As I fill City's demo up with the final few touches before sending it off to a couple of testers, there's still an element that I have some uncertainty about.
In it's current form, the game feels to me like a sort of RPG without combat and stats, and while it has puzzles, I'd like to think it will eventually turn into a point and click game where most of the puzzles are optional.
This may leave one wondering about where the gameplay is. My plan is to have you fill the role of a newspaper journalist, who visits certain locations in the city and uncovers little stories to write about. I want to have it so that you may go to an area with perhaps 15 stories, but only really need to find out write about any 5 of them to continue the game further. Most of these will be small self contained stories, like sidequests in an RPG, but I am also deciding how I want to work it in so that some of the stories fit with a major story arc that runs as the game's main plot.
The thing that makes me uncertain now is whether I should implement a form of currency into the game and use it as a play mechanic. I've already had prompts asking you to confirm whether you really want to use your Omnicard (identification, keycard and account access in one card) when you go to use it on things that cost money - such as making a telephone call or buying a soda, and it's something that has been on my mind since I first started working on the game.
Rather than have all the items as one does in a point and click game, I want to have things that you can buy whenever you wish. Upgrades to your character (via "Neuro-Apps" - software that interfaces directly with the brain), items that you can use in the game world to help you in various ways, telephone calls to gain more information on something... I even really like the idea of being able to bribe characters.
Let's say you have a bouncer outside a nightclub and you wish to get in, but he refuses to allow it. Imagine if you could sneak around the back and break in through a window (dealing with certain consequences as a result), or do something for the guard to prove your worth (typical adventure game style) or simply spend some of the money that you've earned on bribing him. If you spend the money, you may not be able to get that neuro-app you wanted but you will then gain access to the club, which has more information to collect, perhaps unique items to buy/find...
It also allows for other similar choices - perhaps a store is selling something you want to buy, but it's very expensive. You could help the seller out with a problem of his and receive a discount on the item - effectively it's another job that earns you money, but in this case the choice of whether to do it is presented under a different guise, and rather than earning you money in general, it saves you money on one specific thing.
There are two problems I've foreseen with this so far. The first was "What if you run out of money and can't ride the train anywhere?" The two most satisfactory conclusions I came to was either 1. That's it, game over, sorry or 2. Make it so you don't need to pay to ride the train (I've invented a story relevant reason). I came up with other options as well; a friend showing up to help you out with a free train ticket (felt too... easy, I guess) and having a way for players to *always* make money in each location (felt too hard to implement), but so far I think I'm sticking with having a story reason for why train tickets don't cost money.
The other, and this is something I discussed in brief with qptain_Nemo, was... is money in this sort of game fun? Does it really add to the gameplay, or is it just another annoying thing you need to keep tabs on?
The more I think about it, the more hopeful I am that money can add another level of depth to the game, and not just depth, but another level of gameplay choice. To me, that sounds... if not fun, at least satisfying, for that's what I'm really aiming at. If I wanted games that were purely fun I'd be focusing on building reflex testing games - I'm aiming for something less compelling in that sense and more compelling in a story and interactivity sense, I guess.
For the moment, I guess I'll try working money into the demo and see how it goes. If it doesn't work, I doubt it'll be too much effort to strip it back out. I'm still not convinced of which way to go, but trying it out sounds like a good way to find out.
As ever, any feedback on the issue would be appreciated! I'm totally new to game design ideas like this, and the concept of focusing on gameplay that isn't just puzzles is not just fresh and exciting, but also a little daunting with the amount of scope that I can see in it.
Time to make a cup of tea and get back to coding and animation, anyway!
5 comments:
I avoided reading the former spoilery post, but, well, had to read this one. Glad I did, mind.
Now, I do believe the side-quest idea is pretty excellent. As for money, though I initially disliked the idea, the further I read on the more convinced I became. It ads after all both a realistic and an intuitive mechanic. Just make sure to avoid dead-ends. Oh, and I do believe it will be hell to code / debug. If you need help testing you know where to find me.
I've been thinking of doing a similar thing in a game of mine, where you have to aquire three objects for the next puzzle, and each object has three variations that vary in price. So you could buy the most expensive version of object A, but then you'd have to do with medium and cheap for object B and C. Or get the expensive versions of both A and B and then steal C.
Spreading that idea out throughout a whole game seems a little more difficuly, keeping tabs on how much money the player has at any point and all, but I think it lends a sense of depth to the game world, especially if it's semi-open like it sounds City is gonna be. It worked for Deus Ex, it'll work for you. :)
Gnome: I initially had my reservations about money as well, but the more I think about it, the more it makes sense.
In further discussion with qptain Nemo this morning, I solidified my belief that the player should never *have* to use money at any point to progress in the game. There should *always* be another option if you look hard enough, I think. However, if you choose to spend money then your ability to access more areas, info and the like increases.
As for coding/debugging, I've been keeping it as neat as possible and am actually a fairly picky coder, usually I try to have all bugs out before I send something off for testing. It's painstaking work to test every little aspect of the demo already, but I like to see my plans and code working harmoniously, so it's satisfying. I appreciate the offer of testing - I've got a couple of testers for now, but if I need more I will most definitely drop you a line!
TimH: Ah yes, that sounds similar in nature to what I want to do. As I mentioned before, I don't want to *force* the player to use money, but if you're stuck on what to do, it keeps the immersion more intact for me if you can simply bribe your way in. Deus Ex is a huge inspiration, so hopefully I can use that inspiration to put some of its greatness into my own little game.
I think that freedom of choice and non-linearity are the most interesting and exclusive mechanics that videogames have, so trying to do something with those possibilities is always a good idea in my book.
The "no money for train" situation, for example, presents a lot of interesting opportunities itself:
- You can try and ride it without paying - and then you might(or might not) get caught and get to a new location(like a police station), where you'll be able to get some money.
- The character might say something like "geez, I guess I'll have to walk there" and might get into some special encounters (thugs in a dark alley, or someone can give him/her a lift).
Those examples are kind of funny in the sense that they reward the player(by presenting new locations and characters) for playing the game poorly. :D On the other hand, that means that you can't play the game wrong, and that sounds cool. :)
Anyway, can't wait to see what you'll come up with this time. Good luck!
Ah, those are good ideas! It reminds me almost of Planescape: Torment where one is rewarded for dying.
Interesting ideas, and they do represent the sort of thing I am trying to promote! Thanks for sharing :)
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