Stupid Idea, or Brilliant?

[JackSlack]

Hey, so here's a weird thought I had.

Release a game with a very archetypal, bold storyline. Say, save NYC from aliens. Sounds about right. You load it up, it's a FPS. Maybe 4-5 hours long, just nice and short and punchy. Make it the best FPS you can with that basic storyline.

Then you finish it, and it unlocks the replay. Same basic storyline, but this time it's an RTS. You reuse graphical elements, sound bites, etc. But the overall design has been done from the ground up for RTS elements -- it doesn't reuse maps, or even the particulars of the story. (eg. In the first, you'd be a lone soldier, your squad dying early on. In the second, you'd have a squad the whole way through.)

Third time, it's an RPG with branching storyline, more emphasis on dialogue, etc.

You get the idea. The notion is to explore how game-genre affects storytelling, and let players understand this as well.

What do you guys think?

[Sinthesys]

Won't work for the same reasons we aren't driving car/boat/planes everywhere. Too much effort, too much cost; not practical.
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[Gamesta]

Also not everyone likes all the game genre's.I RARELY play RTS games so I probably wouldn't buy the game because of it having RTS gameplay.Or if it had driving gameplay like GT (I know you don't mention that) I would refuse to play the game because simulation driving isn't my thing.
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[MaTBoY]

In theory it's a great idea, explore the same scenario in different ways.

BUT in practice... who is going to develop 3 (almost) completely different games to sell for the price of one? I understand you've said it would be short, but still.... it's 3 games for the price of one.

maybe some indy studio could steal the idea and give it a go. I't s good spin.
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[Bronze]

Interesting concept (look up the game 'Half-Minute Hero' on PSP) but there's a few things I'd be concerned about.

Firstly, why bother with a stereotypical situation? Regardless of the gameplay, if there's not a compelling story driving it forward then I'd probably lose attention quickly. The last thing the world needs right now is another Halo clone.

Next up is the mish-mash of genres. Not everybody likes to indulge in FPS/RTS, or any other genre in particular. When I pick up a copy of Forza 3 off the shelf, I know I'm getting a racer. When I pick up a Zelda game, I know I'm getting an adventure/RPG. If this game has FPS, RTS, and RPG elements in equal measure, you're going to alienate a good portion of the gaming community that may not like one or more of those gameplay types. I'd personally stick it back on the shelf because I'm not a big fan of FPS nor RTS.

And lastly... Why wouldn't the developer concentrate on making a single gameplay type the best it can be instead of spreading itself thinly across genres? You'd risk turning the game into a sub-par mix of mini-games lacking depth (see: 'Disaster: Day of Crisis' on Wii). Unless they were an extremely talented team, it'd be very hard to pull off.

Kudos for the ambitious idea though!
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[Nietzsche]

Would be interesting if three developers create a world, story and intersecting gameplay across three games. Would cost a fortune, would probably be a niche thing but it would be one hell of a game. I could see a game approach this level in something like 20 years but until then you'll have to be happy with playing them separately.

[MaTBoY]

You could just play 3 or 4 games you like and pretend they tie together.

e.g. create liberty city in sim city
shoot everyone in 'your city' on gta
then rescue all the injured people in that rescue game on wii.


or not
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[Aussie XP]

thats actually a really intriguing idea. If they kept the game short, 4-5 hours as you say, It would be very interesting to play through it in 3 different styles. I would definetely buy that, but I can't see it being very appealing to the casual gamer, which would be the main reason detering any devs from attempting it I would think.

Still, a very interesting concept.
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[JackSlack]

I'm deeply amused that the voting, currently, is:

Stupid: 2
Dumb: 4
Neither: 5
Smart: 4
Brilliant: 2

Heh.

[Azza]

What if you had a multiplayer aspect for each gametype? (RTS mode, FPS mode and RTS mode, for example) That would be somewhat rad.
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[pom013]

While it is a nice idea in theory, wouldn't the end result be a bit jack of all trades master of none... wouldnt this game be spore?

[JackSlack]

Pom, no. Spore's idea was a developing story using different game modes. The idea here is to retell one story using the different game modes, letting players see how the different genre affects the way the story is told.

I'm beginning to think it's not a bad idea for an indy project, released episodically, but a poor idea for a commercial release.

[pom013]

I understand you want different game modes to tell the same story, my point with spore is that it implimented multiple game modes but none of them where really done well. I think the same problem would arise in this situation as you either have to; Water down each game mode for mass market appeal and accesibility OR do each game mode properly and only appeal to the hardcore market who enjoy FPS and RTS and RPG.

If it was going to work though, i would have to agree that an indie developer doing an epesodic release had the best chance of success.

[the_spensa]

[jesta]

Publish the game separately in the different genres? That would be cool, especially if all the games interlocked with story and missions... something like time splitters only you're not doing every part for the same mission.

[MaTBoY]

Get Tarantino and a budget involved and you could blow peoples brains across the rear window of a car!

I was thinking more about this in the car and if somone actually pulled something like this, with different angles of the same events, and each part of the game affecting others it could be an awesome story.


e.g.
RTS (The general) determines where the FPS mission runs
FPS (The soldier) can destroy parts of the level which would change the strategy guy.
RPG (The bystander) has to make do with the outcome of the events.
Hell, you could even have a car game in between that determines if the acting roles get there on time.

endless possibilities. Pulp Gaming is born!
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[JackSlack]

As a sidenote, as the voting stands the opinion is... eh, kinda dumb. Which is cool. I knew it was a weird idea.

[Nietzsche]

Would be crazy awesome if every part is like 10 minutes. It begins as a Ace Combat type game where you are called in to stop an alien invasion Independence Day style. When you get shot down which is a certainty you parachute down and it turns into a FPS as you try to survive the invasion on the ground. You make it to a mall where you shelter from the aliens and it turns into a RPG where you have to convince the people to rise up with you. The aliens try to storm the mall and using the people you convinced it turns into a Tower Defence game. After repelling the aliens you get contacted by the military and it turns into a RTS as you try to take the city back. After a bit the aliens strike the mall again and it turns into a Tower defence game where you try to evacuate everyone. When they get to you it turns into a FPS again and you tell the military to bomb the city as you run around town evacuating people and killing as much aliens as possible. You reach the main evacuation site where you get onto a tank and escort everyone to the airport. There you get everyone onto the plane and you fly everyone out as the bomb goes off. The game is a sure loss but depending on your actions you can save most of the city and kill every alien or fail completely in which the survive the bomb and conquer earth.

[ANDYBALLINA]

^....That sounds pretty cool.
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