I’ve been documenting and mauling over quite a few ideas for a first game. For a bit of background, I’m currently in the process of starting my own development team, Teranym Game Labs. I want to focus on creating a series of experiences that all exist within the same universe - as I’ve already written a novel and have been compiling pages of documentation on the world itself.
Anywhorah, on to the idea:
Sky Pirates (name heavily TBD)
Players join the game as a Civilian on a floating island, and are first tasked with finding a Pirate Captain to become a pirate (first task dually acting as a simple movement and interaction tutorial). Once players find the Pirate Captain, they must complete a simple retrieve and return mission (acting as a simple combat tutorial) to earn their first few pieces of coin. Once done, the player will have enough to purchase an entry level ship or spend unwisely on cosmetics or weapons, they will level up and receive the entry-level pirate title, and be able to explore the world (tutorial completion).
The game would include a loose quest line, ever-evolving with updates, that would allow the player to experience the world without needing to rely on too much repetitive grind for levels or coin. Players would also be able to start Pirate Crews immediately upon completing the tutorial, though perks are allotted to those who either join at a lower level first or grind levels before starting one.
This is very much a skeleton of the idea, but I would love your input on this.
100% - i totally understood seconds before posting that this could be stolen. For me, though, if someone were to execute this idea exactly or better than how I have it in my brain, I’d honestly have to applaud them. Only thing I ask is they slide me that 1%
Once done, the player will have enough to purchase an entry level ship or spend unwisely on cosmetics or weapons, they will level up and receive the entry-level pirate title, and be able to explore the world (tutorial completion).
I know it’s not included here, but I greatly recommend other players to be present so the player wouldn’t feel too “lonely” or alone with npcs in the whole game, especially if they chose to spend on cosmetics.
If they do, they will probably spend like the first few hours grinding for cosmetics, which might make them think that’s all there is to the game: do quest to earn money
this is a super fair point. I do want the game to have a heavy focus on lore, and be quite playable/enjoyable as a single person experience. I’ve purposely left out a few details, but I think if this idea gets through the forum it’ll solve those lonely experience issue.
I would love your input also on other gameplay loops outside of “do quest, earn money”. What interests you, for example?
Well, a few Games you could take inspiration from are:
Mass Effect, the best part is:
The choices you do affect the ending result, meaning there’s more than one ending (even thought there’s only 6, could’ve been better) so I think if you add a system taht if I kill someone I will get a different ending but if I don’t another
Minecraft, the most notable thing is:
The sandbox system, being able to do whatever you want is so good
Survival Games, the survival part, not knowing if you will make it to the next day without dying is something I love!
Suspense, something I hate but taht I love, you know what I mean
Minecraft, the crafting system, being Abel to create things by combining things is very good
Pirates of the Caribbean, look at the movie and you’ll understand what I mean, the most important thing is the ships, as it’s about pirates
I don’t have any other idea currently, but if I do I will reply here
for example, instead of the popular simulator quest mistakes: “Defeat X for 10 money”, “Defeat 10 more X for money”, “Defeat more X for more money”, etc, try special interactive player quests like:
obtain X from player trading, or give me X chanced loot from Y boss (players party to fight boss?), or participate in snow collecting event (clans?), etc
try to add more quests that make players interact more with players. Btw, we have no idea how the power of friendship and make your game popular without needing ads
these are great references, I’m definitely gonna keep these in mind. I wouldn’t have ever thought to include a sort of “morality” system to the storyline
