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Musings about a flying superhero VR game

Discussion in 'Game Design' started by JoeStrout, Apr 22, 2020.

  1. JoeStrout

    JoeStrout

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    I was just playing around with a little VR demo in which you could interact with a variety of gadgets and gizmos, including a couple of hand jets that let you fly. And I discovered that this is super fun, especially weaving in and out among the tall buildings.

    So now I'm pondering some sort of Metropolitan Flying Guy (MFG) ™️ superhero game. Your superpower is that you can fly, and maybe this isn't really a superpower at all, but just technology that (almost) nobody else has. And directing your flight with your hands is really intuitive and makes you really nimble, so you can very quickly weave around buildings, dive through small spaces, etc.

    That's a mechanic. How do we turn it into a game?

    The first thought is to take a page from the Spider-Man games, which are basically mission-driven. There's a main story line, composed of a series of missions with a proper wiggly interest curve. Then there are a whole slew of side missions: pizza delivery, photo shoots, car chases, etc. The latest game even has a pigeon-catching mission type (though I have never managed to actually catch one — but I bet I could if I could fly!). And, of course, bad guys to beat up.

    That last one gives me pause. I've never seen combat in VR that's anywhere near superhero level. Punching somebody isn't very satisfying, since you can't feel the impact. So lots of VR games rely on shooting, but that's not very heroic, is it? I suppose we could give our hero a taser. But how do you make a fight last a satisfying amount of time with a taser?

    Or we could go off-the-wall... maybe you're a super flying ghost catcher? Now your bad guys can be a variety of ectoplasmic critters, and most of them can fly and lead you on a merry chase. And you would shoot them with various beams to wear them down until you can trap them.

    What other ideas can you think of to make this basic nimble-personal-flight mechanic into a fun game?
     
  2. EternalAmbiguity

    EternalAmbiguity

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  3. JoeStrout

    JoeStrout

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    Thank you, that's an interesting comparable. But we're not out to make Iron Man, nor Superman, nor Megaton Rainfall. All great games. May as well add Spider-Man to the list, as that has similarities too.

    Is there an angle on the flying-around-the-city guy that doesn't involve beating up bad guys?
     
  4. EternalAmbiguity

    EternalAmbiguity

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    Delivery service seems obvious. Maybe during a quarantine :p

    You could lean into the pizza thing, and have packages of varying fragility with different requirements for how they're carried/affect your movement.
     
    Last edited: Apr 22, 2020
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  5. kdgalla

    kdgalla

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    Just as long as you don't make the goal of the game to fly through a series of rings. You don't want your game to be compared with Superman 64. :p
     
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  6. BrandyStarbrite

    BrandyStarbrite

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    Or the Aqua man game.:p
     
  7. angrypenguin

    angrypenguin

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    Racing immediately comes to mind.

    As a twist on the delivery service idea, it could also be about finding and/or chasing things. For instance, consider the "Snitch" in Harry Potter's Quiddich.

    And that gets me thinking of Rocket League and the general direction of super powered sports.

    You could also go in the direction of performing stunts, or generally just having more and more challenging courses to fly through.
     
    JoeStrout likes this.
  8. newjerseyrunner

    newjerseyrunner

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    I actually play a game called Rush a lot. It’s pretty much a good version of that, but with a wingsuit down some gorgeous mountains.

    Actually, since I play that so much I can give you some pointers of things to avoid. 1) Twisting too much or too fast can get dizzying, so allow yourself player to bank, but rolling would be too much. 2) Sudden deceleration feels bad. I’m not sure why but I have a theory that it’s because of my eyes see me decelerate my braid expect my brain to. I don’t feel it during the initial acceleration, but it might be there and hidden by the fact that the first ten seconds turn you vertical. Pulling the chute at the end of the run always makes my stomach churn.
     
    Last edited: Oct 2, 2020
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  9. BrandyStarbrite

    BrandyStarbrite

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    @JoeStrout
    Check out a game called Cloud. It's about a boy with asthma in a hospital, who dreams about flying in the sky. The gameplay might help you with making your game.
     
  10. Not_Sure

    Not_Sure

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    Okay, I’ll say it, I HATE the idea of a taser.

    If I’m playing a super hero game, especially a VR game, I want to pick up cars and throw them. Rip lamp posts up and swing them. Slam into the ground to do the super hero landing, making shock waves. Grab man hole covers and throw them like a frisbee, pinning bad guys to walls.

    Also, if you are flying around you ABSOLUTELY have have a fidget mechanic when you are flying.

    I suggest a boost that recharges.

    Flying towards a building at static pace? Bore me to tears and take away all the charm.

    Periodically boost to extreme speeds while the camera shakes, and hit the sound barrier? Sign me up.

    EDIT: and a few other rid-bits:

    -You absolutely have to make civilians a key feature. I’d have them notice you and crowd around causing problems, then run in terror when poop hits the fan.

    -I also think giving the hero a sonic clap would be great. Have them slap their hands together, creating a shockwave to stun enemies and civilians.

    -I’d also have civilian casualties result in the military coming after you, creating a slippery slope of them coming after you, resulting in more innocent deaths, resulting in more military.
     
    Last edited: Oct 24, 2020
  11. newjerseyrunner

    newjerseyrunner

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    I would make sure you test any kind of boost mechanic with a wide audience first though. Like I said, personally, speed doesn’t bother me, but acceleration does.
     
  12. Not_Sure

    Not_Sure

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    VR does make things tricky, but you definitely need some orientation of movement. Be it wind lines, or a whole lot of clouds.
     
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  13. Not_Sure

    Not_Sure

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    If you are set on not doing combat, I would suggest live organs.

    Or do the complete opposite and have the player little more than a bike messenger with menial items, but juxtaposed to the insanity of the method of doing it. Think Crazy Taxi.

    “Here’s your pizza.”

    “Bout time!”

    *Building on fire and crumbling in the background. Sirens.

    a very muffled “OH MY GOD! MY HUSBAND IS DEAD!” in the distance.
     
    Last edited: Oct 24, 2020