I've recently come up with a concept for a multiplayer game and I'd like to get some feedback on it.
The game is a top down shooter, controlled like Alien Swarm or Walkover and respawning players shoot each other for points. The twist: Everybody's invisible.
Since you're normally invisible you're usually save. But to score points you have to show yourself. Here are some ways of encouraging the player to show himself that I thought of:
- Shooting makes you visible for a short time
- Collecting items makes you visible, too, or at least everybody sees the items vanish
- You may be forced to walk through water in order to avoid making a detour, creating ripples and splashes that give away your position
- There could be powerups like a splash of paint that makes people walking through it leave footprints or traps that release smoke when someone walks through them
- Some items may simply reward points, forcing players to become visible if they want additional score
- Gamemode: King of the Hill, where you need to carry a crown or something to score points but are permanently visible while carrying it
- Gamemode: Capture the Flag, where you're visible while carrying a flag (Teammates see each other)
- Players that are close to death might leave blood traces - that would make hurt players an easy target. Is that desirable?
Items I've thought of so far:
- For the beginning there should be only one weapon, with the possibility to add more later. It has limited ammo though, so you need to pickup more.
- Healthpacks
- The two powerups I mentioned earlier, paint and smoke traps.
- The score pickups, as well as the game mode related pickups (crown/flag)
What do you think of the concept? I believe it could be fun. Can you think of ways to enhance it? More items or ways to become visible?
In case you're wondering: I'm planning to do this using the Unreal Development Kit, I've wanted to take a look at that for some time now.
So long,
Mr. Wonko
