop people from buying it... any ideas, experience?

[mahlzeit]

Which people will you be trying to sell the game to?

[mot]

I'd target people who used to play RTSs but don't have the time anymore to play three hours at a time. They still want to play something slightly more complicated than a breakout or puzzle game. 10 minutes per mission max, a mix between arcade and RTS. Remember Cannon Fodder?

[mahlzeit]

I don't think anyone who enjoyed playing Cannon Fodder or the typical RTS has any problem with violence in games. Not every game has to be cute, sugar-coated, family-friendly fun, you know. ;)

[Robert Cummings]

I have many ideas for the game and I'm pretty sure I could execute it well, but I'm not so sure about whether or not the violence could stop people from buying it... any ideas, experience?Tom and Jerry. Road Runner. Star wars.

All universal for all ages. Packed with violence though :D

[baegsi]

(there will be no blood of course, but shooting, explosions, yes).
A game with shooting and explosions??? Holy crap! I am going to sue you, because I now feel like running on the street and going beserk :-)

Sorry, couldn't resist.

As said, depends on your target audience, but violence has probably been the most successful theme of video games. So: don't worry, make some real nice explosions instead.

[itero]

I remember Army Men, where player controls small plastic soldiers. There you can see explosions, fire, violent battles. But there is no blood, only melting plastic.

[mot]

Thanks for the feedback, everybody! I'd better start working now.

[Midnight Synergy]

Popcap did Heavy Weapon - maybe something to look at.

[DanMarshall]

Hmmm. Well if a game has a "military theme", I'd think it'd be somewhat difficult to write it _without_ shooting and explosions...! Sounds to me like the violence is justified within the context of the game. Unless you're considering setting it in some sort of dystopian future where war had evolved to tickling each other with feathers and waving a sloppy poo on a stick at each other.

Look at Worms: cartoon, military theme. Explosions, shooting, but universally considered as nothing mut good lean fun.

[Bluecat]

Unless you're considering setting it in some sort of dystopian future where war had evolved to tickling each other with feathers and waving a sloppy poo on a stick at each other.

Now there's a game just waiting to be made.

[soniCron]

...I'm not so sure about whether or not the violence could stop people from buying it... any ideas, experience? Well, as long as you don't put a non-nude dry humping scene in it that has since been coded out and can only be exposed by an illegal third-party hack, you should be fine.