Highlander style game?
Author
I don''t know if something like this has been done before, but I was wondering if anyone has ever made a game that has spanned the centuries? What got me to thinking of it actually wasn''t the Highlander series, but actual a myth. The myth of the "eternal soldier".
The myth is that while Jesus was dying on the cross, a Roman solider got tired of waiting for him to die, so he stabbed Jesus between the ribs to make sure he was dead. According to the myth, this Roman soldier was cursed by God to live forever until Judgement day for his crime. There''s lots of variations on this story, and some say that he repented and tried to make up for his sin by being good. Some say that he sought after death, and would fight wherever he could, trying to deny the curse. Other legends say he is trying to bring about judgement day, just so that he can finally RIP.
But I thought it would make for an interesting storyline. You could play an immortal throughout the ages, and the goal of the game would be to....die. But the cool part would be fighting in different eras....from ancient melee battles, through the medieval period, up through the early guns, on to modern wepaons, and into sci-fi weapons.
this sounds pretty cool, although you''d have to flesh it out a hell of a lot more.
but the goal shouldn''t just be to die, since the player can quite easily do that in the first battle if they stand there and don''t attack. maybe they''d have to find some thing, or complete some quest, or SOMETHING, before they die.
but i like the concept
but the goal shouldn''t just be to die, since the player can quite easily do that in the first battle if they stand there and don''t attack. maybe they''d have to find some thing, or complete some quest, or SOMETHING, before they die.
but i like the concept
I agree with Krez. Death should never be your motive. Not only is it difficult to reconcile with game mechanics, wanting to die doesn''t resonate well with your target market.
Redemption and salvation are excellent motives, and ones you could easily lay out if you use NPC''s or scripted events properly. (Think System Shock II with angels and apochrypha.)
Just my two cents.
RomSteady - Able to leap off tall buildings in a single bound
Redemption and salvation are excellent motives, and ones you could easily lay out if you use NPC''s or scripted events properly. (Think System Shock II with angels and apochrypha.)
Just my two cents.
RomSteady - Able to leap off tall buildings in a single bound
Author
well, the thing is...he can''t really die. That''s actually the hard part. Bullets may rip through his body, but he''ll heal very quickly. Even outright blowing up his body won''t work as he''ll mysteriously get resurrected like a phoenix.
That''s actually the game balancing problem there. Since how do you stop a player from just rushing in and blowing things up left and right with no impunity? I think the trick is that if you go after the redemption angle, then he has to save something within a certain alloted timespan....sorta like the TV show Quantum Leap. If he just tries to kill the bad guys with no discrimination, then his target may die. So the fear doesn''t come from dying, it comes from not being able to complete his mission and being cursed forever.
Believe it or not, that was an inspiration for the idea too. I liked the end episode which made you think.....was that Bartender really God? Was God making Al jump from person to person?
I know religious tones draw a fine line in this country...some people want absolutely nothing to do with it, and others are intrigued by it. But I think there''s a way to make it very "agnostic" per se, and not couch the details in one specfic religion.
That''s actually the game balancing problem there. Since how do you stop a player from just rushing in and blowing things up left and right with no impunity? I think the trick is that if you go after the redemption angle, then he has to save something within a certain alloted timespan....sorta like the TV show Quantum Leap. If he just tries to kill the bad guys with no discrimination, then his target may die. So the fear doesn''t come from dying, it comes from not being able to complete his mission and being cursed forever.
Believe it or not, that was an inspiration for the idea too. I liked the end episode which made you think.....was that Bartender really God? Was God making Al jump from person to person?
I know religious tones draw a fine line in this country...some people want absolutely nothing to do with it, and others are intrigued by it. But I think there''s a way to make it very "agnostic" per se, and not couch the details in one specfic religion.
Maybe you should try chopping that kinda game into parts, so you don''t over load yourself trying to code in a bunch of different things. Each era would drastically change the game''s engine. So maybe you should split it up into various ages the same way Empire Earth did (Atomic Age: WW2-Modern, Nano Age: Futurisitc). The only difference is that each age would be a new game. Maybe go for a trilogy.
Bleu Shift - www.bleushift.tk
Bleu Shift - www.bleushift.tk
I was thinking some time ago how cool it would be to make a Highlander game. The play mechanics were totally different from what you are talking about.
Basically since it is a "Highlander" game, the ultimate goal is to be the final immortal (remember there can be only one). I envisioned a 3rd person perspective / 3d game where you travel the globe hunting the other immortals. When are close to another immortal you would get that "sensation" (maybe the screen blurs in and out or whatever) and you could whip out your sword and have at it.
Anyway, it would end up being a hybrid action/adventure game with a clear goal, hunt down all immortals (sort of non-linear as you can go after them in any order, although you would be best to go from weakest to strongest).
Would be a blast to play I think. Of course that pesky licence would get in the way..;-)
Basically since it is a "Highlander" game, the ultimate goal is to be the final immortal (remember there can be only one). I envisioned a 3rd person perspective / 3d game where you travel the globe hunting the other immortals. When are close to another immortal you would get that "sensation" (maybe the screen blurs in and out or whatever) and you could whip out your sword and have at it.
Anyway, it would end up being a hybrid action/adventure game with a clear goal, hunt down all immortals (sort of non-linear as you can go after them in any order, although you would be best to go from weakest to strongest).
Would be a blast to play I think. Of course that pesky licence would get in the way..;-)
Dauntless,
That is an excellent idea for a game. You should really have a go at it and I would suggest a 3d-person view.
I like the redemption aspect during battles, where the player has to save someone.
However, it looks like this is mostly a linear, story driven plot. Personally, I don''t have a problem with linear stories. But, it seems lots of people, nowadays, like multiple paths (non-linear).
Jason Arora
jason@pubism.com
http://www.pubism.com
That is an excellent idea for a game. You should really have a go at it and I would suggest a 3d-person view.
I like the redemption aspect during battles, where the player has to save someone.
However, it looks like this is mostly a linear, story driven plot. Personally, I don''t have a problem with linear stories. But, it seems lots of people, nowadays, like multiple paths (non-linear).
Jason Arora
jason@pubism.com
http://www.pubism.com
I agree with PSWind in making it more than one game. Making it all one game would take forever to code, not to mention all the different scenes that would have to be created, the items, etc... Now, since the main character cannot die, maybe make it so that everytime they are hit they move a little slower or something else that hinders the character in some way other than death. I do think that this could be a cool game if it were to be made.
Just a heads up on your idea. While I think it is pretty interesting, it bears a certain similarity to the basic premise of Planescape: Torment (i.e. main character cannot die, must find a way to allow himself to die, and so on...). At the very least, I suggest you play it so that you not only get to look at a very good and interesting game, but also so that you know what has been done and avoid cliches of one sort or another.
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The wind shear alone from a pink golfball can take the head off a 90-pound midget from 300 yards.
-Six String Samurai
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The wind shear alone from a pink golfball can take the head off a 90-pound midget from 300 yards.
-Six String Samurai
Hmm. A couple of ideas for you.
1) Capture. Sure, you can''t die, but life is really going to suck if a family decides to hold you captive for a few generations. Especially since they don''t have to feed you or anything. Read the first story arc of the Sandman.
2) Hunted Immortal. Alchemists and scientists would be hunting for this individual to try to figure out what makes him tick. This could be an almost horrific aspect (vivisection, anyone), or a source of antagonists.
3) Killing is counterproductive. Part of the curse could be that the heros life span is increased everytime he kills. The life force escapes into the hero, or whatever. So, just lead a peaceful life for a few millenia, and everythings allright, right? Should work well with the hunted (you could *not* kill, but life would be even more horrid) and the redemption angle - the quest for redemption could lead the hero directly into conflict.
1) Capture. Sure, you can''t die, but life is really going to suck if a family decides to hold you captive for a few generations. Especially since they don''t have to feed you or anything. Read the first story arc of the Sandman.
2) Hunted Immortal. Alchemists and scientists would be hunting for this individual to try to figure out what makes him tick. This could be an almost horrific aspect (vivisection, anyone), or a source of antagonists.
3) Killing is counterproductive. Part of the curse could be that the heros life span is increased everytime he kills. The life force escapes into the hero, or whatever. So, just lead a peaceful life for a few millenia, and everythings allright, right? Should work well with the hunted (you could *not* kill, but life would be even more horrid) and the redemption angle - the quest for redemption could lead the hero directly into conflict.
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